“It still makes me want to punch Michael Jordan”

The All The Smoke podcast has become a major media landmark in NBA circles—widely discussed and known for candid conversations that often lead to hilarious moments. Hosted by two outspoken former players, Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes, the show has built a reputation as a go-to space where current and former athletes open up. But Reggie Miller’s appearance was something different - deeply emotional and poignant.

Miller, the legendary Indiana Pacers shooter and one of the greatest three-point specialists in NBA history, remains sixth on the all-time three-pointers list. Remarkably, he achieved that mark despite playing from 1987 to 2005, long before the modern era of perimeter-heavy offenses. And through it all, he spent his entire career in Indiana.

November 2004: infamous Pacers–Pistons brawl

The rawest moment of the episode came when Jackson—Miller’s teammate on the Pacers from 2004 to 2007—apologized to him for the infamous Malice at the Palace. That shocking brawl, widely regarded as the darkest moment in NBA history, changed the league’s approach to player discipline forever.

It all unraveled on November 19, 2004, at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Detroit. The fallout—from suspensions to lasting reputational damage—derailed a Pacers squad that had serious championship aspirations. And for Miller, it was a bittersweet farewell: he entered that season aged 39, knowing it would be his last.

The roster around him was stacked: Jackson, Metta World Peace (then still known as Ron Artest), Jamaal Tinsley, and Jermaine O’Neal. Miller and Dale Davis were the last holdovers from the Pacers team that reached the 2000 NBA Finals—only to run into a dominant Lakers squad led by Kobe Bryant and the unstoppable Shaquille O’Neal, who averaged a staggering 38 points and 16.7 rebounds in the series.

Despite the chaos, the 2004-05 Pacers managed to push through to the playoffs, advancing past the first round with a victory over the Celtics. But their run ended in the Eastern Conference Semifinals—ironically against the same Pistons team involved in that infamous night.

The brawl, which started as a heated exchange between Ron Artest and Ben Wallace, spiraled into a shocking scene as Pacers players found themselves in physical altercations with Detroit fans. Among them was Stephen Jackson. The aftermath was severe: Artest was suspended for the remainder of the season, Jackson for 30 games, and Jermaine O’Neal saw his initial 25-game suspension reduced to 15.

More than two decades later, Jackson finally took the opportunity to apologize to Miller in person, acknowledging that the incident had tarnished what was supposed to be Miller’s farewell season—a campaign that could have ended with a championship ring but instead fell short.

“I’ve never had a chance just to tell you that I’m sorry,” Jackson told Miller. “We all understood what our motivation was for that season. It wasn’t for us. It was for you. It was the whole motivation for getting things done the right way and getting a championship for you. I never got a chance to apologize to you for my actions. With me saying that, I love you even more because you defended me because you knew that I was just being a loyal teammate.”

That was the moment when Miller became visibly emotional: “I did not want to go there. You don’t have to say that to me, man. Come on, man. You don’t need to apologize to me. You young cats: Jamaal [Tinsley], Jermaine [O’Neal], Al [Harrington], yourself, Ron [Artest, now Metta Sandiford-Artest], made those last few years in Indiana my best years. I didn’t have my superpowers but I felt and you guys made me feel like I was Superman. We had some dogs, man. We had a squad. I played on some Indiana teams that were destined, should of, could of, but always came short. That team, we were stacked. We had the best interior defender in Jermaine, the best perimeter defender in my opinion to this day in Ron… you coming having been a champion with these young guys. We had just lost to Detroit without you and we smacked them there. But you don’t need to apologize because that’s basketball, that’s life. Shit’s going to happen.”

But Jackson persisted: “It bothered me (for never apologizing) because after some time passed I had a conversation with Rick [Carlisle]. He told me that they came to you before they signed me because they knew you were on your way out and you vouched for me without even knowing me.”

Miller made it clear that one regret still lingers despite his extraordinary career: “It will always haunt me not winning a chip. It wouldn’t haunt me as much if I was never so close… I had opportunities. That’s what hurts. That’s why it burns me. Because you want to win it for the guys in that locker room that run through that brick wall for you when you’re the man—my Davis boys [Dale and Antonio] and the fans.

From Michael Jordan to Kobe Bryant

Reggie battled in unforgettable playoff matchups against Michael Jordan’s Bulls and Pat Riley’s rugged Knicks. And, of course, he faced Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the 2000 NBA Finals. A fiery competitor with a legendary reputation for trash talk, Miller reflected on his rivalry with Jordan in a lighthearted—though not entirely unserious—way:

“To this day, I probably would take a swing on Mike if I saw him. I might, I don’t know. I don’t know... Because there’s certain things that are said in between lines that trigger you, and you remember.”

When Matt Barnes pressed him to elaborate, Miller hinted at lingering tension.

“It’s funny, because during the 75th anniversary, you remember Mike wasn’t part of any of the pre-picture and all that? But he showed up before we all walked out… And I’m saying to myself, ‘I might just go over there... ‘”

Miller also touched on his battles with Kobe, particularly the grueling 2000 NBA Finals, which stretched to six games. Interestingly, Miller had been something of a mentor to Kobe when the young guard—then still wearing No. 8—entered the league at just 17 years old.

“He was a true student of the game.”

By the time the Finals arrived, the 21-year-old Bryant was ready. In Game 4, with Shaq fouled out, the Pacers thought they had a real shot to seize momentum. But then Kobe took over.

“Man, he turned into the reincarnation of Michael Jordan. He had been preparing for that moment for three years,” Miller said, recalling how Kobe effortlessly executed moves he had fine-tuned in workouts with him.

Phonecall from Kobe

The following season, on March 1, 2002, Kobe and Miller found themselves in a heated altercation late in a regular-season matchup. Miller had taken offense to Bryant attempting to pad his stats instead of running out the clock—an unwritten rule in the NBA when a victory is already sealed.

“I told him, ‘That’s all you ever want—you just play to boost your numbers.’”

The two ended up tangled on top of the scorers’ table. But Miller later revealed with a smile that Kobe called him the next day to smooth things over. “What were we even thinking?”

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