"Reggie Miller rooting for Denver or something?": Kendrick Perkins senses bias in Hall of Fame SG's commentary
ESPN's Kendrick Perkins seemingly didn't appreciate TNT analyst Reggie Miller's color commentary during Game 2 of the Denver Nuggets and LA Lakers' first-round playoff series. On Monday, Perkins took to X/Twitter to call out the Hall of Famer for showing bias toward Denver.
After falling behind by as many as 20 points (68-48) early in the third quarter, the Nuggets mounted a furious comeback. They closed the second half on a 53-31 run to steal the game 101-99 on a buzzer-beating fadeaway jumper from star point guard Jamal Murray.
Amid Denver's second-half surge, Perkins questioned whether Miller was rooting for the Nuggets to complete their comeback.
"Reggie Milller rooting for Denver or something? Jesus Christ," Perkins tweeted.
It's unclear exactly which of Miller's comments sparked Perkins' tweet. However, NBA fans on X mostly agreed with the former NBA champion.
"He’s not even hiding it anymore," @Kwintarget said.
"Glazing Murray like crazy," @PLAYBYPLAYNEWS said.
However, several fans suggested that Reggie Miller's alleged bias may have more to do with having hard feelings for the Lakers than being a Nuggets fan. Some referenced the Indiana Pacers legend's shortcomings against LA in the 2000 NBA Finals.
"He's actually rooting against the Lakers and rooting for any team that's playing the Lakers. Reggie Miller is an unapologetic Laker hater," @PitneyAllen said.
"Still mad from when Shaq[uille O'Neal] and Kobe Bryant kept him from getting the chip," @yanks2801 said.
Watch: LeBron James' ill-advised 3 that broke Lakers' hearts in Game 2 loss
Amid alleged support from Reggie Miller, Denver Nuggets take commanding 2-0 series lead over LA Lakers
Whether Reggie Miller is rooting for the Denver Nuggets to knock off the LA Lakers in Round 1 of the playoffs is debatable. However, if Kendrick Perkins' suspicion is accurate, Miller is well on his way to getting his wish.
Following Monday's Game 2 comeback win, the Nuggets took a commanding 2-0 lead over the Lakers heading to LA for Thursday's Game 3. Denver has won their last 10 matchups, including sweeping the Lakers 4-0 in last year's West finals and 3-0 in this year's season series.
So, LA may have blown its best chance to steal a game in Denver. It must now win four of five games to knock off the defending champions. So, the Lakers will likely need to defend their home court in Games 3 and 4 to do so.
However, winning back-to-back games will likely be difficult considering they haven't beaten the Nuggets since Dec. 16, 2022.
Also Read: "A for effort", "YOU ARE THE FATHER": George Karl and former NBA champ humiliate Lakers after another meltdown vs Denver