“Drove Me Absolutely Mad” – Reggie Miller Named His Toughest NBA Opponent Ever

Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, building a historically dominant dynasty with the Chicago Bulls. Chicago won a staggering six championships during the 1990s, led by their transcendent shooting guard.

During this run, Jordan put together one of the most impeccable career resumes ever, going six for six in the NBA Finals and giving the league some of its most iconic moments.

The Bulls were the main story of the ’90s, dominating headlines on and off the court throughout, and their charismatic star catapulted the league to new heights in viewership.

While the Eastern Conference ran through the Windy City, the Bulls barely overcame several formidable opponents during their title quests. Jordan even admits in the “The Last Dance” documentary that one of Chicago’s hardest foes in the ’90s was the Indiana Pacers.

These squads featured a nice mix of several imposing players, like Dale Davis and Rik Smits, and slick, skilled point guards in Vern Fleming and Mark Jackson.

And everything revolved around future Hall of Famer Reggie Miller, who always knew how to hit clutch shots and get under opponents’ skin.

Jordan and Miller met 64 times in their careers, with the Bulls icon holding a 39-25 record. The two additionally clashed in one legendary close playoff series in 1998, which went to seven games.

While Michael averaged 30.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.5 assists against the Pacers, Miller recently snubbed the all-timer when breaking down who his toughest cover was.

Reggie Miller Reveals Toughest Opponent to Guard

During a recent interview on the Dan Patrick Show, Miller got brutally honest on who the most difficult player for him to guard was and why it drove him nuts.

Drazen Petrovic is One of the NBA’s Greatest “What If” Dtories

Drazen Petrovic was one of the most underrated players of the 1990s. The Šibenik, Croatia native built a decorated resume in Europe that included winning EuroLeague twice and being named a four-time European Player of the Year Award.

Petrovic was also a two-time Olympic medalist with the Yugoslavian National Team, winning the bronze in 1984 and silver in 1988. Soon after the 1988 Olympics, the versatile shooting guard eventually debuted for the Portland Trail Blazers in 1989.

After some early turmoil, Petrovic was traded to the New Jersey Nets, where his career really began to take off. Drazen was the focal point of the offense, leading the Nets in scoring two years in a row, and increasing his efficiency each season.

Both of those New Jersey teams made the playoffs with their new face of the franchise. Sadly, Petrovic was robbed of his prime and passed away in a traffic accident in June 1993. This tragedy happened the same year he was named Third-team All-NBA.

Drazen ultimately finished his NBA career shooting 50.6% from the field, 43.7% from three-point range, and 84.1% from the free throw line and is considered by many to be one of the greatest shooters in NBA history.

Reggie Miller, in fact, has doubled down recently, calling Drazen, who averaged 17 points, 2.5 assists, and 2.3 rebounds against the Pacers, the greatest shooter ever.

Petrovic’s stats against Indiana were improving more and more throughout the years, showcasing that Miller had a feeling his new Eastern Conference foe at the time would’ve been an even bigger menace as the years went on.

Drazen will not show up in many all-time great lists, but he is a legend of the game who is one of the biggest “What If” stories in NBA history.

Miller’s comments might rile up some Jordan fans, but it’s important to note that he, based on personnel, didn’t guard MJ that much.

Whereas, when Miller faced Petrovic, since they had more similar body types, the Nets’ star shooting guard was usually his defensive assignment. This take was a nice callback to a terrific player who should never be forgotten.