Miller and Rose Combine for 80 Points in Pacer Win

A double dose of 40s from Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose, along with Allen Iverson’s ejection and apparent bumping of a referee, gave the Indiana Pacers Game 1--and maybe a big edge in Game 2.

Miller and Rose became the first teammates in five years to score 40 points apiece in an NBA playoff game as Indiana routed the Philadelphia 76ers, 108-91, Saturday to open their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

Iverson picked up two technicals with 2:53 left and appeared to bump referee Ken Mauer, which could lead to a suspension for Monday’s Game 2.

Miller, the NBA’s career leader in three-point shots, dashed Philadelphia’s comeback bid minutes earlier by making three consecutive three-point baskets.

Philadelphia, which trailed by as many as 19 in the second quarter, had cut the deficit to 88-80 when Miller found the range. Indiana led, 97-80, after Miller made his seventh three-point shot, tying the franchise playoff record he shared with Chuck Person.

Iverson got into Mauer’s face after teammate Aaron McKie was called for a foul. Iverson, who continued to protest and was called for the technical fouls, finished with 28 points on 10-of-20 shooting.

Philadelphia Coach Larry Brown also received a technical.

“They don’t talk to you like grown men. When you talk to them, they hit you with a ‘T’,” Iverson said of the officials.

Asked to describe the bumping, Iverson said: “He was walking away and he stopped. I didn’t expect him to stop. Anybody in his right mind, watching the tape, could see that it wasn’t intentional.”

Brown was critical of the official, saying, “Mauer came at [Iverson]. We had the same crew in Charlotte. When we came out and I saw them today, I knew we were in trouble.”

Rose, who spent a frustrating season playing under Brown in the coach’s final season with the Pacers, was 16 of 23 from the field. Miller made 11 of 18 attempts, including seven of 10 from three-point range.

They are the fourth pair of teammates to each score 40 in a playoff game, the first since Houston’s Clyde Drexler (41) and Hakeem Olajuwon (40) did it against Utah on May 5, 1995.

“Reggie and Jalen had unbelievable games. I don’t know of any other way to describe it--they were phenomenal. Jalen made some good shots,” Brown said. “Reggie made tough shots. I saw Reggie in Games 3 and 5 [against Milwaukee] play as well as anybody I’ve ever seen.

“We’ve got to do a better job guarding people than we did tonight.”