INDIANAPOLIS — This wasn't how Reggie Miller imagined his farewell playoffs.

Miller scored 33 points last night, his most in the postseason in three years, and Indiana pulled away to a 99-76 victory over Boston and a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

Game 4 will be here tomorrow night, and the series will return to Boston on Tuesday.

"I'm trying to be aggressive. ... I'm getting great picks from our big guys," Miller said. "This is somewhat of an out-of-body experience. I'm not supposed to be doing it."

Celtics coach Doc Rivers only wishes that were the case.

"I hate that guy," Rivers said, quickly adding, "No, Reggie's been great. He really has.

"We've got to come up with a better answer for him than we have."

Rivers said earlier this week that Miller, who had 25 points on Monday night, may be getting "sympathy calls" from the officials as he makes his final NBA tour before retiring.

Miller had his usual flops, trying to draw fouls, but it wasn't his theatrics or the officials' kindly treatment that doomed Boston.

"We just got our tails kicked," Rivers said. "They were more physical. They were the aggressor. They competed hard, got all the loose balls. This team has been here. If we try to play tit-for-tat and try to think our way through the series, we're not going to do too well. We have the advantage of youth and athleticism, and we have to use that."

"It's playoff basketball. Everyone's trying to one-up each other," Miller said of the "sympathy" comment by Rivers. "I'm just trying to play. Doc obviously has to say whatever he has to say. I wasn't crying after Game 1 when I was 1 for 7. He's a great coach and a great motivator, I understand that, but I'm just trying to play the game."

Miller also had seven rebounds and two assists.