INDIANAPOLIS – Reggie Miller is in postseason form. Now the Pacers hope to reward him with one more long playoff run.

Miller scored seven of his 22 points in a late 22-second flurry to help the Pacers rally from a six-point deficit and beat the New Jersey Nets 90-86 last night, clinching Indiana’s eighth straight playoff berth.

Indiana has won eight of its last nine games and finished its remarkable run to the postseason after playing nearly half the season without four of its top six players including All-Stars Jermaine O’Neal and Ron Artest.

New Jersey was led by Jason Kidd, who had 29 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists. Vince Carter added 22 points and five rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Nets from dropping 1 1/2 games behind idle Philadelphia in the race for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot. The loss ended the Nets’ three-game winning streak.

For Indiana, the victory capped a memorable comeback from a November 19 brawl with fans in Detroit that threatened to ruin Miller’s last season.

Artest was suspended for the rest of the season, Stephen Jackson for 30 games and O’Neal for 25, a penalty later reduced to 15. In all, the Pacers lost more than 400 games this year to injuries, suspensions and illness, never started their projected lineup and yet never succumbed to the absences.

Last night, they connected on 12 3-pointers and stayed close enough with surprising performances from virtual unknowns like Eddie Gill, who had 11 points, and James Jones, who had 14. Jackson finished with 17 points and Austin Croshere had 13.

But it was Miller who again rallied the Pacers. He completed a rare four point play to cut the lead to 83-81, then hit another 3 to tie it at 84 with 2:00 left. Jones followed that with a 22-footer to make it 86-84 with 1:12 left and after Carter drew his fourth foul with 17 seconds to go, Anthony Johnson hit one free throw to make it 87-84.

Carter missed a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds.

Indiana played an uncharacteristic first half in which they allowed New Jersey to shoot 50% from the field, take control with two first-quarter surges and lead by as much as 49-35 late in the half. The Pacers also drew three technical fouls in the half.

But Croshere’s buzzer-beating 21-footer cut the lead to 49-38 and sparked the Pacers.

Indiana led 75-69 early in the fourth quarter, but the Nets countered with a 14-2 run to rebuild an 83-77 lead with 2:36 to go. Miller’s response then cued the Pacers, who finished the game with a 12-3 run.