Back when making the playoffs was a regular occurrence for the Knicks, there was no bigger villain at the Garden than Reggie Miller.

The former Spike Lee nemesis and current TNT analyst believes the Knicks “are back,” and he said Tuesday that Tom Thibodeau’s playoff-bound squad reminds him so much of the teams his Indiana Pacers faced six times in postseason play from 1993-2000.

“I will say this, tickets are going for $1,000 for this Knicks game, and that lets you know alone that they are back,” Miller said on a TNT conference call with former Knicks guard Greg Anthony about the fourth-seeded Knicks’ first playoff game since 2013 Sunday against the Hawks. “I agree with Greg in a sense that the character of this team is very much taking on the teams that I used to play [against] with Greg on them.

“Very tough-minded, defensive-minded, get in your face. And that’s all an extension of coach Tom Thibodeau.”

The Hall of Famer added that he “absolutely loves” Thibodeau’s coaching style, and has since previous stops with the Bulls and Timberwolves. The Knicks improved by 20 wins — from 21-45 to 41-31 — in their first season under the veteran head coach.

“They had some bumpy patches early in the year, but I think they’ve found who they are,” Miller said. “I think they found their identity and rallied around their All-Star, Julius Randle, who in my opinion, probably will be the Most Improved Player this year.”

Miller, who famously once scored eight points in the final 16 seconds to defeat the Knicks in Game 1 of a 1995 playoff series, sees similarities with this current Knicks team to those he faced in the postseason.

“I just love their identity now. It really does feel like I’m looking at Greg and John Starks and Charles Oakley and Patrick Ewing,” Miller said. “Those teams were tough. They were tough-minded, they were physical and they brought it each and every night. There were times when they couldn’t score and they won games because of their defense. This team reminds me very much of those teams of the ’90s.”

The Suns’ Monty Williams was named NBCA Coach of the Year by the coaches’ association, which is comprised of the 30 NBA head coaches, although Thibodeau still has a chance for the official league award voted on by the media. Milwaukee’s Mike Budenholzer won the NBCA version last year, but Toronto’s Nick Nurse won the media award. … The Knicks didn’t make any players or coaches available to the media for a second straight day.

Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, the fourth pick in the 2019 draft is excited to make his playoff debut at Madison Square Garden after missing much of the regular season with a knee injury.

“Yeah, of course, playing in the Garden, that’s what every kid who plays basketball wants to do,” Hunter said. “So being able to go there for the playoffs, just to feel that atmosphere, will be great.”

Hawks backup guard Brandon Goodwin will miss the series and the entire playoffs after being diagnosed with a respiratory condition.

Though the team described the condition as minor, it will require treatment and keep Goodwin out for the remainder of the season.

The 25-year-old Goodwin played 47 games for the Hawks this season, making five starts. He averaged 4.9 points per game.

After being passed over in the NBA draft, Goodwin was cut by both Memphis and Denver before landing with the Hawks in 2019.

— with AP