The Chiefs scored 32 unanswered points after trailing 19-3 in the first half, their four tries a mixture of set-piece execution, counterattack and old-fashioned hard work.
"We rolled up the sleeves and just went through the front. We were patient enough to wait for the opportunity," McMillan said after the Christchurch clash of the heavyweights.
"I think there was Chiefs rugby at its best. There were lots of pleasing things today, but some still some work-ons.
"We didn’t get everything perfect. When you play the Crusaders, you’ve got to understand that that will be the case. We’re not going to get everything your own way."
The match narrative was eerily similar to when the teams met in round two, when a big second half turned the match rapidly in the Chiefs’ favour.
However, that game was more of a free-flowing shootout, whereas Saturday’s game had more of a brutal, test-like intensity to it.
The Crusaders scored tries to Tom Christie, Scott Barrett and Antonio Shalfoon, all barge-overs from close range.
While Leroy Carter found enough room to score one of the best individual tries of the year, the Chiefs’ other scores to Emoni Narawa, Damian McKenzie and Wallace Sititi were all from rucks and set pieces inside the Crusaders’ 22m.
McMillan said the Chiefs’ loss to the Hurricanes last weekend had fuelled motivation.
"The reality we just kind of got beaten up last week and that didn’t sit well with anybody.
"We knew we had to stand up physically, both sides of the ball. That’s something that the Chiefs pride themselves on."
Crusaders coach Rob Penney said the Chiefs deserved their victory.
"It was a bit of a lesson... how we respond now will be critical," Penney said.
"We were just a little bit below where we needed to be. They’re notorious for going hard after halftime. We expected it but weren’t able to combat it."
The match will also bring back memories of the 2023 season, in which the Chiefs beat the Crusaders twice in the regular season only to lose the final to them in front of a packed stadium in Hamilton.
With McMillan leaving to take up a contract with Irish province Munster next year, the motivation will be strong to avoid a heartbreaking repeat and bring the Chiefs their first Super Rugby title since 2013.
The result handed the Chiefs (41 points) the outright lead in the competition.
While the Crusaders (37) slip to third, they have a game in hand.
The Brumbies (39) are second after their 33-14 win over the Force, while the Reds (32) are fourth after their 28-21 derby win over the Waratahs on Sunday night.
The Reds-Waratahs clash marked a 50th Super Rugby game in the middle for Otago referee James Doleman.
The surging Blues (27) and Hurricanes (26) round out the top six.
— RNZ/APL
