Aaron Nesmith played a major role in the Indiana Pacers' shocking Game 1 victory over the New York Knicks, mostly for his performance in the clutch. In the win, Nesmith hit six three-point field goals in the fourth quarter. This was tied for the most three-point field goals in a single quarter in the playoffs, alongside big names like Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, and Damian Lillard.
Wednesday night was like a movie for the Pacers as they pulled off a miraculous comeback late in the game. After securing the stunning victory, they are now just three wins away from making it to the NBA Finals and seven wins away from winning their first NBA Championship in franchise history. Many players stepped up for them when they needed it, but without Nesmith nearly making history, the Pacers never would have gotten the opportunity to pull off the comeback and inch closer to making their championship dreams come true.
Aaron Nesmith was lights-out in Game 1
Though a lot of the Nesmith discourse in Game 1 will be based on his clutch shot-making (and rightfully so), it would almost do an injustice to his whole performance. In the game, the Vanderbilt alum scored 30 points (only Tyrese Haliburton scored more for the Pacers), and he shot 9-for-13 from the field and an incredible 8-for-9 from beyond the arc.
While most of his buckets came later in the game, Nesmith was solid all throughout. In the first half, he scored 10 points on a perfect 3-for-3 from the field, including a 2-for-2 mark from the three-point line. He also recorded two blocks in the first half.
Hopefully for the Pacers, they do not need Nesmith to have another near-perfect performance to steal another victory away from New York in Game 2. However, they should at least feel great knowing that he has this in him. Nesmith has developed into one of the Pacers' most important players because of his contributions on both sides of the ball. He is a great defender who brings the energy, but he is also a fantastic three-point shooter, which was obvious on Wednesday.
In order for the Pacers to build off this momentum and continue their hot streak into the rest of the series, they will need the whole team to bring their A-game. This will include Nesmith, whose late-game heroics may have single-handedly saved the Pacers in Game 1. While he is not their best player, Nesmith is proving to be one of the most valuable players on Indiana's roster. If he stays hot, the Knicks may not even stand a chance against a Pacers team that continues to shock the world time and time again.