The Indiana Pacers needed to play excellent basketball down the stretch in Sport 1 of the Jap Convention Finals towards the New York Knicks to have any shot at a comeback. If any workforce might have that perception, it’s the Pacers. Indiana had already pulled off ridiculous last-minute comebacks twice within the 2025 NBA Playoffs, first to stun the Milwaukee Bucks in Sport 5 of the first-round, then to shock the Cleveland Cavaliers in Sport 2 of the second-round.
Someway, Indiana did it once more for his or her most unbelievable comeback but. Earlier than Tyrese Haliburton could channel Reggie Miller’s choke sign and mint his standing as a New York Metropolis supervillain for all times, considered one of his unsung teammates needed to briefly change into the best shooter on the planet to present Indiana an opportunity.
The Pacers beat the Knicks, 138-135, in time beyond regulation in a Sport 1 on the spot traditional. This was legitimately one of the crucial unhinged endings to a high-stakes NBA Playoffs sport in historical past, and it was made doable Nesmith briefly turning into some mixture of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Ray Allen, and Miller himself.
Nesmith hit his first three-pointer of the fourth quarter with 4:45 remaining on a shot that lower the Knicks’ lead from 15 factors to 12 factors. By the point the fourth quarter buzzer sounded, Nesmith had hit 5 extra threes within the fourth, together with three within the remaining minute, make an unimaginable comeback doable. Watch the highlights right here:
That is legitimately mind-blowing stuff from Nesmith, and it could possibly’t be forgotten within the wake of Haliburton’s absurd game-tying shot and the Knicks’ whole collapse. Contemplate the next:
- Nesmith’s six threes within the fourth quarter are probably the most by any participant ever within the playoffs courting again to when play-by-play knowledge grew to become accessible (since 1998)
- Nesmith’s eight threes on the evening are probably the most ever by an Indiana Pacers participant.
Knocking Reggie Miller out of the Indiana document books ought to be unimaginable for a profession position participant like Nesmith, however these paying shut consideration in these playoffs have observed he’s taken his sport to a brand new stage within the postseason.
Draymond Inexperienced as soon as mentioned there are “16-game gamers and 82-game gamers.” It’s change into clear that Nesmith is a 16-game participant, aka a “playoff riser.” Nesmith was a brilliant environment friendly scorer and shooter and difficult defender in the course of the common season by averaging 12 factors per sport on 43.1 % three-point taking pictures and 65.3 % true taking pictures. Within the playoffs, he’s averaging 16 factors per sport on 53.8 % three-point taking pictures and 71.3 % true taking pictures. These numbers are incomprehensible.
NBA followers have debated the thought of the “sizzling hand” over time. Nesmith may need simply had the most well liked hand in playoff historical past over a brief stretch.
Aaron Nesmith is the FIRST participant within the playbyplay period to attain 20 factors in a 5-minute span within the 2nd half of a playoff sport.
And he did it within the remaining 5 minutes of the 4th to ignite perhaps probably the most inconceivable comeback win in playoff historical past. pic.twitter.com/M8q8HhUD4Z
Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.— Computerized (@automaticnba) May 22, 2025
Nesmith was thought of one of many high taking pictures prospects within the 2020 NBA Draft popping out of Vanderbilt after making 52.2 % of his threes as a sophomore. The query was how else he might impression the sport. The Boston Celtics took Nesmith with the No. 14 general choose within the draft, and he struggled to get on the ground in the course of the first two years of his profession. Finally, he was traded to Indiana in a deal that despatched Malcolm Brogdon to Boston.
Perhaps all these follow classes towards Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown helped give Nesmith the toughness to ship in huge moments. He remade himself as a gritty defender whereas sustaining his candy three-point stroke. Nowadays, Nesmith defends the opposite workforce’s high scorer and areas the ground for Indiana’s fast-paced offense. He’s rapidly changing into one of many higher position gamers within the league.
Haliburton put it finest earlier within the playoffs: “Each workforce within the NBA desires a man like Aaron Nesmith.”
Gritty wing defenders who stretch the ground are so necessary within the playoffs, even when they not often get the deserved recognition for his or her play. Nesmith delivered in superb vogue within the greatest second doable, and he’ll be remembered as a Pacers playoff hero eternally.
