Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Bounces back with solid total
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Nesmith amassed 14 points (5-9 FG, 4-5 3Pt), six rebounds and one steal across 25 minutes during Monday's 120-109 loss to the Thunder in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Nesmith's defensive mettle and rebounding ability have served the Pacers well, and his ability to contain Jalen Brunson in the Eastern Conference Finals remains his postseason highlight. While he's failed to break the double-digit scoring barrier over the past two games, he took advantage of a slow start by Obi Toppin and posted 14 points over 25 minutes.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Double-doubles in Game 1 win
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Nesmith provided 10 points (3-9 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist and one block over 31 minutes during Thursday's 111-110 victory over the Thunder in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Nesmith played his role to perfection, recording his third double-double of the postseason. Although his contributions don't always translate into stats, Nesmith's impact on the defensive end of the floor has been invaluable for the Pacers. Despite trailing by as much as 15 points during the final quarter, Indiana once again defied the odds, stealing Game 1 on the road. The two teams will meet again Sunday, when the Pacers will look to take a 2-0 series advantage.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Upgraded to available
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Nesmith (ankle) is available for Thursday's Game 5 against the Knicks, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Nesmith will play through an ankle sprain, which he originally suffered in Game 3. The 25-year-old sharpshooter has been an integral part of Indiana's playoff run, having averaged 15.1 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.9 blocks and 2.9 three-pointers while shooting 51.9 percent from downtown over 14 games in the 2025 postseason. Nesmith will also be tasked with trying to slow down Jalen Brunson in Game 5.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Iffy for Game 5
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Nesmith (ankle) is listed as questionable for Thursday's Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks.
Nesmith was listed as questionable due to a sprained right ankle before Tuesday's Game 4 win, though he played through the injury and posted 16 points (5-9 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, two steals and one assist across 32 minutes. The 25-year-old swingman has played a key role for the Pacers on both ends of the floor, averaging 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 three-pointers, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks across 32.3 minutes per game in four Eastern Conference Finals appearances. He has also recorded 54.1/61.9/92.9 shooting splits during that span.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Available to play in Game 5
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Nesmith (ankle) has been cleared to play in Thursday's game against the Knicks.
Nesmith's ankle injury won't prevent him from playing in Game 5. The Vanderbilt product has been able to power through despite suffering the injury in Game 3, as he finished with 16 points, three rebounds, two steals and an assist in Tuesday's win.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Questionable for Thursday
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Nesmith (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Thursday's Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks.
Nesmith has been dealing with an ankle sprain but has been able to play through the injury. The 25-year-old forward is coming off a 16-point performance in Game 4 and is averaging 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game in this series. He's also been remarkably efficient in the shooting department, hitting 54.1 percent of his shots from the field and 61.9 percent from deep.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Plays key role despite injury
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Nesmith accumulated 16 points (5-9 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT), three rebounds, one assist and two steals across 32 minutes during Tuesday's 130-121 win over the Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Nesmith played through an ankle sprain suffered during the Game 3 loss, scoring in double digits for the fifth time in the past six games. He continues to play a key role on both ends of the floor, typically tasked with defending the opposition's primary assets. Through four games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Nesmith has averaged 16.5 points, 1.5 steals and 3.3 three-pointers in 32.5 minutes per contest.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Will play in Game 4
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Nesmith (ankle) has been cleared to play in Tuesday's game against the Knicks, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Nesmith suffered an ankle sprain in Game 3, but powered through the injury during that contest. Although it was uncertain whether he'd suit up for Game 4, the Vanderbilt product will be on the floor on Tuesday. The 25-year-old is averaging 16.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game in this series while shooting 53.6 percent from the field and an impressive 73.3 percent from beyond the arc.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Iffy for Game 4
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Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said that Nesmith will be listed as questionable for Tuesday's matchup with the Knicks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals due to a right ankle sprain, Tony East of WTHR Channel 13 Indianapolis reports.
Carlisle suggested that Nesmith's status could come down to a game-time decision, meaning the team will likely see how his ankle responds in warmups before determining his availability ahead of the 8 p.m. ET tipoff. Nesmith rolled his right ankle during the third quarter of Sunday's 106-100 loss in Game 3, but he was able to come back into the game late in the fourth quarter. Nesmith finished the contest with eight points (2-8 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 3-4 FT), seven rebounds, two steals and one block in 26 minutes.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Returns to game Sunday
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Nesmith (ankle) is back in Sunday's Game 3 against the Knicks, Tony East of WTHR Channel 13 Indianapolis reports.
Nesmith rolled his right ankle during the third quarter of Sunday's contest, but he was able to come back into the game late in the fourth quarter with the Knicks surging back into the game. Despite returning to the game, the injury could be something to monitor ahead of Tuesday's Game 4.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Heads to locker room Sunday
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Nesmith went back to the locker room during the third quarter of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Knicks on Sunday due to an apparent ankle injury, Tony East of WTHR Channel 13 Indianapolis reports.
Nesmith went down after appearing to roll his ankle while attempting a pass along the baseline. If he is unable to return, Obi Toppin and Ben Sheppard will likely pick up extra minutes.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Catches fire in comeback win
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Nesmith generated 30 points (9-13 FG, 8-9 3Pt, 4-4 FT), two rebounds, one steal and two blocks in 39 minutes of Wednesday's 138-135 overtime win against the Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Nesmith made six three-pointers and scored 20 total points in the final five minutes of regulation, helping the Pacers erase a 15-point deficit to force overtime. Nesmith scored 11 consecutive points in the final minute, setting up Tyrese Haliburton's game-tying jumper at the buzzer. The performance marked Nesmith's second 30-point game of the 2024-25 season, and his eight three-pointers were a career high -- topping his seven made threes Dec. 30, 2023, which also came against the Knicks. He's averaging 14.6 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 29.6 minutes per game during the playoffs.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Double-doubles in Game 5 win
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Nesmith notched 13 points (5-14 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 13 rebounds, two assists and two steals across 37 minutes during Tuesday's 114-105 win over the Cavaliers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Nesmith grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds, securing just his second double-double of the season. He has now scored double-digits in eight of his 10 postseason appearances, but this was only his fourth game with double-digit shot attempts. Indiana will now face the winner of the New York and Boston series, in which New York currently holds a 3-1 lead heading into Game 5.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Efficient shooting in win
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Nesmith posted 12 points (4-8 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound and four assists in 23 minutes during Sunday's 129-109 victory over Cleveland in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Nesmith shot 50 percent from the field during Game 4 while being one of seven players for the Pacers to score in double figures in this blowout win. The 24-year-old guard is averaging 14.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.4 steals per game during these NBA playoffs, shooting 49 percent from the floor and 50 percent from beyond the arc.
Nesmith closed with 23 points (8-13 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, one assist, three blocks and one steal over 33 minutes during Tuesday's 120-119 victory over Cleveland in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Nesmith continues to play his best basketball of the season, scoring double-digit points for the sixth straight game. He added four combined steals and blocks, helping the Pacers to yet another nailbiting victory. The series will now shift to Indiana with the Pacers leading 2-0. While he doesn't always receive a lot of attention, Nesmith has played a key role for Indiana.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Double-doubles in win
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Nesmith posted 19 points (8-15 FG, 3-6 3Pt), 12 rebounds and three assists across 41 minutes during Tuesday's 119-118 overtime win over the Bucks in Game 5 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Nesmith recorded his first double-double of the 2024-25 campaign, and he tied his career-high mark in rebounds Tuesday. The 25-year-old forward also finished as the Pacers' third-leading scorer, logging his fourth consecutive contest with at least 14 points. Nesmith averaged 14.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 30.2 minutes per game in the first round.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Upgraded to available
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Nesmith (back) is available for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Bucks.
Nesmith has been upgraded from probable to available with a back bruise Tuesday as the Pacers look to eliminate Milwaukee from the playoffs. The 25-year-old swingman shouldn't face any restrictions in Game 5. Through four contests this postseason, Nesmith has averaged 13.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 2.8 three-pointers in 27.8 minutes while shooting 52.4 percent from downtown.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Likely to play in Game 5
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Nesmith (back) has been listed as probable for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Bucks.
Nesmith has been dealing with a back issue throughout the playoffs but is trending toward playing in Game 5. The 25-year-old forward is coming off a 14-point performance in Sunday's win in Game 4. He's averaging 13.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals per game in this series, shooting 54.1 percent from the floor and 52.4 percent from beyond the arc.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Will be rested Friday
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Nesmith will be rested Friday against Orlando.
Nesmith logged 30 minutes during Thursday's 114-112 win over the Cavaliers, finishing with 22 points, six rebounds, one assist and three triples. But with the Pacers locking down home-court advantage, Nesmith and the rest of Indiana's starters will get a night off. As a result, guys like T.J. McConnell, Johnny Furphy and Quenton Jackson could potentially step into larger roles.
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Pacers' Aaron Nesmith: Iffy against Utah
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Nesmith is listed as questionable for Friday's game versus the Jazz due to right ankle soreness.
Nesmith is in danger of missing just his second game since Jan. 14 on Friday due to a right ankle injury. With Bennedict Mathurin (calf) also questionable, Jarace Walker and Ben Sheppard could receive increased playing time.
