Andrew Nembhard finishes in double figures, Indiana Pacers lose to New York Knicks in Game 5

Andrew Nembhard has gotten a taste of a little bit of everything in his first postseason experience.

From blowout victories to narrow losses and everything in between, the former Gonzaga standout has battled through it all while guarding some of the league’s best scorers. In the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks, Nembhard chased around All-NBA talent Damian Lillard for much of six games. Lillard got his share of buckets, but it was Nembhard and the Pacers who got the last laugh en route to the second round.

Lately, Nembhard has had a hand in trying to slow down Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, which is certainly easier said than done. The former Villanova star and leading scorer of the 2024 playoffs scored 40 or more points in four straight games between the first and second rounds, a streak that only Michael Jordan has reached. The Pacers managed to hold Brunson to 18 points in a 121-89 rout in Game 4, though on Tuesday they quickly learned how difficult it is to contain the 6-foot-2 guard on a consistent basis.

Brunson led the Knicks to a 121-91 win at Madison Square Garden, finishing with 44 points, seven assists and four rebounds, to put New York ahead 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. The Knicks rode a 15-point lead into halftime before going on a 17-0 scoring run in the second half to finish off the Pacers, who were led by Pascal Siakam’s 22 points and eight boards.

Nembhard, who helped change the course of the series with a game-winning 3-pointer in Game 3, finished Tuesday night with 11 points and four assists. He shot 4-of-10 from the field and made a pair of 3-pointers in 27 minutes of action.

Nembhard has been a solid contributor throughout his first postseason as a pro. Through his first 10 playoff games, the 6-foot-5 Canadian averaged 12.3 points, 4.7 assists and 2.8 rebounds and shot an efficient 57.3% from the floor, including 43.3% from 3-point range. He made 50% or more of his field goal attempts in seven games and scored in double figures eight times including Tuesday’s performance.

The highlight of Nembhard’s young career came during Game 3 against New York on Friday, when he connected on a 32-foot jumpshot to put the Pacers up 109-106 with 17.1 seconds left in regulation. Nembhard had made just one field goal up to that point, but that didn’t seem to matter when the fate of the game was at stake.

Indiana routed New York in Game 4 to set up a pivotal Game 5 at Madison Square Garden, though the Knicks returned the favor and seized control of the series heading back to Indiana. Game 6 is Friday.