Former Gonzaga standouts meet in NBA In-Season Tournament Final
The first NBA In-Season Tournament Final pits two former Gonzaga men's basketball standouts against one another on Saturday, as Andrew Nembhard and the Indiana Pacers square off against Rui Hachimura and the Los Angeles Lakers with the NBA Cup at stake.
Nembhard has played a key role off the bench for one of the NBA's most electrifying offenses this season. Boasting a scorching 123.5 offensive rating, the Pacers (12-8) lead the association with 128.4 points per game while shooting a league-best 50.8% from the field. Head coach Rick Carlisle's squad puts up points in a hurry, with the second-most fastbreak points per game at 17.2.
With All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton at the helm and Nembhard guiding the second unit, the Pacers share the ball arguably better than anyone in the league with 30.2 assists per game, a league-high as well.
The 23-year-old Haliburton, who leads the NBA in assists, finished with 27 points, 15 assists and seven rebounds in the Pacers' 128-119 win over the Milwaukee Bucks in the East Semifinal game on Thursday. Haliburton became the first player to have at least 25 points and 15 assists without any turnovers in three straight games since turnovers became a stat in 1977. The 6-foot-5 Iowa State product is shaping up to be an All-NBA candidate in just his fourth season, as he spearheads a young Pacers squad that has proven difficult to slow down.
Former Zags Rui Hachimura and Andrew Nembhard.
Photo by Brad Mills, USA TODAY Sports
Nembhard has also been a contributing factor in the attack. The second-year pro has taken strides both as a lead guard in the pick-and-roll and as a defender on the other side of the floor. Per 36 minutes this season, Nembhard averages 8.2 assists, up from 5.9 his rookie season, and has gone from 1.6 steals to 2.2 per game in 2023-24.
In the win over the Bucks, Nembhard finished with eight points on 4-for-5 shooting from the field and had a crucial steal with the game tied early in the fourth quarter. Nembhard's 6-foot-5 frame gives him quite a long reach to poke at his matchup's dribble or intercept an errant pass, as he did against Milwaukee on Thursday.
Nembhard's status for Saturday is unclear after he injured his right knee on a layup attempt. He exited the game immediately following the scary fall.
On the other side, Hachimura and the Lakers (14-9) ride a three-game win streak into the In-Season Tournament Final. The 6-foot-8 forward had 12 points on 5-for-9 shooting from the floor in LA's 44-point demolition of the New Orleans Pelicans in the West Semifinal matchup. While sporting a mask to protect his nose following a nasal fracture suffered in November, Hachimura showed no fear as he threw down a one-hand dunk over Zion Williamson.
Hachimura missed five games due to the nasal fracture he sustained during the Lakers' loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 22. He returned to action against the Phoenix Suns last Tuesday with the black mask on his face, logging seven points and two rebounds in 21 minutes of action. Hachimura has been a source of offensive productivity off the bench for the Lakers, though injuries have kept him sidelined for a total of nine games this season.
Upon returning from a concussion in late October, Hachimura averaged 13.0 points on 52.4% shooting from the field, including 46.2% on 3-point attempts, over a nine-game stretch before the nasal injury. He had a season-high 24 points in his first game back against the Houston Rockets on Nov. 8, as he shot 10-of-14 from the field and grabbed eight rebounds.
Overall, the Lakers on 9-5 in games when Hachimura plays, compared to 5-4 without him in the lineup. He has the fourth-best plus/minus ratio on the team at +33, behind LeBron James, D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis. Hachimura's 11.4 points per game is the most since his second season in the league with the Wizards, while he's shooting a career-best 50% from the floor in his role off the bench.
Despite his productivity, a lot of talks surrounding Hachimura have been trade rumors. Michael Sotto of HoopsHype reported that rival NBA executives believe Hachimura and Russell are two potential trade candidates to watch this winter. The Lakers are rumored to be one of the few potential destinations for Chicago Bulls wing Zach LaVine, in which case Hachimura and Russell would likely be included in a trade package.
All that aside, Hachimura could play a pivotal role in the Lakers' hopes of winning the first NBA Cup on Saturday. He's proven to be a big-time performer on the big stage before, evidenced by his run in the 2023 Playoffs last spring.
The Lakers and Pacers square off in the In-Season Tournament Final on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. PST, with coverage on ABC and ESPN2.
