The Ringer's Bill Simmons, Ryen Russillo laud former Gonzaga PG's NBA Playoff performance: 'He took over the game'

Andrew Nembhard's inspiring play on the defensive end of the floor during the Eastern Conference Finals played a crucial role in the Indiana Pacers' clinching their first NBA Finals berth in a quarter-century.

The former Gonzaga standout was essentially Jalen Brunson's shadow for Game 6 of the conference finals, applying full-court pressure and aggressive off-ball denial tactics that had the New York Knicks guard visibly frustrated throughout Indiana's series-clinching victory last week.

TNT's broadcast crew didn't fail to notice Nembhard poking and prodding at Brunson, with Stan Van Gundy and Reggie Miller both applauding Nembhard's resiliency on the defensive end of the floor despite his shooting inconsistencies. Still, Nembhard delivered down the stretch of the second half before finishing with 14 points and eight assists on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, including a dagger 3-pointer that put the Knicks away for good late in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, Brunson ended with 19 points — his third-lowest scoring output of the 2025 playoffs — and shot 8-of-18 from the field in the 125-108 final.

Nembhard's impressive showing against Brunson has garnered a lot of attention from the national media ahead of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between Indiana and the Oklahoma City Thunder, including from the Ringer's Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo.

During an episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast that was released Sunday, Simmons and Russillo lauded Nembhard's defense on Brunson, as well as his resolve after a quiet Game 5.

"As the first half was going along, it felt like [Nembhard] was going to become the key of the game," Simmons said. "[Pacers guard Aaron] Nesmith was hurt — you could see it, he wasn't the same guy, and they needed Nembhard for Brunson, but it didn't seem like [Nembhard] trusted his own shot and the Knicks were just leaving him open."

Nembhard, coming off a quiet 6-point outing in Game 5, had a similar start to Game 6. He shot just 2-of-7 from the field in the first half, though he still made positive contributions with his playmaking.

"He had to step up offensively because they had to keep him out there," Simmons said of Nembhard. "Not only did he step up, he took over the game against Brunson defensively in a way that for two years he wasn't able to do; it was almost like he unlocked something, and he started frustrating Brunson. When Brunson headbutted him, and [the officials] didn't see it, you knew the game was over. It was like he got him, he broke [Brunson]."

Russillo, who admitted to purchasing Nembhard merchandise after the game, broke down not only how effective the 6-foot-5 guard's physicality was in neutralizing Brunson, but also Nembhard's ability to fluster the All-NBA guard with his full-court pressure and smothering off-ball coverage.

"At one point I was like, maybe the best thing is just to be as physical as possible with [Brunson] the entire time. And then you're like, 'Well, that isn't really going to work,'" Russillo said. "Whatever Nembhard's approach was, it was more about his mentality ... when he hit the layup and then gave Brunson the ball back before [the headbutt], where it's like, 'I'm going to be here all [f—ing] night.'"

Nembhard's defensive assignment in the NBA Finals won't be any easier, as he'll likely draw the reigning NBA MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, with help from Nesmith pending the status of his ankle injury. Like Brunson, Gilgeous-Alexander has mastered drawing fouls and baiting his opponents into well-timed shot-fakes, creating headaches for anyone who's tasked with staying in front of the 6-foot-6 Kentucky product.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals are set for Thursday, 5:30 p.m. PST, on ABC.

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