Andrew Nembhard shows his progress in guiding Indiana Pacers past Memphis Grizzlies
The 2023-24 Indiana Pacers faced a new challenge on Sunday. For the first time of the season, they were missing both Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell on the same night, meaning they were reduced to just one available point guard for their battle with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Second-year ball handler Andrew Nembhard needed to be great for the Pacers to win. They were taking on a tough, physical Memphis Grizzlies team that was going to make Indiana earn every point. Quality play from Nembhard as a floor general was a necessity for the blue and gold.
He delivered. Nembhard reached a season high 37 minutes of action, with random breaks in his minutes so he could rest as often as possible. Head coach Rick Carlisle explained postgame that he was doing everything he could to keep Nembhard fresh — when he wasn't on the floor, shooting guards Ben Sheppard and Buddy Hield split point guard duties.
"He was terrific," Carlisle said of Nembhard's performance.
This season has been tough for the second-year guard. Various injuries have taken him out of the lineup — after playing the first 11 games of the season, Nembhard has yet to play for more than six consecutive games in a stretch before dealing with another ailment. He's currently at five in a row after his excellent night vs the Grizzlies.
That has made it difficult for the 24-year old to capture rhythm. Not only do injuries make it harder to play your best, but the lack of consistent stretches of games has hurt Nembhard's consistency, too. But right now, with health on his side, the young guard is hitting a groove.
"Yeah, for sure. Injuries have affected me a little bit. Being in and out, rhythm is tough to get," he said before noting that he feels consistent right now. That was obvious with his play. He finished with 16 points and nine assists in the win while turning the ball over just one time. Nembhard looked comfortable all night.
It was the most recent sign of his development this season. Prior to January 23, Nembhard had just one 15-point game all season. Right now, he has four in a row. In that same span, he's had four of his nine games in 2023-24 with seven-plus assists. With Haliburton sidelined, the Pacers have needed someone to step up. Nemhard has done that.
"He made key plays down the stretch again. His numbers don't look super gaudy... but he scored in traffic one time, he made the pass to [Jalen Smith] for a dunk one time," Carisle said Sunday night before rattling off more great plays his point guard made. Then, he made another important point.
"He was tough defensively the whole game," the head coach added. That's where Nembhard has been rock-solid all season. Against Memphis, he spent more time guarding John Konchar than any other player, and Konchar finished with just two points and one assist while being defended by Nembhard. He had a turnover as well.
On the season, the second-year Indiana guard has consistently been one of the team's best perimeter defenders. With Bruce Brown now in Toronto due to the Pascal Siakam trade earlier this month, there are many matchups in which Nembhard is the Pacers best guard defender. Even when Haliburton and McConnell are available, that's where Nembhard has shined all year.
The blue and gold have a defensive rating that is over three points per 100 possessions better with Nembhard on the floor this season. Even when he's been at the two, he's been great on that end of the floor.
He was again vs Memphis, which was more impressive given his required offensive output. He added four rebounds and a steal Sunday night.
"Approach doesn't really change toward the game," Nembhard said of playing without McConnell and Haliburton available. "I think you've just got to be ready to play those extra couple minutes."
The Pacers went on to beat the Grizzlies by six points, and Nembhard was a +5 for the night. His minutes were vital in a close win, which was Indiana's third in a row.
It was a sign of his growth that he's had this season. Nembhard's improvements haven't been as linear as other players, there have been peaks and valleys along the way. But his recent stretch has been excellent and stabilizing for a Pacers team that was without Haliburton for 10 out of 11 games.
"He's improved, he's improved a lot," Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin said of Nembhard. They worked out together this summer in Indianapolis and were drafted to Indiana on the same night in 2022. Mathurin went on to praise Nembhard's defense, a theme from the evening.
All things considered, it was one of Nembhard's best outings of the season, and it came at a time when the Pacers desperately needed it. That's a sign of his growth as a player and an individual. He was ready for a challenge.
"This has been a great opportunity for him to get more minutes," Carlisle said. "He knows we need him out there. It's simply a matter of him reading the game and doing what he does."
Nembhard, who scored his 1,000th points as a pro during the game, was asked about where he feels he has grown the most since being drafted by the Pacers last year. "I think my offensive game... with the spacing, I think it allows me to be more aggressive to score the ball first," he said. He isn't looking to make plays with his passing all the time.
That mental shift is obvious after Nembhard's fourth-straight game with 15-plus points and seven-plus assists. When Indiana needed their young guard most, he was a steady hand that could guide his team to victory. His second season is turning a corner.
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