WATCH: Aaron Nesmith throws down highlight dunk to fuel Indiana Pacers past Cleveland Cavaliers
The Indiana Pacers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers by nine on Thursday night, and their play in the final minutes was crucial in securing the victory. With five minutes to go, the blue and gold still trailed.
At that point, Cleveland held a 119-118 lead, and they had just scored eight points in a two-minute stretch. The Cavs were playing well and had their best lineup on the court for the stretch run.
The Pacers needed a spark. They were playing with energy and slowly mounting a comeback already, to their credit, but they needed one more big play to get the crowd back into the game and take the Cavs out of their comfort zone.
Forward Aaron Nesmith provided it. He caught a pass from Buddy Hield in the left corner with 4:30 on the clock. He did a small shot fake, which drew his defender, Evan Mobley, in close. With Mobley now closer to Nesmith, he drove baseline around the big man and got close to the rim, only to be met by Cavs center Jarrett Allen.
But that was no problem. Nesmith lept from just outside the restricted area, got his head up to the rim, and dunked right over Allen. It was the play of the game and one of the best in-game dunks for the Pacers in recent memory. You can watch a video of the dunk below.
"It was amazing. It was probably the best dunk I’ve ever seen in person," Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said after the game.
The story of the dunk isn't just about the play itself, though. It's about what it helped the Pacers do for the final four minutes. The highlight gave the Pacers their first lead since the 11:10 mark of the fourth quarter, but they still had work to do to close the game out.
Armed with momentum and confidence, the Pacers — and Nesmith — were fantastic the rest of the way. Myles Turner blocked a shot on the defensive end right after the dunk, and Nesmith grabbed a rebound to start a transition opportunity that led to three points. On Indiana's next offensive possession, Nesmith scooped in a crafty layup. Including a Buddy Hield layup that happened before the rim-rattling jam, the Pacers went on a 9-0 run to reclaim the lead, and it was spearheaded by Nesmith's play.
"We just stayed true to ourselves," Nesmith said of the Pacers' play late in the game. He said that the team re-watched the dunk together in the locker room after the game, which was a fun moment for the squad.
His teammate's reactions added to the play. Haliburton and Turner didn't know what to do, and both of them put both hands on their heads as they ran back to play defense. Bennedict Mathurin's jaw dropped. The Pacers bench went crazy. It was a game-changing play, and it was easy to see how it impacted the team.
"In the moment, I didn't know how to react. I knew he was capable," Turner said of the dunk. "I just saw his confidence rise," he added of Nesmith's late-game play.
That 9-0 run gave the Pacers a lead that they never relinquished. The Cavaliers cut the deficit to as low as three with 84 seconds to go, but 30 seconds later — you guessed it — Nesmith hit a driving layup to re-extend the Pacers lead.
The 23-year old knocked down the game-clinching free throws a few seconds later, and the Pacers went on to win their fourth game in their last five outings. Nesmith finished with 10 points in the fourth quarter, and he didn't miss a shot from the field (3/3) or the charity stripe (4/4). He added two rebounds in the frame as well. On the night, Nesmith finished with 22 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one block. It was another game in his excellent month of December.
"I thought 'I'm going to be at home tonight watching SportsCenter because that's got to be the number one play of the night'," Pacers assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said of the dunk after the game. He filled in as head coach after Rick Carlisle was ejected in the third quarter. Pierce also credited Nesmith for being willing to fill any role that the Pacers give him on a given night, and he praised the way the young wing closed the game.
Nemsith has been excellent for the Pacers in recent weeks, and without him, the Pacers don't win last night. His dunk was an incredible highlight, but it was also the catalyst for impressive play down the stretch. That moment won't be forgotten by the team and its fans for a long time.
- Report: Myles Turner and Indiana Pacers open up contract extension talks. CLICK HERE.
- Aaron Nesmith is in a groove for the Indiana Pacers: 'Just playing free, playing to my strengths.' CLICK HERE.
- Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton won't be stopped by more defensive attention. CLICK HERE.
- Pacers center Isaiah Jackson focusing on the simple things to stay engaged and be effective. CLICK HERE.
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