Pacers News: Rick Carlisle Has Tough Decision on His Hands Ahead of 76ers Matchup

The Indiana Pacers have won seven of their last eight games. They have been beating some really good teams during their winning streak as well.

A large part of why they have been able to win these games is the fact that they are finally healthy. After suffering so many injuries to start the year, the Pacers are able to have most of their guys back.

On Saturday night, the Pacers will be taking on the Philadelphia 76ers. It will be the first game that the team will be healthy except for guys who have suffered season-ending injuries.

In their last game against the Detroit Pistons, Aaron Nesmith played in his first game since November. He had missed 35 straight games.

In that game against the Pistons, he played just nine minutes. He did start the game, though, and scored nine points in those limited minutes.

Starting him was an easy decision because Bennedict Mathurin was suspended for that game. Now, Mathurin is back.

That means that Rick Carlisle has a tough decision on his hands. Does he start Nesmith again? Or does he keep Mathurin in the starting lineup as he has for most of the season?

Tonight will be the first game since November that Rick Carlisle has to decide between Aaron Nesmith and Bennedict Mathurin as his starting small forward. Tonight it's still an easy call, but it will get tough. The case for each player: https://t.co/AgFkzESO1e
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) January 18, 2025

Nesmith was the starter at small forward all of last year. He has proven to be the Pacers' best perimeter defender and one of their best 3-point shooters.

Mathurin has put up career-best numbers in Nesmith's absence. He has shown his ability as a scorer and as a rebounder.

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For now, it would make sense to start Mathurin while Nesmith is under a minutes restriction. That would allow him to ease himself back into the game.

Once that restriction is lifted, things get a lot tougher for Carlisle. Nesmith has been a great player since coming over in the Malcolm Brogdon trade a couple of years ago.

What Carlisle decides could be crucial to the Pacers continuing their winning ways. This team has a chance to contend for a title with the way they are playing.

So far this season, Nesmith is averaging 9.1 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 0.9 assists. He is also shooting 57 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

Mathurin is averaging 16.5 points, six rebounds, and two assists per game this year.

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