The Indiana Pacers had to play perfect basketball in the section in game 1 of the East Conference finals against the New York Knicks to return. If any team could have that belief, they are the Pacers. Indiana had already achieved a ridiculous last minute return twice in the NBA playoffs of 2025, first to stun the Milwaukee Bucks in game 5 of the first round, then surprise the Cleveland Cavaliers in game 2 of the second round.
Somehow, Indiana did it again for his most incredible return so far. Before Tyrese Haliburton could the Reggie Miller channel, the strangulation poster and cool its supervillain status of New York City for life, one of his unrecognized teammates had to briefly became the best shooter in the world to give Indiana a chance.
The Pacers beat the Knicks, 138-135, in extra time in a classic instantaneous game 1. This was legitimately one of the most deranged finals for a playoff game of the High Risk NBA in history, and it was made possible that Nesmith briefly became some combination, Klay Thompson, Ray Allen and Miller himself.
Nesmith hit his first triple of the last quarter with 4:45 to go in a shot that reduced the advantage of the Knicks from 15 points to 12 points. When the timbre of the last quarter sounded, Nesmith had bathed five three more in the room, including three in the last minute, an impossible return was possible. Look at the highlights here:
This is legitimately amazing things of Nesmith, and cannot be forgotten following the absurd Shot of Haliburton and the total collapse of the Knicks. Consider the following:
- The six three in Nesmith’s last quarter are the most in the playoffs that date back to when game data per game became avoidable (since 1998)
- Nesmith’s eight triples at night are the most players of Indiana Pacers.
Hit Miller of Indiana’s record books should be impossible for a career player like Nesmith, but those who pay close attention to these playoffs have noticed that it is a game at a new level in the postseason.
Drayond Green once said “16 games players and 82 players.” It is clear that Nesmith is a 16 games player, also known as a “playoff elevator.” Nesmith was a super efficient scorer and a duration of the duration and the hard defender of the regular season by averaging 12 points per game at 43.1 percent of three -point shots and 65.3 percent of true shooting. In the playoffs, averages 16 points per game with 53.8 percent of three -point shots and 71.3 percent of true shots. Those numbers are incomprehensible.
NBA fans have discussed the idea of ”hot hand” over the years. Nesmith could have had the most popular hand in the history of the playoffs on a short section.
Aaron Nesmith is the first player in the Playbyplay era in scoring 20 points in a period of 5 minutes in the second half of a playoff game.
And he did it in the last 5 minutes of the room to light the most unlikely return victory in the history of the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/m8q8hhud4z
– Automatic (@automaticnba) May 22, 2025
Nesmith was considered one of the best shooting perspectives in the NBA Draft of 2020 that left Vanderbilt after winning 52.2 percent of its three as a second year student. The question was what other way could affect the game. The Boston Celtics led Nesmith with him. 14 General election in the Draft, and fought to reach the duration of the floor the first two years of his career. Possible, it was changed to Indiana in an agreement that sent Malcolm Brogdon to Boston.
Perhaps all those practice sessions against Jays Tatum and Jaylen Brown helped Nesmith give the hardness of delivering in great moments. He remained as an sandy defender while riding his sweet three -point blow. In these days, Nesmith defends the top scorer of the other team and spacies the floor for Indiana’s accelerated offensive. It is quickly becoming one of the best players in the league.
Haliburton expressed it better before in the playoffs: “Each NBA team wants a guy like Aaron Nesmith.”
The defenders of the sandy wing that stretch the floor are so important in the playoffs, even if they rarely get the deserved recognition for their game. Nesmith delivered incredibly in the largest possible moment, and will be remembered as a hero of the Pacers Playoff forever.