Aaron Nesmith enjoyed the best game of his career to lead the Indiana Pacers to a staggering comeback against the New York Knicks.
Tyrese Haliburton scored the spectacular game-tying shot, and had the memorable ‘Reggie Miller celebration’ to remember. But none of this would have been possible without Aaron Nesmith’s heroics.
Aaron Nesmith scored 30 points to fire up the Indiana Pacers‘ comeback win, scoring 8 of 9 three point attempts.
Nesmith admitted he was surprised the New York Knicks kept leaving him open, and he took full advantage. The Pacers star’s shot map was a thing of beauty.
Aaron Nesmith joined the Indiana Pacers in 2022 in a trade for Malcolm Brogdon. He had been drafted two years earlier by the Boston Celtics.
Nesmith struggled to work his way into the Celtics team, starting only four games in two seasons, before being deemed expendable.
He was instantly given more of a run in Indiana, and is now playing a starring role in the Eastern Conference Finals.
And for Celtics fans, seeing Nesmith produce against a New York Knicks team who eliminated them in the previous round, brought some mixed emotions.
There were varying responses among Boston Celtics fans watching Aaron Nesmith’s incredible performance in Madison Square Garden.
One fan wrote: “Nesmith couldn’t do a single thing positive in a Celtics uniform now he’s the best role player in the league.”
Another fan added, in reference to the Knicks rivalry, “Aaron Nesmith did Celtics fans a big favor tonight.”
“Shoutout to Celtics legend Aaron Nesmith for tonight’s game,” one happy fan wrote.
“I feel like it’s safe to say the Celtics shouldn’t have let go of Nesmith so easily,” one fan lamented.
Another fan backed this view, commenting: “I need Nesmith back on the Celtics now.”
“Why couldn’t Aaron Nesmith do that with Boston?” one fan asked.
Others were simply pleased to see Nesmith succeed, with one fan commenting: “Happy for former Celtics legend Nesmith ! What a performance tonight.”
Another noted: “I think Aaron Nesmith is the first player post Brad Stevens to leave the Celtics and become better.”
Aaron Nesmith incredibly scored 20 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. He was the hot hand who the Knicks could not control.
Nesmith’s eight threes in the game were a franchise record by an Indiana Pacers player in the NBA Playoffs, and this performance will live long in the memory.
The win gave the Pacers a 1-0 lead, and while there is plenty of work for the team to do, this win was huge in their quest to reach the NBA Finals.
