Playoff Nembhard Strikes Again

The Indiana Pacers have taken down the Knicks. Yes, you read that correctly—meaning the Pacers are headed to the NBA Finals to face the Oklahoma City Thunder. The real story, though, was Playoff Andrew Nembhard’s masterclass shut down of the Knicks' heart and soul, Jalen Brunson.

For those that don’t know the Nembhard playoff lore, it all starts a year ago, as Andrew Nembhard stepped up with so many memorable moments in the Pacers’ run to the Conference Finals.

After an injury-plagued regular season this year, he came into the playoffs finally fully healthy, and it has shown. Playoff Nembhard was so back, with great series in the first first two rounds just like the year before.

Though overall these playoffs, he hasn’t been needed as much for big scoring totals, but he’s been there to steady the ship when needed on both ends of the court. He’s averaging 12.7 PPG, 4.9 AST, 49% from three, and 1.3 STL. But with Andrew, it’s also about what he does that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet—most of all, his defensive presence, which we saw in Game 1 overtime when he single-handedly made two stops in a row to help the Pacers steal the win.

So while his scoring had been quiet the last couple games, now with all the pressure on to finish this out, he was finally given full reins for four quarters on Brunson, and it did not disappoint. Nembhard put him into a blender all game long. Brunson, who had been averaging 32 PPG in the series, finished with just 19 points on 8-18 shooting. But it goes further than that, with so many pivotal stops, including six steals, which is an insane stat for a playoff game, let alone a Conference Finals-clinching win. (Which, by the way, was a record.)

Two sequences stuck out. One didn’t even result in a steal, but just to see the textbook defense and the effort from Brunson going nowhere was basketball poetry in motion. The other felt like a seal-the-deal moment, as Nembhard picked Brunson’s pocket, finished the bucket on the other end, and then Brunson showed his frustration by headbutting Nembhard.

Of course, now the job gets even tougher, as he’ll most likely be tasked with guarding NBA MVP and fellow Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Thunder. A similar skill set, but much more advanced than Brunson, this will be something to watch throughout the NBA Finals.

Playoff Nembhard, though, is and has been a sight to see for all the purest basketball fans. It’s so damn tough to find guys in this league who take it as a personal mission to stop one guy, ya know just stick on him like gum to your shoe, through screens, step-backs, and drives. Andrew Nembhard is proving, each season, more and more, that he’s willing to be that guy.

He plays basketball the right way.