INDIANAPOLIS – The injury report listed Aaron Nesmith as questionable. A “game-time decision.” That was the official line, anyway, after Pacers’ starting forward sprained his right ankle midway through the third quarter of Game 3 against the New York Knicks on Sunday night.
But there was roughly 0% chance of Nesmith missing Game 4 Tuesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
No way. No how.
“When I got hurt, (the trainers) came up to me and said, ‘We want to see how you feel’ and all that,” Nesmith said after Game 4. “I was like, ‘I don’t care how I feel.’ This is what we all live for. We prepare for this all year long our entire lives. These moments… I can’t miss these moments.”
Nesmith was back in the starting lineup for Tuesday’s 130-121 win over New York, helping to put the Pacers on the verge of closing out the Knicks with a 3-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals. Nesmith got off to a flying start with a pair of 3-pointers and a thunderous dunk in the Pacers’ playoff franchise-record 43-point first quarter.
“Making the first couple shots helps you get into the game and the rhythm of the game,” Nesmith said.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle was understandably “concerned after Game 3 about what (Tuesday) was going to feel like” for Nesmith. He did come back to play the last seven minutes of Game 3 but missed his final three shots and was unable to help the Pacers over the hump in a disappointing loss.
“He got a lot of treatment (Monday),” Carlisle said. “Fortunately, we didn’t have to travel. You get in a plane with a (sprained) ankle and the thing as a tendency to blow up. He did a lot of treatment and has all kinds of electronic devices hooked up to him. I know his mom is in town helping him with ice and things like that. He was determined to be in this game.”
The Pacers need him. Nesmith’s offensive performance is one thing (his Game 1 performance at Madison Square Garden will go down the playoff history books). But his defense, largely in trying to wear out Jalen Brunson, is another major factor in the series.
Nesmith scored 12 of his 16 points in the first half. Arguably his biggest contribution, though, came in the fourth quarter. The Knicks trailed 121-114 and OG Anunoby turned the corner with a head of steam going to the basket. Nesmith stepped in front and took a charge.
The Knicks never got any closer.
“You gotta really prepare and make sure you have your legs underneath you,” Nesmith said. “I was short on a lot of my jumpers today. But it’s constant work. It’s tiring.”
The resiliency of Nesmith seems to mirror the Pacers, who have not lost back-to-back games — including in the playoffs — for almost three months.
“Double-A is a warrior,” Obi Toppin said of Nesmith. “He’s going to go out there until he can’t. He was able to go out there and play like he wasn’t even hurt today.”
Nesmith said it took “around-the-clock treatment” to get himself ready for Game 4. But there was never a decision in his mind on his availability — or will there be for Game 5.
“Right after (Game 3), treatment started,” he said. “Red light therapy, game readies, stem machines, hyperbaric chamber. Anything you can think of I was doing it pretty much from the buzzer of last game until tipoff today. We’ll continue to do that and be ready again for Game 5. It was a long 24 to 36 hours. But I couldn’t wait for tipoff. That’s all I could wait for.”
As excited as Pacers’ fans are for a potential close-out game against the Knicks, Nesmith is right there with them. These are physical games. But he will be ready.
“Physicality plays a factor as soon as the playoffs begin,” he said. “But I love it. To me, this is great basketball. This is the most fun.”
Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Hyperbaric chamber. Stem machines. Plenty of ice. Aaron Nesmith wasn’t going to miss Game 4 no matter what
Reporting by Kyle Neddenriep, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
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