'I know how to hoop': Rookie Andrew Nembhard guides Pacers with his steady, confident game
INDIANAPOLIS — The ball was going to Tyler Herro. Rick Carlisle was pretty sure.
The Pacers led the Heat 101-99 with under 10 seconds left, long enough for one last Miami possession. Herro, who already had 29 points as the Heat’s primary scoring option with Jimmy Butler injured, curled around a screen to catch the inbounds pass from the sideline.
Trailing Herro was Andrew Nembhard, who Carlisle trusted with the assignment despite his status as a rookie and a backup. Nembhard had played more than usual that night after Chris Duarte left with a sprained ankle in the first quarter.
Now, the game was down to him staying in front of Herro. The Heat guard set up near the top of the key. He jabbed left, hesitated and shuffled right. Nembhard didn’t bite on any of Herro’s dribbling moves, sliding his feet and keeping Herro out on the perimeter. With nowhere else to go and time winding down, Herro took a hard step right for a fall-away 3-pointer. Nembhard kept a hand in Herro's face as he released.
The shot fell short, clipping the front of the rim on its way down. Pacers win. For Nembhard, it capped a game in which the second-round pick showed what he could bring to Indiana: a steady hand on offense, quality defense and an unflappable presence in key moments.
“I don’t think he’s fazed at all,” Carlisle said. “I don’t think he’s phased one bit by any big moment, any big matchup. This guy just goes out there and plays the game. His poise is one of his really impressive attributes.”
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Throughout the game, Nembhard was a reliable presence, playing patiently, running the offense and dishing out six assists. He was plus-13 in just under 28 minutes despite making just two of eight shots.
He doesn’t have the shooting, size or all-around game of starter Tyrese Haliburton, but they share an ability to keep the offense under control and create for teammates. Both see the floor well and are creative passers. Nembhard kept the Pacers’ offense running smoothly, even if it collectively cooled off in the second half after scoring 62 points in the first.
“What I do well is just, I know how to hoop,” Nembhard said. “I know how to play off others, move off others, know when to cut, when to space. I’m in the right spot. I think that’s what allows me to help the team win, just understanding what our game plan is and trying to execute it to a T.”
With Duarte out -- Carlisle announced he'd be out a minimum of two weeks -- and Aaron Nesmith already injured, the Pacers turned to more lineups with multiple point guards, some of which included all three on the roster: Nembhard, Haliburton and T.J. McConnell. Those lineups lacked the size Duarte or Nesmith would provide, but the ball moved well with three pass-first guards sharing the court.
When he was the primary ball handler, Nembhard brought the same understated confidence that kept his heart rate low while defending Herro in the final seconds. It’s a persona that fits his game. He’s not boastful, just as he rarely makes flashy plays. He simply knows what he can do. After the game, he casually mentioned that he has the ability to guard four positions. A focused mind, an unflappable personality, it all fits within the requirements of someone trusted to run the offense.
“I’ve always had that calm, cool, collected demeanor about myself on the court,” he said. “I think it’s good as a PG just to kind of try to let that go throughout the team, kind of feed off that a little bit in those tough pressure moments.”
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers: Andrew Nembhard key in win over Heat
