UPDATE: Nesmith is available for Game 5.
The Indiana Pacers now hold a 3-1 lead over the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. With Game 5 approaching on Thursday evening, Aaron Nesmith’s status remains one to monitor.
With a questionable designation due to a recent ankle injury, the Pacers wing may or may not suit up for Game 5.
Nesmith originally came up with the ankle ailment in Game 3 against the Knicks, and while he was also uncertain to play in Tuesday night’s Game 4, he did suit up for that one and posted 16 points. With a potential elimination game on deck, it makes sense Indiana would want him on the court to try and end the series early.
Throughout this postseason run, Nesmith has stepped up as a very reliable contributor. The 6-foot-6 wing is shooting an incredible 52.5% from the field and 51.9% from three-point range on nearly 10 total shot attempts per game. He averages 15.1 points over this 14-game playoff sample, notably chipping in a 30-point effort in Game 1 of this Eastern Conference Finals series.
If Nesmith plays, watch for the Pacers to hold the upper hand. If he sits, however, someone else in the Indiana lineup needs to step up as a premier threat from beyond the arc to dispatch these Knicks — Bennedict Mathurin looks like a prime candidate to absorb some of Nesmith’s shots in this case.
