Aaron Nesmith showed no signs of injury after spraining his ankle in Game 3, performing impressively in Game 4. The 25-year-old scored 16 points, including two early 3-pointers, and contributed defensively, frustrating Knicks guard Jalen Brunson. Nesmith also drew a crucial charge on OG Anunoby to help maintain a seven-point lead. Meanwhile, Bennedict Mathurin had a standout game off the bench, scoring 20 points in just 12 minutes, significantly improving from his previous struggles in the series. Their performances propelled the Pacers toward the brink of eliminating the Knicks.
Forty-eight hours after limping around the Pacers locker room following a right ankle sprain he sustained in the third quarter of Game 3, Aaron Nesmith displayed no signs of injury in Game 4. The 25-year-old, labeled a game-time decision, sank his first two 3-point attempts and executed a fast-break tomahawk dunk in the first quarter that received a loud cheer from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd. However, the play that perhaps best encapsulated Nesmith’s relentless two-way prowess was a less celebrated moment in the third quarter. After Nesmith evaded Jalen Brunson for an easy dunk, he immediately switched to defense and contested Brunson closely. The Knicks hadn’t even inbounded the ball yet, and Brunson threw his hands up in exasperation. Nesmith concluded the game with 16 points, three rebounds, and two steals in 32 minutes while keeping pressure on Brunson. The Pacers guard also drew a critical charge on Knicks forward OG Anunoby at the 2:30 mark of the fourth quarter, helping to maintain a seven-point lead for Indiana.
Bennedict Mathurin sparked Indiana as well. The 2022 No. 6 pick had faced challenges in this series, with only 11 points collectively scored in the first three games, but he erupted on Tuesday to assist Indiana in pushing New York to the edge of elimination. Mathurin, who missed last year’s playoffs due to a torn labrum, drained a midrange jumper just four seconds after entering the game in the first quarter, finishing with 20 points off the bench in 12 minutes.