The Indiana Pacers won the OKC Thunder 111-110 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
Tyrese Halliburton hit the Indiana Pacers game winner and gave them a victory.
After the victory, Rick Carlisle made it clear that the team still has work to do in the series to secure the victory.
But the Pacers’ depth was once again positive for them as players like Obi Toppin and Andrew Nenbird stepped up in the second half.
Nenbird in particular played a major role in the Pacers’ fourth quarter revival.
The Canadian Guard scored eight of the 14 points in the fourth quarter, draining clutch shots to bring the Pacers back into the game.
Not only did he have a huge impact on offensively, he also strengthened his defenses in Game 1, doing an incredible job with MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
SGA and Nembhard played a lot of basketball with each other, growing up in Canada.
Before Game 1, OKC Thunderguard revealed what it would be like to face his longtime compatriots.
Gilgeous-Alexander said: “I played Andrew when I was nine, and it was an incredible journey, and it’s obvious to see him succeed.
“Like there are so many kids who have played the games we played, what we’ve made is a testament to our hard work and character.”
His performance against the Thunder was huge, but Nenbird has stepped up for the Pacers in the playoffs since being on the roster.
He shot the ball 47% from 3-point range last year in the playoffs, but increased this season to 48.3%.
He did a great job at SGA, so his defensive IQ is also elite, making it difficult for him to get a bucket easily.
The MVP shot the ball 46.7% off the field of the game, but when protected by Nembhard, he seemed struggling, scoring 8 points, but only shot 3-9 from the field.
Nembhard also hit Clutch Three on the SGA in the final minutes of the game, bringing the Pacers closer to victory.
Nembhard played for two college teams, one of whom was Gonzaga, a teammate of Chet Holmgren.
Gonzaga’s team was able to reach the Sweet 16 with Holmgren and Nenbird playing a vital role.
Nearly four years later, both of these stars are meeting again in the NBA Finals.
Holmglen struggled in Game 1 and scored only six points, which he didn’t step up defensively for his team.
But he is a good player and will return strongly in the next game.
Nembhard helps you plan how you can continue to limit the impact Holmgren has on your game.