There were plenty of players who were essential to the Indiana Pacers' Game 1 victory on the road against the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, none of them were as impactful as Andrew Nembhard, who is continuing to build his reputation as a playoff riser.
In the win, Nembhard scored a team-high 23 points while shooting 7-for-10 from the field and 5-for-6 from the three-point line. Additionally, he dished out six assists while committing zero turnovers and was fantastic on both sides of the ball.
The Pacers are in the midst of their toughest challenge of the season so far. Cleveland earned the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference for a reason, and they pose as a legitimate threat to the Pacers. However, the Pacers are up in the series and are now in the driver's seat, and a lot of that can be attributed to Nembhard's play on the court.
Andrew Nembhard has been fantastic in the playoffs
Just like last year, Nembhard is continuing to shine when the lights are at their brightest. Through six games this postseason, the Canadian native is averaging 16.3 points, 5 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Additionally, he is shooting 52.2% from the field and 57.1% from the three-point line in that span.
Nembhard is playing amazing on the offensive side of the ball, but his defense is also crucial. As arguably the team's best perimeter defender, the Pacers will rely on Nembhard to take on one of the opposing team's best players night in and night out. Against a team like the Cavaliers, who have two All-Star guards in Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, Nembhard's presence will be key.
For the rest of the series, Nembhard could be classified as the Pacers' x-factor. He is important to the team's success on both sides of the ball and will continue to prove his worth as the series progresses. Nembhard is not the most valuable player on Indiana's roster, but he is still crucial to their chances of upsetting the Cavaliers and making it back to the conference finals.
With a 1-0 series lead, the Pacers are in a good spot in the playoffs. However, it is not time for them to take their foot off the pedal just yet, especially against a team like the Cavaliers. As they aim to move forward and pull off the upset, the Pacers will need to continue to bring their A-game on the court. This includes Nembhard, who the team will rely on to contribute to winning basketball on both sides of the ball.