Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard has spent the last three rounds in the playoffs locking up some of the league's best guards. This includes Damian Lillard (3/13 FG), Donovan Mitchell (10/43 FG), and Jalen Brunson (9/24 FG). Up next: Oklahoma City Thunder star and reigning NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the NBA Finals.
For the Pacers to pull off what most would consider an upset against Oklahoma City. They need the Gonzaga alum to bring his A-game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If he can make things difficult for Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder, the Pacers will be in a good position to shock the basketball world once again.
There is no doubt that this will be a difficult challenge for Nembhard and the Pacers. However, like they always say, if it was easy, anybody could do it. The Pacers have a lot going against them, but they are in the NBA Finals for a reason, and they will need to be at their best against the best team in the league to push through and bring home their first-ever NBA Championship.
Andrew Nembhard struggled against SGA in the regular season
Nembhard and Gilgeous-Alexander went head-to-head twice in the regular season (the Thunder won both games by a combined 27 points). In both of those games, Nembhard struggled against his Team Canada teammate.
During those two games, Gilgeous-Alexander scored 27 points on 11-for-18 shooting from the field (61.1%) and 3-for-4 from beyond the arc (75%) when guarded by Nembhard. According to NBA.com, only Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole scored on Nembhard more in the regular season, though it took him one extra game.
Gilgeous-Alexander has played great for Oklahoma City in the playoffs so far, and he took home the Western Conference Finals MVP trophy for a reason. However, his efficiency has taken a bit of a hit throughout the postseason as the Thunder star is shooting just 47.1% from the field and 30% from beyond the arc so far.
There will be a lot of matchups to keep an eye on in the NBA Finals, but none of them will be as important as Nembhard going up against Gilgeous-Alexander. In many ways, this may be the matchup that decides the series for either team.
For Indiana to win it all, they will continue to rely heavily on guys like Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. However, Nembhard may be one of the team's most important players in the NBA Finals, and he is the ultimate X-factor to keep an eye on.