Pacers Report Cards: Grading every Pacers player through the All-Star break
By Mueez Azfar
Andrew Nembhard
Stats: 43 Games, 22.9 MPG, 9 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 4.6 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG, 1.7 TOV, 2 FPG 49.2/34.4/78.9 Splits on 55.9% TS
2022-23 Stats: 75 Games, 27.6 MPG, 9.5 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 4.5 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG, 1.7 TOV, 2.4 FPG 44.1/35/79 Splits on 52.8% TS
Similar to Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard's season has been marred by inconsistency, except in Nembhard's case, he brings something more than scoring that keeps him in the starting lineup, which would be defense.
Easily Indiana's second-best perimeter defender this season and by far their best guard defender, Nembhard has a clear impact on the Pacers' defensive bottom line whenever he steps on the floor. In the minutes Nembhard spends on the floor, Indiana's defensive rating improves by almost four points. Nembhard's quick feet, active hands, and nose for the ball have comfortably earned him the job of starting shooting guard despite being somewhat undersized for the position.
In addition to defense, Nembhard also brings decent enough playmaking, which has led many to speculate that he would be a starter on any team not named the Pacers. Perhaps this theory has legs to it, as on his best nights, Nembhard does an increasingly more accurate Tyrese Haliburton impersonation except with better defense.
However, on his worst nights, he is quite tough to watch. Prone to sloppy turnovers and awful shooting nights, Nembhard thankfully brings enough to the table to not shoehorn his play into one style and adapt to whatever the Pacers need of him, which is why he fully took over the starting shooting guard spot once Buddy Hield got dealt to Philly.
As a starter, Nembhard has been spectacular. In Indiana's last six games, all six of which he started in, he shot a very solid 55.3% from the field and 43% from deep as Indiana went 4-2 in this stretch. It is very clear at this point that a Haliburton/Nembhard backcourt is the way to go for the Pacers and is most likely the lineup Indiana will take with them into the playoffs.
Nembhard gets a higher grade than Mathurin so far because of the fact that he has something to fall back on when his shot is not falling, something that has helped Indiana win plenty of games as of late.