Aaron Nesmith suffered an ankle injury in the third quarter of Game 3 against the New York Knicks. Though he was initially listed as questionable to return, he made his return to the game. However, that does not mean they are in the clear just yet. Nesmith has been crucial to the Indiana Pacers' playoff run so far, especially in the conference finals. The Vanderbilt alum missed 35 games earlier in the season due to an ankle injury. Fortunately for Nesmith and the Pacers, this injury is on the other ankle, but it is still something worth monitoring.
As the Pacers look to eliminate the Knicks and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in over two decades, they must bring their A-game the rest of the way. However, if Nesmith misses any time for the Pacers or has to play at less than 100%, it will leave a huge void for them on both sides of the ball, and it will make it much more difficult for them to achieve their ultimate goal.
Aaron Nesmith has been the Pacers' X-factor so far
It cannot be overstated just how important Nesmith has been to the Pacers' postseason success up to this point. Through 12 games, he averaged 15.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.4 assists while also playing a big role on the defensive end. Furthermore, throughout that same span, he shot 54.1% from the field and 54.4% from beyond the arc. Nesmith was also outstanding in the Pacers' stunning Game 1 win over the Knicks due to late-game heroics.
While he is not the best player on the team (and is arguably no better than the team's fifth-best player), the 25-year-old is arguably one of their most important. He improved greatly since joining the Pacers via a trade from the Boston Celtics in 2022, and he has developed into a top-tier 3-and-D player.
Depending on the severity of Nesmith's ankle injury, he will likely either miss time or play through a legitimate injury that could make him less impactful. In either case, this would not be good for Indiana as they would have to rely more heavily on Bennedict Mathurin, who has had a very up-and-down postseason run and is leaving a lot to be desired in the conference finals.
An NBA Finals is within reach for the Pacers, and it is up to them to capitalize. They will continue to rely heavily on their top players, who are all capable of popping off every single night to lead the team to victory. Regardless, the job is not finished yet, and if the Pacers are going to be without Nesmith, they will have a much more difficult job to complete the task.