Though it is not a direct matchup, Aaron Nesmith is outplaying the Cleveland Cavaliers' Ty Jerome, and that is providing a huge boost for the Indiana Pacers as they are just two wins away from pulling off the upset.
Nesmith and Jerome entered the series as each team's respective non-star scorer, and through two games, the Pacers have the edge in this matchup. The Pacers have a 2-0 series lead as both teams travel to Indiana for Games 3 and 4. While not the most important matchup of the series, how Nesmith and Jerome play from here on out could decide whether the Pacers pull off the upset or the Cavaliers turn it around and make it to the conference finals.
Aaron Nesmith is outplaying Ty Jerome through 2 games
Against the Cavaliers in this series so far, Nesmith is playing some of the best basketball of his career. In the first two games, the Vanderbilt alum averaged 20 points while shooting 61.9% from the field and 64.3% from the three-point line. Additionally, Nesmith is contributing heavily on the defensive side of the ball and made multiple key hustle plays that won Game 2 for Indiana.
As for Jerome, he played fine in Game 1 but had one of the worst games of his career in Game 2, when he scored just two points on 1-for-14 shooting and missed all his three-point field goal attempts.
In theory, Jerome is not going to lose the series for Cleveland, just like Nesmith is not going to win the series for Indiana. However, when going up against the best teams in the league in the playoffs, everybody needs to step up, even the players who are not considered top stars. The Pacers have gotten this boost, but the Cavaliers have not to this point.
Nesmith is continuing to establish himself as one of the Pacers' most important players on the roster. He is playing amazing basketball in every aspect of the game, and he is making winning plays each game. As the Pacers aim to move forward and send the Cavaliers home early, they will continue to rely on Nesmith.
The Pacers do not play again until Friday, so fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see how Nesmith continues his hot streak. If he can play up to the level he has so far, a series win might be more inevitable for the Pacers than some realize.