The Indiana Pacers were getting down to it. After coming into Game 3 down 2-0 to the Knicks, they knew that they needed to win Game 3 to keep the series alive. With the Knicks down several players due to injury, there wasn't any excuse not to come out with a victory at home.
It took until the very end of the game, but the Pacers got that win. Indiana was able to pull it out 111-106. It was a game that was tied until there were 16 seconds left in the game. That's when Andrew Nembhard hit the biggest shot of his life.
Nembhard made a deep three to give the Pacers a three-point lead after it was tied at 106. It was the only shot he made in the game besides a wide-open layup. Nembhard had also gotten cooked on the defensive end by both Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo. It didn't matter. He came up clutch when the Pacers needed it the most.
The Pacers got a balanced effort from the starters in Game 3 victory
Even though Nembhard had just five points, he had six assists as well. The Pacers had a very balanced effort scoring-wise from the starters. Every other starter was in double figures. Tyrese Haliburton led the team with 35 points on 14-26 shooting.
Aaron Nesmith played great defense on Brunson for most of the game. While Brunson still had 26, most of those were scored when Nesmith was not the primary defender on him. Expect that matchup to continue in Game 4 and for the rest of the series.
Myles Turner had a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. While his three-point shot wasn't falling, he was aggressive driving in the paint and getting to the rim. He's an important offensive piece for the Pacers in my view. If he plays well, the Pacers can win more easily.
Pascal Siakam finally showed up in this series. he had 26 points on 9-14 shooting. Even more importantly, he was 7-9 from the free-throw line. He has struggled from the line in the playoffs, so it was good to see him knock some down.
Haliburton tweaked his ankle in the fourth quarter and wasn't the same after that. With Game 4 being at 3:30 on Sunday, he has even less time to get healthy. I'm extremely worried about that. He's going to do everything in his power to play, but the Pacers need him healthy.
At least Indiana won't get swept. They kept their season alive and they will look to win another one at home in Game 4 in less than 48 hours.