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Braden Smith Makes Strong Claim About Pacers After Ending 5-Game Skid
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- Braden Smith Makes Strong Claim About Pacers After Ending 5-Game Skid
(Petre Thomas-Imagn Images)
Braden Smith made his second straight start at point guard Wednesday night and had 10 points and 5 assists in the Indiana Pacers ' 107-103 win over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.
The win ended a five-game losing streak for Indiana (3-6).
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Smith shot 5-of-9 from the field in 23:35. He added 2 steals and 2 blocks, committed 3 turnovers, and picked up 4 fouls.
He scored the game's first basket 50 seconds in, stealing a Cedric Coward pass and finishing a driving layup. By the end of the first quarter, he had 6 points, 4 assists, and 2 steals, and his feed set up Pascal Siakam's 3 with 2.7 seconds left that made it 32-24 Indiana.
In the fourth quarter, Smith blocked a Cameron Boozer layup with 7:52 left and the score tied at 84.
Memphis entered 6-1, off a 6-0 start. Getting a win in that building after the losing streak meant plenty to Smith.
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"No, it was good," Smith said. "Obviously we haven't had a win in a while, so being able to try to fight and figure out a way to finally pull one away, I think it's huge. And going to an opposing team's building who's, obviously, they're 7-1, 8-1, so they're a great team and had a great year so far. So for us just to come in and respond that way, it's what you want."
Two Starts in Three Days
Smith's first career start came Monday, when Indiana had six players in uniform for a 108-104 home loss to the Atlanta Hawks. He played 42:13 and finished with 19 points and 10 assists .
Four nights before that, he had 1 point and 1 assist in 11:41 of a 145-125 loss at Miami.
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Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Smith gave Indiana good minutes again Wednesday and another playmaker.
Smith is on a two-way contract. The Pacers went into the 2026 draft without a pick and came out of it with him . He is a former Purdue All-American and starred at Westfield High School.
Tyrese Haliburton (left hamstring strain) and T.J. McConnell (right hamstring strain) missed Wednesday's game, as they did Monday.
Smith credited the defensive scheme for putting him in position for his steals and blocks.
"It always helps," Smith explained. "Being able to be in the right spot at the right time and obviously trusting the game plan and our defensive scheming rules, I think it just puts you in the right spots. And then, obviously, you've got to go make the play."
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The Grizzlies turned it over 19 times, and Indiana got 24 points out of those mistakes.
A Different Closing Group
Smith picked up his fourth foul with 8:14 left and went to the bench for good at the 7:11 mark. Jarace Walker stayed on the floor for the entire fourth, and Obi Toppin scored 6 straight points during an 8-0 run that turned a 91-86 deficit into a 94-91 lead.
Eleven of the 12 Pacers who played scored. Anybody on this roster can make an impact on a given night, as Smith sees it.
"Everybody just comes in and plays their role," Smith said. "I think that's what makes this team pretty special is that everybody on a given night can come in and make an impact. And I think whoever it is, whenever their number is called, they're out there ready to do it, and they showed that."
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Andrew Nembhard led Indiana with 22 points. Siakam had 20, and Aaron Nesmith hit the corner 3 with 14.6 seconds left that sealed it.
Next up for Smith and the Pacers is a 5 p.m. ET home game Saturday against the Denver Nuggets.
