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Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith saves the day with clutch block vs. Bulls
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- Pacers’ Aaron Nesmith saves the day with clutch block vs. Bulls
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On Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, guard-forward Aaron Nesmith came up clutch by hitting a go-ahead reverse layup with 13.9 seconds left and later blocking Coby White 's near-rim attempt with 2.9 seconds remaining, leading the Indiana Pacers to a 113-110 comeback win versus the Chicago Bulls .
Entering the fourth quarter behind by nine and down as many as 14 points, Indiana mounted an 18-4 run in the final seven minutes to overcome the deficit. Andrew Nembhard initiated the rally with a step-back jumper, giving the Pacers a 109-107 lead with 40 seconds left, only for Nikola Vucevic to hit a 3-pointer to put Chicago ahead. The 26-year-old's reverse layup restored Indiana's advantage, and forward Johnny Furphy grabbed the rebound after Nesmith's defensive stop, converting two free throws to bring home the 113-110 win. Nembhard also nabbed a crucial steal to help the Pacers hold on.
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Nesmith ended the night with 14 points, four rebounds, four assists, a steal, and a block over 34 mins. Pascal Siakam led Indiana with 20 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, making 4-of-7 field goals and 5-of-6 free throws in the all-important period. Nembhard contributed 18 points, nine assists, and six rebounds. Jarace Walker added 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, and Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 15 points, hitting 3-of-5 from three-point range and 4-of-4 at the line, along with eight rebounds. Jay Huff recorded 10 points and seven rebounds. The Pacers' young core was responsible for 31 of the team's 113 points.
Chicago's Vucevic led all scorers with 25 points, while Matas Buzelis had 20. Jalen Smith posted a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Josh Giddey recorded seven assists, surpassing 2,000 career assists at age 23, becoming the 15th player in NBA history to reach that milestone at or before that age.
Indiana's offense was out of sync early in the game, shooting just 14.2 percent on two-point attempts in the first quarter (2-of-14), though they offset this with 6-of-13 three-point shooting. The Pacers also employed multiple centers to match the Bulls' size, with Huff playing for 23:27 minutes, Micah Potter 16:55, Isaiah Jackson 2:33, and Siakam spending 4:51 at the five spot.
The victory improved Indiana's record to 12-36, moving them out of last place in the NBA, while Chicago fell to 23-24, holding just below .500 in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers have now beaten the Bulls three times this season and will next host the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.
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