Aaron

Nesmith

Nesmith last played on November 1, and his continued absence raises concerns about the severity of his injury. Bennedict Mathurin has admirably replaced him in the starting lineup.

Sheppard began filling in for Nesmith as a starter sporadically last season and both players appear to need significant recovery time before appearing in another game. Benedict Mathurin will continue enjoying his expanded role in a career year in the meantime.

Nesmith injured his ankle during a November 1 loss to the Pelicans and has not played since. Carlisle’s timeline indicates that the ankle sprain was more severe than initially believed. Bennedict Mathurin will remain in the starting lineup and is worth adding where available.

Injured during Friday’s loss to the Pelicans, Nesmith will miss at least one game. Jarace Walker started the second half on Friday, which could mean he’s the first choice to fill the void from the opening tip. He’s worth streaming in this spot, even with all 30 teams playing on Monday. Ben Sheppard should also play additional rotation minutes.

Nesmith injured his ankle during the second quarter and was officially ruled out shortly after. Jarace Walker started the third quarter and will be in line for more playing time if Nesmith misses time and Andrew Nembhard (knee) remains sidelined.

Nesmith injured his ankle during the second quarter of Friday’s game and left with just over nine minutes remaining. Should he not return, more minutes would become available to Ben Sheppard or Jarace Walker. Whether or not either has streaming value moving forward would depend on the availability of Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard (ankle), who is not playing on Friday.

Tuesday’s exhibition was Mathurin’s first game since he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder in early March. As expected, he was rusty shooting the basketball, going 2-of-7 from the field. Indiana played well once Aaron Nesmith (three points, two rebounds, two assists, and one 3-pointer in 16 minutes) was inserted into the starting lineup, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. He may not be the scorer that Mathurin is, but Nesmith appears to be a better fit for the starting lineup that Rick Carlisle prefers. Benn wasn’t a great fantasy option before the shoulder injury, and that doesn’t appear likely to change if he remains in a reserve role.

Nesmith struggled from beyond the arc in Game 4, making just one of his six attempts. He reached double figures in two of the four games, but Nesmith’s growth as a defender has been one of the important storylines for the Pacers this season. The season-ending injury suffered by Bennedict Mathurin pushed the former Celtic into the Indiana starting lineup, and he proved to be a good fit. Nesmith finished the regular season ranked just outside the top 100 in 9-cat formats, and his value for the 2024-25 campaign will depend on where Mathurin falls within the rotation. If Rick Carlisle decides to prioritize defense in that spot, Nesmith could enter the season as a starter, boosting his fantasy value.

While the decision to shift Aaron Nesmith onto Jalen Brunson has received a lot of attention, and rightfully so, McConnell’s role has also been significant. The veteran point guard took on the task when Nesmith (8/12/1/0/1 in 24 minutes) wasn’t in the game, and he was highly impactful in both of Indiana’s wins at home. In addition to being a pest on the defensive end of the floor, McConnell recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists. For those interested in this series for betting purposes, McConnell is worth considering for prop bet action. Game 5 is on Monday in New York, with the teams tied at two wins each.

Nesmith is available after tweaking his shoulder during the second half of Friday’s Game 3 victory. The Pacers had some success using him as Jalen Brunson’s primary defender, so look for that to be Nesmith’s assignment on Sunday afternoon. The Pacers need a win to even the series at two games apiece.