NBA: Andrew Nembhard comes up big for Canadian-led Pacers against Raptors
FILE–Andrew Nembhard #2 of the Indiana Pacers. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP
Andrew Nembhard scored 25 points, including a key 3-pointer in the final minute, and had 10 assists as the visiting Indiana Pacers defeated the Toronto Raptors 118-114 Wednesday night.
Myles Turner added 16 points before fouling out in the final minutes for the Pacers.
Article continues after this advertisementThe Pacers (33-40) swept the three-game season series with the Raptors (35-38).
Bennedict Mathurin scored 15 points for Indiana, Buddy Hield scored 13 points, T.J. McConnell scored 14 points and Jordan Nwora scored 10.
Mathurin (Montreal), Nembhard (Aurora, Ont.) and Oshae Brissett (Toronto) were among the starters for Indiana, the first time three Canadians have started a game for the same team in the NBA.
Article continues after this advertisementwith Bennedict Mathurin, Oshae Brissett and Andrew Nembhard in the starting lineup tonight, it marks the first time in @NBA history three players from Canada will start together on the same team.🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/a1X4AIAtHr
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 22, 2023
Pascal Siakam had 31 points and 10 rebounds for the Raptors. Fred VanVleet scored 28 points to go along with 11 assists, Jakob Poeltl had 23 points and Chris Boucher scored 11.
Indiana took a five-point lead into the fourth quarter, but Toronto grabbed a four-point lead on Siakam’s jumper and free throw with 9:14 remaining in the fourth.
Indiana scored the next six points, and when Mathurin made two free throws with 4:25 remaining, Indiana led 104-99.
Toronto cut the lead to two before Mathurin made two more free throws with 2:05 left. VanVleet answered with two free throws with 1:47 to go, and Turner responded with a jumper.
Andrew Nembhard with a 🔥 NBA debut in Canada.
25 PTS
10 AST
2 REB pic.twitter.com/QAfONsSv8q— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 23, 2023
Finally, Nembhard made a 3-pointer with 33.2 seconds remaining to provide a seven-point cushion.
Indiana led 36-26 after one quarter, and Aaron Nesmith’s dunk gave Indiana a 13-point lead with 3:57 remaining in the second quarter.
Siakam completed the first-half scoring with a floating jumper to cap a 9-2 spurt that cut Indiana’s lead to 58-52.
Indiana shot 61.5 percent (24-for-39) from the field in the first half with Nembhard scoring 16 points.
Toronto shot 44 percent (22-for-50) from the field in a first half in which Poeltl had 15 points.
Indiana took a 13-point lead on Buddy Hield’s 3-pointer with 9:07 left in the third quarter. Toronto scored 12 straight points and took a 73-71 lead on Malachi Flynn’s 3-pointer with 4:09 left. Indiana answered with an 8-1 surge.
Tyrese Haliburton (ankle) did not play for Indiana.
Scottie Barnes (wrist), Gary Trent Jr. (elbow) and Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) did not play for Toronto.
