Pacers Stun Mavericks with Epic Comeback, Nembhard Hits Clutch Game-Winner
The Pacers have become the NBA’s cardiac kids this March, and they added another heart-stopping victory Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. This time, it was Andrew Nembhard playing hero against the Mavericks.
Down 112-101 with just over 6 minutes left, things looked bleak for Indiana.
Then something clicked.
The Pacers unleashed an offensive explosion, pouring in 34 points in the final 5:54 to pull out a thrilling 135-131 win. During that stretch, they shot a blistering 9-for-10 from the field and converted 13 of 14 free throws.
Bennedict Mathurin caught fire when it mattered most, scoring 16 of his 23 points during the comeback. The young guard was perfect down the stretch, hitting all four shots and going 8-for-8 from the line.
But it was Nembhard who delivered the dagger.
With Dallas clinging to a 130-128 lead and just 26 seconds remaining, Max Christie had the ball for the Mavericks. That’s when Pascal Siakam made the defensive play of the game, stripping the former Lakers guard and finding Nembhard.
The rest is history.
Nembhard calmly drilled a three-pointer with 16 seconds left, giving Indiana a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.
“I guess that’s just my lucky spot,” Nembhard said with a smile after the game.
The win wasn’t just about X’s and O’s โ it showcased the team’s chemistry and resilience.
“I feel like everybody knows we have depth on this team,” Mathurin explained after the victory. “But those kind of wins shows how together we are as a team.”
The victory pushes Indiana to 39-29, good for fourth place in the Eastern Conference as they continue to climb the standings.
Coach Rick Carlisle praised his team’s mental toughness while acknowledging their inconsistent play throughout the game.
“Our guys just hung in,” Carlisle said. “We did a pretty good job in the first quarter, then we had a let up, and of course the third and start of the fourth quarter was very poor. Fortunately, we were able to get things back together.”
The Pacers are in the middle of a five-game homestand, and Carlisle knows the challenges won’t get any easier.
“These games coming up are all going to be like this,” he warned. “These teams coming in here are attacking teams. You’ve got to take the fight to them.”
