Pacers end five-game skid with late corner shot against Grizzlies
Andrew Nembhard scored 22 points as Indiana's active defense forced Memphis into 16 first-half turnovers, securing a 107-103 victory.
By John Wilson ·
The Indiana Pacers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 107-103 on Wednesday night, ending a five-game losing streak with a late-game three-pointer from Aaron Nesmith. The victory snapped a difficult stretch for the team, which had previously lost 108-104 to Atlanta on Monday. That earlier defeat forced coach to rely on a six-player rotation where every participant scored in double figures due to a wave of injuries.
Nembhard led the Pacers with 22 points, while Nesmith contributed 16, including the decisive shot from the right corner with seconds remaining. Pascal Siakam added 20 points, and Quenton Jackson scored 13. The return of Siakam, Nembhard, and Nesmith to the starting lineup provided stability after the roster changes in the previous game.
Indiana built its lead through aggressive defense that disrupted Memphis's offense. The Grizzlies committed eight turnovers in the first quarter and 12 more in the second half, resulting in 16 points for the Pacers. This defensive pressure helped the Pacers take a 54-52 lead into halftime. Although Memphis held a 91-86 lead with 6:19 left in the game, Indiana answered with eight consecutive points, capped by two breakaway dunks from Obi Toppin.
The Grizzlies, who entered the game as the league's last undefeated team following a six-game winning start, dropped their second straight contest. Ty Jerome and Cedric Coward each scored 23 points for Memphis. Jerome attempted to close the gap with a floater at 104-103 with 28.2 seconds left, but Nesmith's long-range jumper sealed the result. Zach Edey contributed 11 points and 13 rebounds for the visitors.
The teams traded leads through the midway point of the fourth quarter before Indiana pulled ahead for good. Neither team established a double-digit lead during the game. The Grizzlies had benefited from an early schedule featuring lower-seeded opponents before suffering an overtime loss to New Orleans 135-134 on Monday night.
The Pacers will host the Denver Nuggets on Saturday. The Grizzlies are scheduled to play the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
