Rick Carlisle Reveals 'Quietly' Elite Player Pacers Have Besides Tyrese Haliburton

Ricardo Klein | Dec 30, 2024

Nov 9, 2023; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) and forward Aaron Nesmith (23) defend in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers are one of the most inconsistent teams in the league, and they proved that this weekend. 

The Pacers played the Celtics twice in three days. In the first game, they were run out of the building, but in the next game, they looked much better. They earned one of their best wins of the season against Boston, beating them on Sunday, 123-114. 

The Pacers had one of their best wins of the season to earn their 16th win of the season to improve to one game below .500. Indiana played well, and it was all thanks to their star guard, Tyrese Haliburton. Haliburton was fantastic as he led the team in scoring with 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting from the field. 

All five starters scored in double figures, and they needed every single one of them to beat arguably the best team in the league. While Haliburton was great, the Pacers got a huge contribution from their young star guard, Andrew Nembhard. 

Nembhard tied for second in team scoring, scoring 17 points in 33 minutes. He played a great game, so much so that his head coach, Rick Carlisle, praised him highly. 

Carlisle said that he believes that Nembhard is one of the more 'quietly' elite players besides Haliburton. 

"When you have an additional playmaker -- one of my definitions of a playmaker is they enhance the abilities of people around them," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "Tyrese is elite, and really, Drew quietly is also elite. They both do it a little differently, but they compliment each other very well."

Haliburton piggybacked on what his coach said and praised Nemhard after the big win. 

"It's Andrew Nembhard. That's what he does. He's a huge part of what we do defensively. He's a huge part of what we do offensively. When he doesn't play, you're missing a big piece."

Nembhard was huge after he missed Friday's game. He had missed 12 straight games in November with knee tendinitis. His loss was detrimental for the Pacers, but now that he is back and getting his feet under him, he is showing his true prowess. 

Indiana played a complete game, and Nembhard's play was a big reason. In 18 games this season, the 24-year-old is averaging 10.9 points per game, 3.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 0.8 steals while shooting 48 percent from the field and 34 percent from three in 26.7 minutes per game. 

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