For their next trick, Pacers find another hero to cap off improbable comeback win

The Pacers appeared unable to avoid an ugly loss at home before rising up in the final minute to to make a win over the Mavericks appear out of thin air.

The Pacers decided to ramp up the degree of difficulty on their winning formula of late. After their prior two wins were delivered by wild and crazy corner threes by Tyrese Haliburton and then Obi Toppin, the Pacers turned to a relentless effort by Benn Mathurin in the fourth quarter before turning to Andrew Nembhard for what would be the game winning 3-ball to put the Pacers up for good with 12 seconds remaining, before securing the 135-131 win.

It was remarkable that the Pacers were in the situation they were against the severely short-handed Mavericks, who had six players in their pregame warmup line before two more joined on the bench. The Pacers appeared to be cruising to a win with a double-digit lead in the first half, but after the break the Mavs assumed the lead and the Pacers could do nothing about it.

Literally.

In fact, for over six minutes during the fourth quarter, the Pacers literally were unable to get a defensive stop. The Mavs got into the lane repeatedly and scored or went to the free throw line. Fortunately, Benn Mathurin decided he could do the same thing and he scored 16 points in the fourth quarter making all four of his shots and all eight of his free throws.

Still, the Pacers were down 128-121 with 1:07 left in the game. Dire circumstances when you can’t get a stop. But inside of a minute, the Pacers extended pressure finally broke the Mavs. A Ben Sheppard steal and layup gave the first sign of hope. Then a couple of missed free throws by Dallas kept the math trending in the Pacers favor.

Finally, another steal on the press by Pascal Siakam started a wild sequence of passes first to Nembhard how threw a wide pass to Mathurin. Somehow Mathurin got his right hand on the pass, and was able to control it and go to the hoop. This time though he was off balance and instead of forcing it to get a foul, somehow threw the ball over his head with enough juice to get it to Siakam, with the Mavs’ D converged on Mathurin, Siakam fired a pass to an open Nembhard above the break on the left side where he calmly drained the open 3-ball.

The Pacers then fouled up three and eventually Aaron Nesmith sealed the dub with a pair of free throws. Fans went from furious and frustrated back to fanatical within a minute thanks to the sleight of hand sorcery the Pacers used to pull out that win, this time without Haliburton or Toppin on the floor.

This was an all-time ‘Just win, baby!’ game which kept the Pacers a game up on the Bucks and now t he Pistons for fourth place in the East.

The Pacers have plenty of teaching moments from this one to correct on the defensive end. Usually the first team to 120 (the Mavs) is a good indicator of which team will win, let alone the first team to 130. Fortunately, the Pacers were able to get their own buckets when they really needed it.

Mathurin finished with 23 points and 7 rebounds. Nembhard had 22 points and 8 assists while filling the lead guard role with Haliburton out. Siakam returned to bolster the offense with 29 points and 5 assists of his own.

Now the Pacers move on to face a short-handed lottery bound team in the Nets on Thursday night. While it would be nice for the Pacers to deliver a drama free win, it is nice to know they continue to develop their crunch-time confidence regardless of how difficult the deficit facing them appears.

Pacers vs. Nets

Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN

When: Thursday, Mar. 20, 2025, 7:00 p.m. ET

TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

Odds: Pacers -8.5

Projected Starters

Pacers: Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Myles Turner

Nets: D’Angelo Russell, Keon Johnson, Ziaire Williams, Trenton Watford, Nic Claxton

Injuries

Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton (lower back) - questionable, Isaiah Jackson (Achilles) - out

Nets: Cameron Johnson (rest) - out, De'Anthony Melton (knee) - out, Cam Thomas (hamstring) - out, Dariq Whitehead (G League) - out