On Wednesday, March 19, Andrew Nembhard of Indiana Pacers had the moment every player dreams of—draining a clutch three-pointer in front of a roaring home crowd in the NBA. With just 16 seconds left, the Pacers guard pulled up from deep and sank the shot that sealed a thrilling 135-131 win over the Dallas Mavericks at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The night wasn’t just about his shot, though. Nembhard’s postgame words made it clear—the Pacers’ home fans played a massive role in the victory.
‘We Love Playing Here, Man’ – Andrew Nembhard
After the game, Nembhard didn’t hesitate to highlight the crowd’s impact, especially in the closing moments. He expressed his appreciation for the massive support:
“They were huge tonight,” he said. “When they’re chanting ‘Defense!’ and chasing down the stretch, that puts pressure on the other team. We love playing here, man.”
The energy from the stands was crucial as the Pacers clawed their way back from an 11-point deficit in the final six minutes. When asked about the comeback, Nembhard pointed to a key shift in strategy.
"[The crowd] was huge tonight…We love playing here, man."
Andrew Nembhard joined @PacersJJ after hitting the game-winner and finishing with 22 points & 8 assists in the win over the Mavs 📹 pic.twitter.com/rgReWqCbgd
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) March 20, 2025
“We changed up the offense a little bit, to just kind of drive in and kick, play downhill, make the game a little bit faster. I think that was a good switch for us,” he explained.
And how did he feel in that pressure-packed moment? Calm and confident.
“I feel comfortable out there,” he said. “I love playing the big games, the big moments.”
Pacers’ Wild Comeback Fuels Playoff Push
Indiana had been in control early, building a 16-point lead, only to see it vanish as Dallas surged ahead. But with the game on the line, the Pacers responded.
Pascal Siakam led the team with 29 points, while Bennedict Mathurin poured in 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. Siakam also came up with the game-changing steal that set up Nembhard’s heroic shot.
The win marked Indiana’s fourth victory in their last five games and pushed them to a 39-29 record. It gives them a full-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Meanwhile, Dallas—playing without key players including Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis—continued their slump, dropping their ninth game in 10 outings. P.J. Washington Jr. led them with 26 points, while Jaden Hardy and Kai Jones added 24 and 18, respectively.
For Nembhard and the Pacers, though, the focus is on the future. With a crucial five-game homestand ahead, they’ll look to keep the momentum rolling, powered undoubtedly by their home crowd.