Desperate for a win after losing five in a row, the Pacers played a unique game with multiple lineup combinations.

Every player that dressed for the game logged minutes, and they all made contributions to the Pacers 107-103 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. 

Here are grades for each player. 

Andrew Nembhard: A 

The Pacers’ starting two guard logged 38 minutes and his stretch in the 3rd quarter erased a Grizzlies 12-2 run to start the second half. He scored 12 of his 22 points during that period while adding 5 assists throughout the entirety of the game. Defensively, he spent a solid amount of time on Ty Jerome and held him to 2-10 shooting from three and below his average of approximately 28 points per game. 

Ivica Zubac: F 

After missing the last 5 games with an ankle sprain, the Croatian center made his return…well kinda. He was active and in the game, but he looked a little like Patrick Ewing in Space Jam when the aliens stole his talent. He played just 19 minutes, only had 1 point, corralled only 4 rebounds and was a team-worst -22 in the play-minus column. I’m not concerned about Zubac’s performance for the long-term, but he looked stiff and like a player trying to work their way back from missing over a week. 

Pascal Siakam: A

Like the Raconteurs, Siakam is as ‘Steady as She Goes’. The All-NBA forward had 20 points on 8-13 shooting and did a terrific job making life difficult for Cameron Boozer. He made clutch shots and big plays down the stretch. Solid game. 

Aaron Nesmith: A- 

For the first time this season, Aaron Nesmith looked like Aaron Nesmith. He had 3 huge steals and made the biggest shot of the game when he buried a corner-three-pointer in front of the Pacers bench while hanging onto a one-point lead. He still shot inefficiently from the field (7-16) and from three (2-6), but his energy and effort were back to the Nesmith way. 

Braden Smith: B+

Tonight’s game was a tale of two halves for the rookie point guard. Monday night Smith got his first start for the Pacers and battled for all 42 minutes. He was rewarded for his strong play and got the start again against Memphis. He created two turnovers to start the game and was running the point for the majority of the half. He finished the half with 8 points on 4-5 shooting, led the team in assists with 5, and added 2 steals and a block. He was a team-best +10. The second half was a different story. He played about 10 minutes, was a -8 in plus-minus and only had 2 points. Overall his performance was good, but the Grizzlies adjusted defensively against him in the second half and the units he played with struggled. 

Obi Toppin: B

It was good to have Obi back on the floor for the Pacers as they added another option to their front court. He had 11 points, 5 rebounds and shot 50% from the field and from three-point range. When the game was tight in the fourth he was a part of a group that went on a run. His two fast-break dunks gave the Pacers some cushion in a tight moment of the game. 

Quenton Jackson: A

It was another day at the office for Jackson who has been relied upon every single game this season. His play has been so inspiring the last week or so, and his confidence is oozing on the floor. He led the bench in scoring with 13 points and hauled in 7 boards. His two steals were vital in the game and he had the second-best plus-minus with a +15. Once this rotation is fully healthy, he should continue to get minutes as the backup 2 next to McConnell.

Jarace Walker: C

Walker logged the 3rd fewest minutes in the first half rotation with just 5 total played. He did not enter the second half until the fourth quarter, but that is when he took his game to another level. He ripped away a rebound from Boozer that led to the first Toppin dunk and had some really nice hustle plays that helped spearhead a terrific defensive quarter from the team. He still had too many head-scratching moments throughout the game (a horrible cross-court pass and a baseline drive that he softly laid up and missed versus dunking), but he deserves some positive attention for his fourth quarter efforts after it looked like a forgettable night. 

Larry Nance Jr.: A

Hate on Nance all you want Pacers fans, but he was a team best +18 in plus-minus last night. Every time he was on the floor his group went on a run and he did well in his matchups against the small-ball Grizzlies units. He had a huge clutch basket down the stretch and looked like a solid veteran understanding his role. 

Jay Huff: B

The big man didn’t produce much on the box score but his 2 three-point shots in the 2nd quarter when scoring was tough for the Pacers came in handy. He only recorded one block, but was a deterrent at the rim and made scoring harder for Memphis. He was a +10 in plus-minus and deserves a solid effort grade. 

Jalen Slawson: C

Hard play will never be an issue with Slawson, and he proved that again tonight. He impacted the game outside of the box score, made two big free throws after selling a foul when battling for a rebound and had a nice block after committing a turnover. Still shaky offensively, but he’s not in the game for his offensive abilities. 

Kobe Brown: D

Rewarded for what he did on Monday against Atlanta, Brown got some extra run against Memphis. In 7 minutes he had 0 points and 1 rebound. There was nothing to add from his game. He was out there and didn’t do a whole lot. 

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