INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Nembhard is back in an all-too-familiar role for the Indiana Pacers. Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton will be sidelined for at least the next few weeks, meaning Nembhard has returned to the starting point guard position for the time being.

If there's any positive from the struggles of last year, it's the experience guys like Nembhard received in these different roles. On Wednesday night against the Sixers, Nembhard showed once again that he's up for the challenge.

The Pacers came up a little short against Philadelphia, as their overall shooting woes continued. Andrew Nembhard was one of many who had a rough shooting night, going 5-for-16, but he also put together 18 points and 14 assists while working hard to limit Tyrese Maxey for most of the night.

"He's a great player," said Head Coach Rick Carlisle. "His versatility is really special. He's terrific as an off-guard making plays, but he's obviously a point guard. A natural point guard. He's had a lot of opportunities to show that. Obviously last year with Ty being out, and tonight."

And even before that, you might remember Nembhard going crazy against the Celtics in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals when Haliburton missed a few games. He had 32 points and 9 assists in Game 3 of that series, followed by 24 points and 10 assists in Game 4, as the starting point guard. A year ago, Nembhard averaged 16.9 points and 7.7 assists as the starting one. As we've seen, he's fully capable of leading his team or taking on any role that is asked of him.

"Drew as point guard, he can do it," said teammate Pascal Siakam. "Just the experience of being in that situation, with Ty out, continue to fill those shoes and making plays. His force downhill, he has to keep that going. And then also you gotta guard, like today, Maxey. He has a lot on him, and I think he's handling it well."

Ideally for the Pacers, guys like Kelly Oubre Jr. will get comfortable and be able to help take some of the load off of Nembhard's shoulders. It's a lot to ask for a guy to lead the offensive attack and also guard a top player for 32+ minutes.

Unlike last year, the Pacers are hoping these injuries are on the minor side. They are also hoping to rack up a lot more wins, even with guys out, so they can put themselves in a position for another deep playoff run. So far, it's been just a 2-3 start. On Wednesday night, they shot just 9-for-36 and still nearly pulled out a victory. Even shooting 11-for-36 would have given them an excellent chance to win, which makes it an even tougher pill to swallow.

Nembhard's play against LeBron James summed up the whole night. He put LeBron on skates with a great play, but just couldn't finish the play and missed the three.

"I think regardless of who's in the game, we're known for playing hard," said Nembhard. "Playing together, having energy on the court. That's our recipe for success."

Nembhard has clearly handled the "next man up" mentality for his role whenever called upon. The Pacers will need to get him and Siakam some more help in their pursuit of finishing games and trying to find their collective shot. Next up, the Pacers will travel to Miami on Friday to face the new-look Heat.