This is a rematch of the 2025 finals, but with notable differences. The Oklahoma City team remains largely unchanged, while the Pacers have undergone significant changes. Key players like Myles Turner, Tyrese Haliburton, TJ McConnell, and now Andrew Nembhard, are no longer on the roster. Nembhard was forced to leave the game midway through the first half, raising concerns.

He did not return for the second half, and the Pacers confirmed via their official X page that he would not play further due to a sore left shoulder. The injury’s origin and timeline were not specified, but fans noticed Nembhard ailing during the first half.

Losing Nembhard at such a critical juncture proved costly, as the Pacers and Oklahoma City were closely matched heading into the second half. By the late third quarter, the teams were tied at 78 points without Nembhard’s presence.

This team is already playing without its All-Star point guard, Tyrese Haliburton, who’s reportedly ruled out for the rest of the season after that devastating finals Achilles tear. His backup, TJ McConnell is out for a few more weeks till he recovers from the hamstring injury. Kam Jones has a back injury. They’ve also been overhauled by moves in the offseason as Myles Turner went to the Bucks.

Ben Sheppard replaced Nembhard in the second half and is already going for steals. It also resulted in Taelon Peter, the rookie on a two-way contract to get his NBA debut and make his first career points. Nembhard only got 17 minutes and scored 4 points, 4 assists, and 1 rebound but was 0 of 5 from the floor.

In his absence, OKC was almost ahead. But Pacers rallied to force overtime.

UPDATE: After double overtime, OKC won 135-141. After the game, Pacers HC Rick Carlisle said they’ll learn more about Nembhard’s shoulder tomorrow. Carlisle believes without him, the Pacers will have “big challenges.”

Andrew Nembhard predictions fall apart

It’s unclear when Andrew Nembhard will return at this point. He didn’t emerge from the locker room and wasn’t at the bench. The Pacers are yet to assess the severity of his shoulder injury.

This unexpected situation is now letting the Pacers explore other rotations. Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin carried the team for the rest of the half. Both played 30+ minutes with Mathurin scoring 32 points and Siakam making 27.

In addition to providing Sheppard with an opportunity, this situation also offers Taelon Peter a chance to prove himself and secure a standard contract. However, this game was also expected to be a defining moment for Andrew Nembhard, who aimed to make his presence felt after posting career highs last season. He averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 assists, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, while shooting 45.8% from the field and 29.1% from beyond the arc. These stats were recorded over 65 games, with Nembhard averaging 28.9 minutes per contest.

With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined, Andrew Nembhard was expected to transition from an off-ball role to become Indiana’s primary ball-handler and floor general.

The Pacers adjusted their system to suit his strengths, recognizing that while Nembhard doesn’t replicate Haliburton’s elite pace or creative flair, he thrives in half-court sets and brings a disciplined defensive edge.

An expanded two-way role for the young guard- orchestrating the offense while continuing to anchor the perimeter defense against top matchups.

To offset Haliburton’s absence, Indiana leaned on a committee approach: Bennedict Mathurin slid into the starting shooting guard spot with greater scoring and secondary playmaking duties, while veterans Pascal Siakam and T.J. McConnell (still rehabbing) were tasked with helping stabilize the offense and maintain tempo.

He’s got a history of bouncing back from some severe medical episodes. So there’s still hope.

This was not just a rematch of the finals, but also a reunion of two Gonzaga alumni: Andrew Nembhard and Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren, who contributed 13 points in the game. Now, the focus shifts to the status of Nembhard’s shoulder injury and whether he will be available for the next match.