Former Raptors Star Helps Lead Pacers to 2nd Straight Conference Finals

Andrew Nembhard delivered when it mattered most.

With the Cleveland Cavaliers closing in late in the fourth quarter of Game 5, the Canadian guard came through with a pair of clutch buckets to send the Indiana Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals. First, he knocked down a catch-and-shoot three with under five minutes remaining to give Indiana a four-point edge. Then, with just over a minute left, he blew past Darius Garland and converted a tough and-one floater to push the lead to six. The Pacers held steady from there, closing out a 114-105 win and taking the series 4-1.

Nembhard finished with 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting, along with six assists and three rebounds in 37 composed minutes. It was another poised performance from the 25-year-old, who has become one of Indiana’s most reliable options in his second playoff run.

Former Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam added 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Matched up with Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley for much of the series, Siakam again found ways to impact the game offensively, shooting 8-for-20 and helping settle the Pacers after they fell behind by 19 early.

With the win, Indiana returns to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year since acquiring Siakam in January. They’ll face either the New York Knicks or the Boston Celtics, with New York holding a 3-1 lead entering Game 5.

Gilgeous-Alexander Lifts Thunder Past Nuggets in Game 5 Thriller

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked every bit like the league’s Most Valuable Player.

With the Oklahoma City Thunder clinging to a one-point lead in the final minutes of Game 5, the Canadian guard calmly delivered one of the most clutch postseason performances of his career.

First, he beat Christian Braun with a spinning layup to push the lead to two. Then he delivered again, creating space with a step-back and knocking down an and-one jumper over Jamal Murray to stretch the lead to three. With less than a minute remaining, Gilgeous-Alexander pulled up behind an Isaiah Hartenstein screen and buried a three-pointer to give Oklahoma City a six-point cushion. The Thunder held firm from there, closing out a 112-105 win over the Denver Nuggets.

Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 31 points, seven assists, six rebounds and two steals on 12-for-23 shooting. He shook off a quiet first half and outplayed Nikola Jokic when it mattered most, helping Oklahoma City rally from a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to take a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference semifinals.

Fellow Canadian Luguentz Dort provided a critical spark in the fourth. After scoring just three points through three quarters, Dort caught fire, hitting three quick three-pointers to help erase Denver’s lead and tilt the game back toward the Thunder.

Jamal Murray had 28 points for the Nuggets but struggled to find his rhythm, shooting 10-for-27 from the floor. Jokic poured in 44 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, but Denver came up short in crunch time. The defending champs now face elimination on Thursday in Game 6.

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