Andrew Nembhard scored 22 points, Pascal Siakam had 20 and Aaron Nesmith contributed 16 as the Indiana Pacers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 107-103 victory Wednesday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Nesmith dropped in a corner three-pointer in the final minute to preserve the win, the Pacers’ first in Memphis following five consecutive losses at FedExForum.
Memphis, which opened the season winning its first six games before losing in overtime Monday to the New Orleans Pelicans, was led by Cedric Coward and Ty Jerome, each of whom scored 23 points. Zach Edey added 11 points and 13 rebounds and Jerami Grant also had 11 points.
The Grizzlies led by five (91-86) after a Coward 3-pointer with 6:17 to go in the fourth quarter before Indiana rallied. The Pacers went on an 11-2 run to build a 97-93 lead with 3:47 left. Jerome brought Memphis back within one (104-103) on a floater with 28.2 seconds to go, but Nesmith’s 3-pointer seconds later clinched it.
The Pacers entered the game on that five-game losing streak, including Monday’s loss to Atlanta in which only six players were available. Several key Pacers returned Wednesday, among them Ivica Zubic and Obi Toppin, but hamstring issues kept starters Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell out.
For the first time this season the Grizzlies trailed at the half, 54-52. Memphis committed 12 first-half turnovers that led to 16 Indiana points. The Grizzlies trailed by nine points early in the second quarter. Coward had 14 first-half points for Memphis and Jerome scored 12.
The Grizzlies built a 66-58 lead early in the third quarter mostly behind the play of Jerome. The Memphis point guard scored seven points during a 12-2 run to give the Grizzlies an eight-point advantage.
Indiana battled back mostly behind Nembhard, who had 12 points in the quarter, and the Pacers trailed by only two (82-80) entering the fourth.
