Aaron Nesmith is making a strong case for why the Boston Celtics' trade with the Indiana Pacers this summer was a win-win.
Nesmith, one of several players Boston dealt to Indiana to acquire point guard Malcolm Brogdon, delivered another strong performance Thursday night, scoring 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the Pacers' impressive 135-126 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
His best play of the night by far? A thunderous fourth-quarter dunk on the head of Cavs center Jarrett Allen.
We're gonna need to see that again.
Nesmith's poster slam left Tyrese Haliburton and several other teammates in awe while running back on defense.
"It was amazing. It's probably the best dunk I've ever seen in person," Haliburton said, via the Indianapolis Star's Dustin Dopirak.
Boston Celtics
Nesmith struggled to find playing time during his first two seasons in Boston after the Celtics drafted him 14th overall in 2020. He's enjoying a career season with the upstart Pacers, though, averaging 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game while hitting 35.9 percent of his 3-pointers.
Forsberg: These stats reinforce the Jays' status as the NBA's best duo
"This is the most fun I’ve had playing basketball in a very long time," Nesmith told reporters after the win.
Nesmith was never going to have a significant role in Boston with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown ahead of him on the depth chart, and Brogdon looks like an excellent fit for the Celtics' second unit. But Nesmith is making the most of his opportunity in Indiana, and at age 23, he still has plenty of room to grow.