With the Boston Celtics eliminated from the playoffs, fans can sit back and enjoy the basketball. Watching the New York Knicks literally choke against the Indiana Pacers was certainly a fun time. But there were also mixed emotions there, because the Pacers' furious 17-point comeback was fueled in large part by an outstanding shooting night from former Celtic Aaron Nesmith.
The Celtics drafted Nesmith 14th overall in 2020. Following Boston's 2022 NBA Finals disappointment, the team shipped him to the Pacers in a deal for Malcolm Brogdon. Since then, Nesmith has flourished in a way he never managed for the Celtics. And his playoff form has been eye-popping.
In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Nesmith went 8-of-9 from beyond the arc. That's not a typo. He hit eight three pointers. He's one of six players to hit that many in a conference finals game, and he was just one away from tying Ray Allen's Eastern Conference Finals record of nine. Of all those players, he made it to eight in the fewest attempts.
For Celtics fans, watching Nesmith was a bittersweet combination of earnest respect and major regret.
CELTICS LEGEND AARON NESMITH π₯ pic.twitter.com/RuGsH3pJg3
β Celtics Lead (@CelticsLead) May 22, 2025
So I feel like itβs safe to say the celtics shouldnβt have let go of Nesmith so easily
β π»ππΉπππ (@WfromDeBall) May 22, 2025
I love Nesmith. The Celtics had to trade him both to get where they were going and for him to have the opportunity to get where he is, but man heβs exactly what the Celtics need: a high energy 3 and D wing.
β Jeremy Mattheiss (@mattheiss12) May 22, 2025
Maybe it's better the Celtics lost cause if Nesmith did this to me I'd have broken my TV by now
β semaJ (@semaJ7272) May 22, 2025
Also that was the best thing Aaron Nesmith ever did for Celtics fans
β π¦ (@JoeDeeV2) May 22, 2025
To be fair, the trade between the Celtics and Pacers did benefit both sides. Brogdon was the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year and Boston was able to flip him for Jrue Holiday, who helped them win the championship in 2024. Regardless of what Nesmith does with the Pacers, the Celtics came away with a ring first.
Beyond the feelings around Nesmith, there was a heavy dose of schadenfreude in Boston on Wednesday night. After themselves blowing multiple significant leads to the Knicks, seeing the shoe on the other foot was fun. For many, it was gratifying to point out to fans in New York that the deficit when Jayson Tatum was injured in Game 4 was indeed surmountable.
A blown 14 pt lead in the fourth LMFAOOO
β Depressed Celtics Fan (@Jaymillz31) May 22, 2025
AND THEY SAID IT WAS CRAZY FOR CELTICS FANS TO SAY GAME WASNT OVER WITH 3 MINUTES TO GO
β jesse βοΈππ (@jesselondino13) May 22, 2025
Knicks were up 15 with 3 minutes left and now they going to OT.
β βοΈ (@herechigoes) May 22, 2025
You mean to tell me a 7 point lead with 3 minutes when Tatum got injured already counted as a win? Fuck outta here
US CELTICS FANS TOLD YALL TO BE SCARED OF INDY ππππππ¨π¨π¨π¨π¨ https://t.co/fyWIqR1wF7
β Emerson Girard π΅πΈ (@Emiibott) May 22, 2025
Put this on a T-shirt lmao pic.twitter.com/rJ9Prz2mF1
β Alejandro βοΈ (@MainCelticsFan) May 22, 2025
The Celtics would obviously rather be playing than watching a former draft pick find glory in the postseason elsewhere. Still, in May, it's all about small victories for any team in the NBA that isn't still playing.