The various forms of around-the-clock treatments began almost immediately after Game 3 had ended, and they continued nearly until tipoff two nights later.
Aaron Nesmith was determined to “do whatever it takes” to play Tuesday in Game 4 against the Knicks after suffering a sprained ankle in the third quarter of the game.
The red-lights therapy, the stim-machine treatment, the time spent in a hyperbaric chamber and constant ice-bag changes from his visiting mom appeared to work for Nesmith, who scored 16 points with a plus-20 rating as Indiana seized a 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference finals with a 130-121 win.
“It was a long 24-to-36 hours. But I couldn’t wait for tipoff. That’s all I could wait for,” Nesmith said after the game. “When I got hurt, they came up to me and said, ‘We want to see how you feel.’ I was like, ‘I don’t care how I feel.’
“This is what we all live for. We prepare for this all year long, for our entire lives. … I can’t miss these moments.”
Nesmith is listed as questionable again for Game 5 on Thursday at the Garden, after originally having the same designation for Game 4 after returning from the third-quarter injury for the final period two nights earlier.
“I was concerned what [Tuesday] would look like [for Nesmith],” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “He got a lot of treatment [Monday]. Fortunately, we didn’t have to travel. You get in a plane with an ankle and the thing has a tendency to blow up.
“He did a lot of treatment and has all kinds of electronic devices hooked up to him. I know his mom is in town helping him with ice and things like that. He was determined to be in this game.”
Nesmith, who nailed six 3-pointers and scored 20 points in the fourth quarter of the Pacers’ Game 1 comeback victory, sank two 3s and threw down a dunk in Indy’s 43-point opening quarter Tuesday night.
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“Making the first couple shots helps you get into the game and the rhythm of the game,” Nesmith said.
Teammates Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin both invoked the Paul O’Neill nickname to describe Nesmith.
“Double-A is a warrior,” Toppin said. “He’s going to go out there until he can’t. He was able to go out there and play like he wasn’t even hurt today.”
