Daniel Theis gave Aaron Nesmith a hug behind the stanchion and told him to not be nervous as a group of reporters welcomed him back to TD Garden on Wednesday morning.
The former Celtic returned for the first time since getting traded alongside three teammates for Malcolm Brogdon in a July blockbuster.
“I’m never nervous,” Nesmith said as Theis walked away.
The Pacers gave Nesmith the opportunity to play each night for 22.2 minutes per game and he found a role as a shooter and defender on a team surprisingly in the playoff mix through the quarter point of the season.
Nesmith is averaging 8.8 points and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 38.7% from three, a mark that’s up to 47.2% over his past 53 attempts.
He settled into a groove after battling a plantar fascia issue early in the season.
