Cagey veterans who wear four championship rings off the court pressured him but couldn't stop him from getting into the paint and hitting his spots.
He pursued the world's best 3-point shooter every possession, yet he fit in on defense and made that All-World player miserable.
He had just a G-League two-way player for a breather, yet he came off the court looking like he could have played another 41 minutes.
Nembhard's 31-point, 13-assist performance in the injury-riddled, out-manned Pacers' slump-busting 112-104 triumph against the reigning NBA champion Golden State Warriors on Monday night at the sold-out Chase Center is most notable for how effortless he made it seem.
The Pacers have never been in worse shape than they were Monday night, and the Gonzaga rookie had the most crucial individual performance of the season.
The Pacers were coming off three consecutive losses and four losses in five games on Indiana's longest western road trip in 37 years.
Four defeats totaled 73 points. Before leaving Indianapolis for seven games in 12 days on the road, the season had been an expectation-defying joyride. Two of the four losses were by more than 20 points, changing the tenor of the season.