Indianapolis, IN - T.J. McConnell's "great white hope" nickname, given to him by Tyrese Haliburton, has become a source of inspiration for the Indiana Pacers. The 33-year-old veteran has been a key contributor in the team's recent success, especially in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
In the 116-107 home victory on Wednesday night, McConnell played only 15 minutes but made every second count. He scored 10 points with 5 assists and was a plus-12, becoming the first bench player ever to record 10 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals in an NBA Finals game since the league started recording steals in 1973-74. His plays got the crowd energized after moments of nervous energy that was palpable in the building.
"It's a feel thing when I'm trying to inject energy into the game and get the crowd involved," McConnell said. "And you know, when our crowd's into it, they've willed us to wins throughout the season."
McConnell's experience and leadership have been invaluable to the Pacers, who are still learning to navigate the NBA Finals. "Besides Pascal [Siakam] and Thomas [Bryant], none of us have Finals experience," McConnell said. "So obviously, very grateful to be here and play in front of that crowd like we did yesterday."
Benedict Mathurin also provided extra energy for the Pacers, scoring 27 points in just 22 minutes of game time. Obi Toppin had an arena-shaking follow-up dunk late that seemed to declare matters for the night.
Despite the success, there's always a looking-over-your-shoulder feeling for reserves. "I feel like it's a going-down-swinging-type thing, where you have to play fearless and mistakes are going to happen," McConnell said. "So there's a point in the game where you want to be in there, but it's time for the starters to come back in."
Coach Rick Carlisle praised McConnell's impact on the team, saying, "He's a guy that inspires a lot of people. He inspires our team a lot." With McConnell and Mathurin providing the extra energy and leadership, the Pacers are excited but know there's still work to be done in their quest for an NBA championship.
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