The Indiana Pacers fought hard after losing Tyrese Haliburton to injury during Game 7 of the NBA Finals. While the whole team deserves credit for trying to push through after losing Haliburton, T.J. McConnell had to handle the biggest load.
McConnell was forced into a much larger role following Haliburton’s injury. McConnell delivered an admirable performance, dropping 16 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists in the 103-91 loss.
Following the contest, McConnell was among the most emotional players on the Pacers. He walked off the court with a towel over his head, clearly struck by the loss.
The entire scene was captured by ESPN, which followed McConnell into the tunnel. Once there, McConnell was comforted by a Pacers staffer, who told the ESPN camera operator to stop filming the guard.
That staffer appears to be Karen Atkeson, the director of promotions for the Pacers. As cameras got too close to Atkeson and McConnell, Atkeson can be heard on the broadcast telling them to “stop.”
Atkeson is a long-time member of the Pacers, and has been with the team since 1997.
It was a difficult night for McConnell, who was forced into action following Haliburton’s injury. While McConnell saw playing time throughout the playoffs, the Pacers leaned on him for 28:06 in Game 7. That was the most playing time McConnell received during the team’s playoff run.
McConnell put up strong numbers in the loss, but was also responsible for a team-leading seven turnovers. Those proved to be costly. The Thunder’s surge in the third quarter was largely the result of Pacers turnovers. Oklahoma City outscored the Pacers by 14 points in the quarter, essentially putting away the game thanks to giveaways by Indiana.
That likely made the loss hit even harder for McConnell, who is still seeking his first NBA championship. The veteran should have another opportunity at contention over the next couple seasons, as he signed an extension with the Pacers in 2024 that will keep him with the team through the 2027-28 NBA season.
Despite the Haliburton injury, the Pacers are still considered strong contenders to win the 2025-26 NBA Finals.
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