It’s crazy that a man who looks like he could play the lead role in Wedding Crashers has become a force off the bench in the NBA.
Alas, here we are.
If you haven’t been paying attention to the Pacers this season, it would be easy to sleep on guard T.J. McConnell. But the veteran out of Arizona is putting together a pretty remarkable season for someone averaging less than 10 points a night.
He was back in his bag again last night and decided to make history.
McConnell became the first player in NBA history to have multiple 15-point, 15-assist games off the bench in a single season according to ESPN Stats and Info. McConnell had 19 points on 9 of 12 shooting with his 15 assists against the Timberwolves last night. The last time he did this was on March 19 against the Heat when he had 16 points and 15 assists.
Throughout his career, McConnell has been known for his tenacity and willingness to do the dirty work for a team to win. He was beloved in Philly for taking on the toughest guard assignments and diving for nearly every loose ball. Now, with the Pacers, he’s been given a chance to show off a little more of his skill and it’s paying off for him.
Outside of his two 15-and-15 games, McConnell also posted a triple-double in March and is shooting over 55 percent from the field this season.
McConnell is one of those nice NBA stories that you see from time to time who just grinded out a spot for themselves in the league. They weren’t a high draft pick or have incredible athletic ability but they just know how to win games and they do it well.
The Pacers are currently battling with the New York Knicks for the 8th spot in Eastern Conference.