T.J. McConnell

T.J. McConnell proved to be the perfect stand-in for his absent All-Star teammate. With Tyrese Haliburton unavailable, McConnell admirably stepped into the void by drawing the Oklahoma City Thunder defense toward him on a strong drive to the hole before kicking it out to rookie teammate Andrew Nembhard for a wide open corner 3-pointer. McConnell flirted with a triple-double by posting 21 points on 10 of 15 shooting, nine rebounds and eight assists in the Indiana Pacers’ 121-117 win on March 31, 2023. The eight-year veteran averaged career-highs in points per game, 3-point and free throw percentage across 75 games during the 2022-23 season.