The Indiana Pacers are officially moving on to the second round of the playoffs after eliminating the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. Though they will go up against the No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers, the Pacers should feel good about their odds. They were mostly in control during their series against the Bucks, and they played well against Cleveland in the regular season. Regardless, to get the job done and make it back to the conference finals, the Pacers need to bring their A-game.
As they look to go on another deep playoff run, the Pacers will rely heavily on their top players--Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and Myles Turner. However, they will also need solid performances out of their key role players. Luckily for the Pacers, they have plenty of guys who can step up when the lights are the brightest. This includes backup point guard T.J. McConnell, who just continued his postseason tradition in the Pacers' series-clinching Game 5 victory against the Bucks.
T.J. McConnell is unbelievable in elimination games
Many Pacers stepped up in Game 5 to secure the series victory, including McConnell. In the victory, the Pittsburgh native recorded 18 points on 7-for-11 shooting, three rebounds, and three assists in 17 minutes. Not only did this provide a huge boost for the Pacers in this game, but McConnell is slowly building a reputation as an elimination game hero.
During Game 6 of last year's first-round matchup against the Bucks, McConnell had an impressive performance to close the series out. In the victory, he recorded 20 points on 7-for-9 shooting, two rebounds, nine assists, and four steals. Furthermore, in the Pacers' Game 7 victory against the New York Knicks in the following round, McConnell recorded 12 points on 6-for-8 shooting, two rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and a block. While his counting numbers were not as impressive in this game, he still made a huge impact and played a crucial role in the win.
McConnell has already established himself as one of the most dependable backup point guards in the NBA, and his latest performance only solidifies that. Though he is far from the most valuable player on Indiana's roster, McConnell is still crucial to the team's success. With Cleveland now on the schedule, the Pacers will have a tough task in front of them. However, if McConnell can play at the level the Pacers know he can, they will have a legitimate shot at pulling off the upset.