T.J. McConnell Makes NBA Finals History After Big Performance in Crucial Game 6

McConnell was a hero off the bench on Thursday night.

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell on Jun 19, 2025. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Indiana Pacers rallied from the brink of elimination to force a Game 7 of their NBA Finals series vs. the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night, and it's safe to say they couldn't have done so without T.J. McConnell.

The backup guard finished with 12 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals off the bench—a stat line that might appear somewhat modest on its face, but carried far more significance on the court and during the contest than the box score would suggest.

“Any time he comes into the game, the crowd loves him, and he feeds off of that," team-leading scorer Obi Toppin said after the contest. "He had a great start to the game, and it got us going. Brought juice into the game, energy into the game.”

Added star guard Tyrese Haliburton, speaking with SportCenter's Scott Van Pelt: "I think he just does a great job of implementing pace into the game. I think we already do play fast, but when he comes in, people think it's a time to relax. No, that's a time to pick it up for us. ... He brings in so much energy to the game, and I think our crowd loves him. We call him the 'Great White Hope.' It's cool to see what he does."

As it turns out, McConnell also had a history-making game on Thursday, in addition to a particularly strong one. Indeed, his performance in Game 6 means he has now surpassed 60 points, 15 rebounds, and 25 assists in this year's NBA Finals series—a feat no bench player has ever accomplished.

Not bad for a guy who went undrafted.

the first bench player in @nba history to have 60+ points, 25+ assists and 15+ rebounds in the NBA Finals:

T.J. McConnell 😤 pic.twitter.com/i2w0Zfr9dp

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 20, 2025

“To play to the last day possible of the season, Game 7,” McConnell said on Thursday, per The Athletic, “you dream about that as a kid. So I know we have to be ready for the challenge.”

Well, if this postseason has been any indication, we know he will be.

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