T.J.

McConnell

McConnell has been more than solid for Indiana over the last five years, and now they’ll have him under contract for at least five more. McConnell is an elite streaming option when he gets the chance to start in place of Tyrese Haliburton, though his production will be limited in his usual bench role. The next time McConnell will be a free agent, he’ll be 37 years old.

As in Game 3, McConnell increased his production with Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) sidelined. The veteran backup point guard has been a critical contributor for the Pacers the past two seasons. While that may not mean much regarding consistent fantasy value, McConnell is a player the Pacers value immensely. He’s eligible for an extension this summer, but Indiana must also navigate Pascal Siakam’s unrestricted free agency. As for McConnell’s fantasy prospects, he’s a player who’s most valuable as a streamer if Haliburton or Andrew Nembhard is sidelined.

Despite sitting in a 0-3 hole, the Pacers will continue to exercise caution regarding Haliburton’s hamstring. This is the same hamstring he injured in January, and it took the All-NBA guard some time to get back to full strength after making a hasty return to action. Ben Sheppard started Game 3 but went scoreless, shooting 0-of-4 from the field. While the rookie could remain in that role if Haliburton cannot play on Monday, T.J. McConnell and current starter Andrew Nembhard are the guards DFS players should target.

While he wasn’t Rick Carlisle’s choice to replace the injured Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring) in the starting lineup, McConnell was still in a position where he needed to step up. The veteran point guard came through, recording his first 20-point game since Game 6 of the Pacers’ first-round series against Milwaukee. The workload was also notable from Game 3, as the 29 minutes are the most T.J. has played in a game this postseason. Expect McConnell to take on a similar workload if Haliburton cannot play in Game 4 on Monday.

Haliburton missed 10 games in the regular season due to a left hamstring injury, and he sustained that same injury in the third quarter of Game 2 on Thursday. Down 0-2 to Boston, Haliburton’s absence is a massive blow to Indiana’s hopes of coming back in the series. T.J. McConnell is a likely candidate to replace him in the starting five.

Haliburton, limited by an injury to the same hamstring earlier this season, exited Thursday’s Game 2 defeat during the fourth quarter. While the injury being a case of soreness instead of a strain is good news, there’s no guarantee the All-NBA point guard will play on Saturday. Andrew Nembhard (who’s already a starter), T.J. McConnell, and Ben Sheppard would all be required to do more if Haliburton cannot play. And the Pacers are already in an 0-2 hole, so losing Haliburton could end their hopes of turning things around.

Outside of Pascal Siakam, Nembhard was really the only other Pacer that was able to get anything going offensively in this game. He had a decent performance, but what’s more important at this point is what he may have to do in their next game. Tyrese Haliburton exited early from this game due to left leg soreness, which is obviously a huge blow to their team. If Haliburton is forced to remain sidelined for Game 3 on Saturday, Nembhard and T.J. McConnell will split the duties at point guard.

The team announced that Haliburton with the team down about 20 points with eight minutes left in the fourth, and they have most of their starters on the bench. The main concern now is whether or not he’ll be available to play in Game 3 on Saturday. If he isn’t able to, it’s unclear who would start in his place, though T.J. McConnell and Ben Sheppard will certainly take on extra minutes. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the injury was to his left hamstring, and he missed time earlier this season due to an injury in the same hammy, which is certainly concerning.

The Pacers reserves scored 30 points in Game 1, enjoying a 17-point advantage in that category. Toppin and T.J. McConnell (13/3/4/1 in 25 minutes) were responsible for 28 of those 30 points, but it wasn’t enough to help the Pacers hold onto Game 1. Getting outscored by a 24-9 margin at the foul line and committing 21 turnovers were the issues for the Pacers, who had a three-point lead with 46.1 seconds remaining in regulation. A Jaylen Brown 3-pointer with six seconds remaining forced overtime, with Boston taking a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 is on Thursday night, and this is another series in which Toppin and McConnell will have an advantage.

McConnell may have only played 16 minutes in Game 6, but that was all the time he needed to impact the action. In addition to scoring repeatedly around the basket, the veteran point guard was a defensive pest. McConnell and Obi Toppin have impacted this series, with the former offering more consistent production. Toppin also played well in Game 6, finishing with 11 points, four rebounds, one assist, and one 3-pointer in 18 minutes. Given New York’s lack of depth, McConnell and Toppin can be difference-makers in Game 7 on Sunday.