The cameras caught what they weren’t supposed to see. There in the tunnel, TJ McConnell – the Pacers’ warrior all series – finally let his guard down. ESPN’s lens invaded as Karen Atkeson, the team’s VP of Player Relations, shielded him from view, creating one of the most human moments of these NBA Finals.
McConnell had been Indiana’s lifeline after Tyrese Haliburton went down with the ACL, scoring 16 critical points in Game 7 and averaging 12 for the series. The undrafted guard who plays every possession like his last had once again left everything on the court.
“Just want to apologize for coming up short,” McConnell told reporters moments later, his voice breaking with the weight of a franchise’s hopes on his shoulders. Around him, Pacers legend Reggie Miller offered quiet consolation – one Indiana basketball soldier to another.
This was TJ McConnell at his most vulnerable after being at his most valiant. The same player who had warned teammates about Oklahoma City’s deafening crowd now stood accountable before Pacers Nation. No excuses. Just the honest pain of a competitor who came agonizingly close.
ongoing story…
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