NBA Finals: Ranking T.J. McConnell’s sneakiest steals on his historic night in Pacers’ Game 3 win over OKC

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T.J. McConnell, as the kids say, is one of one. He may not light up the scoreboard on a nightly basis, but he’s always going to bring energy, pace, discipline and heart — and occasionally he’ll show you something you haven’t seen before. That’s what happened during the Indiana Pacers‘ thrilling 116-107 Game 3 NBA Finals win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, which gave Indiana a 2-1 lead in a series they entered as massive underdogs.

Sometimes McConnell’s impact can’t be felt through the box score, but that was not the case on Wednesday, when he tallied 10 points, five assists and five steals in 15 minutes as a reserve. McConnell is the first NBA player since 1973-74 to put up those numbers off the bench in a Finals game.

“T.J. just brought a will — a competitive will to the game,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said after the win.

While his offensive performance was crucial to Indiana’s win, what truly stood out during McConnell’s historic night were the steals. We’re not talking about an opponent making a wildly errant pass and the ball just randomly ending up in his hands. No, these were heists that would make Jose Alvarado stand up and applaud.

Don’t believe us? Let’s go through all five of his steals, ranking them in terms of sneakiness.

5. Tip drill

Now look, most NBA players could make this play, but it still takes a certain level of focus and athleticism. First of all, McConnell is in perfect help position, able to get back to his man, Cason Wallace, on a potential kickout, but also within striking distance to take a charge or help contest a shot in the paint. In this case, Isaiah Hartenstein overshoots Alex Caruso, and McConnell is not only in the right spot, but he also reads the tipped pass, collects it and starts motoring downcourt in one fell swoop.

4. Stop on a dime

This one is a signature McConnell special, and probably something he’s been doing since he could pick up a basketball. As Wallace prepares to inbound the ball, McConnell fakes like he’s sprinting down the floor, only to abruptly hit the brakes and reverse direction, much to the horror of the unsuspecting Jalen Williams. Not only does McConnell use his strong, quick hands to pick up the steal, but he also has the wherewithal to earn Indiana possession by firing the ball off of Wallace out of bounds (his foot MAY have landed out of bounds before he got rid of the ball, but let’s reward the man’s hustle).

3. Strong safety

Ever wonder what it feels like to be a quarterback who fires a pass to what he thinks is a wide-open receiver, only to watch as a defender flies in out of nowhere for an interception? Yep, that’s T.J. McConnell heading back the other way for the pick-six. Here, Wallace again (rough night for him inbounding the ball) passes to what looks like an open Chet Holmgren, but McConnell sprints from the opposite side of the paint to collect the steal. As if that weren’t enough, he finishes the play with an offensive rebound and one of his five assists.

2. Rope-a-dope

This one might not look as sneaky as the interceptions on inbounds passes, but upon further inspection it’s utter manipulation by McConnell. Once again in perfect help position, McConnell sees a cutting Hartenstein who is a step ahead of his man after some confusion by the Indiana defense. McConnell jumps into the lane to offer help on Hartenstein, but keeps his head up and reads Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s eyes as he makes the pass.

As SGA goes into the passing motion, McConnell knows immediately that the ball isn’t going to Hartenstein, but rather to his man Wallace in the far corner. McConnell takes one fake-out step into the paint before heading back to the corner for the easy steal. Had Gilgeous-Alexander passed to Hartenstein, he would have been right under the basket for a dunk. But McConnell made a perfect read with perfect timing to pick up an incredibly impressive steal.

1. Now you see me

We couldn’t blame you if you literally started laughing out loud after this one, which really made it seem like it was going to be Indiana’s night. There’s really not much to say. McConnell must have temporarily acquired a cloak of invisibility, because Caruso literally looked right through him (or over him) as he attempted to throw a long entry pass to Williams. Instead, McConnell used every bit of his modest vertical leap to snatch the ball out of midair, then came down and finished a layup to bring the Pacers within two points. McConnell made big plays all night long, but in terms of momentum, this may have been the most consequential.

One of the few advantages Indiana has on paper over OKC is its bench production, and McConnell is an essential part of that. He’s now averaging 10 points, five assists and 2.7 steals during the Finals in just over 16 minutes per game. He allows Carlisle to confidently get some rest for Tyrese Haliburton, and — as he did in Game 3 — McConnell has made plays that might just help the Pacers win their first NBA championship.

This news was originally published on this post .

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