The smallest palm in history! How fragrant is 33-year-old McConnell?

Everyone knows that the Pacers have won the finals G3.

Previously, although the Pacers scored 6-7 players in G1 and G2, none of the team got 20+.

In this G3 game, not only Halliburton and Siakam scored 20+ in the same game, but Matherin on the bench also exploded, making 9 of 12 shots in the game and scored 27 points efficiently, which is the third highest score in the bench in the history of the finals.

It can be said that the 22-year-old Matherin has seen many surprises, and, on the bench, the performance of another veteran cannot be ignored. It is difficult for him not to touch people - TJ McConnell.

In the whole game, McConnell only played 15 minutes, made 3 of 8 shots, 4 of 4 free throws, and scored 10 points, 5 assists and 5 steals. He is one of the only players in the Pacers who scored in double digits in this game, with more points than Tyrant, Nesmith and Nembhard.

The important data is also: since the statistics of steals began, McConnell was the first substitute player in the history of the Finals to score 10 points, 5 assists and 5 steals in a single game. What is more wonderful than the record is the content of the competition.

In this game, the Pacers were suppressed almost the entire first quarter and overtook the second quarter. In the critical second quarter, McConnell played for 7 minutes and scored 6 points, 4 assists and 3 steals. He completed 3 steals in 4 minutes of the start, including two direct breaks of the Thunder serve.

This is not over yet. The Thunder took the lead again in the third quarter, and then in the fourth quarter, McConnell once again became the surprise. He only played for 4 minutes in this quarter, sending 4 points, 1 assist and 2 steals. The second steal was cut directly on Caruso's serve and layup, which was quite cruel. After the game, Alexander commented on McConnell's amazing 5 steals: "Those rounds were too hurt, especially because they were easy to control, we could have taken it slowly... As the coach said, they are really aggressive."

It should be said that it is not only G3 who performed well in the Finals, but G1 and G2 performed well in the previous G1 and G2:

- G1, 4 of 6 shots in the game, scored 9 points, 4 assists and 1 steal (the only steal in the team)

- G2, 5 of 7 shots in the game, scored 11 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 steals

In the three games, McConnell averaged 10.0 points, 5.0 assists and 2.7 steals, and his shooting percentage was as high as 57.1%.

zoomed into the playoffs, McConnell's performance was also very surprising: he averaged 16.3 minutes per game, scored 8.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists, with a shooting percentage of 53.5%/41.2%/86.4% in three events, and a real shooting percentage of 59.1%.

As a comparison, McConnell in the regular season: 79 games, averaged 17.9 minutes per game, scored 9.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists, with a shooting percentage of 51.9%/30.6%/74.0% in three events, and a real shooting percentage of 54.7%.

This is also the most magical thing about the Pacers this year. Not only the big game player Nembhard, but even the young Mathering and veteran McConnell can play better than the regular season in the playoffs.

Only talk about McConnell, he scored 15 three-pointers in 79 games in the regular season, but he has scored 7 in 19 games so far, and even the free throws are accurate. He and the entire Pacers seem to have become stronger on the playoff stage.

and, McConnell's energy.

From the outside, this 33-year-old veteran doesn't look like an NBA player at all. He is 1.85 meters tall, has an arm span of 1.88 meters, has no amazing bounce, has never completed a dunk, and even has the smallest palm size in history, with a hand length of only 19 cm and a width of 17.7 cm.

Due to the lack of static talent, McConnell was not selected in the draft. He was able to enter the NBA because of his father's relationship. However, he did not expect that McConnell not only made it to the NBA through that summer league, but also played for 10 years, and every year, he was able to sit firmly on the team's substitute.

What's more amazing is that the little guards generally rely on three-pointers, but McConnell is not at all. Even his three-pointer is still weak, just dragging his height of 1.85 meters. McConnell hit the basket again and again, laying down, passing the ball, fighting, and then showing his signature roar at some appropriate times. After the G3 of the finals, Halliburton commented on McConnell: "His biggest characteristic is that he plays more hard than others. It's hard not to cheer for such a player. His energy is simply incredible and he is definitely the darling of the audience.

It is his fighting spirit again and again that can drive our whole team to play better. From the first day I came here, he is like my elder brother, TJ McConnell's story itself It's very inspiring, and it's my honor to be able to fight side by side with him."

Yes, this is McConnell. He may not have outstanding talents, but his enthusiasm, stadium awareness, control rhythm and the heart to win must not be underestimated. As McConnell said before, "I firmly believe that hard work is also a skill." As long as you work hard enough, even in the finals, even a small person can have his own shining moments.