T.J. McConnell shouldn't really be here. Honestly, if you look at the guy—undrafted out of Arizona, not exactly a vertical threat, doesn't possess a "knockdown" three-point stroke—he feels like a throwback to a different era. But then you watch him. You see him lurking behind a ball-handler on an inbound pass like a literal shadow. You see that mid-range pull-up that, frankly, goes in way more often than it has any right to.
Basically, the 2025 NBA Finals turned McConnell from a "nice bench piece" into a legitimate postseason legend.
Most people focus on the stars, the guys like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Tyrese Haliburton. But if you were tracking tj mcconnell finals stats during that seven-game war against the Oklahoma City Thunder, you know he was the heartbeat of the Indiana Pacers' second unit. He didn't just play; he disrupted everything OKC tried to do.
The Numbers That Actually Happened
Let's get into the weeds. Over seven games in the 2025 NBA Finals, McConnell averaged 12.0 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds per game.
That might sound modest. It isn't.
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When you realize he did that in just over 20 minutes of action a night, the efficiency is kinda terrifying. He shot 55.2% from the floor. He even found his stroke from deep, hitting 60% of his (admittedly few) three-point attempts.
But the real story? The steals.
He averaged 2.1 steals per game. In Game 3 alone, he racked up 5 steals. He became the first player since the mid-70s to put up 10+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+ steals in a Finals game coming off the bench. Think about that. In fifty years of basketball, nobody had done what the "pest from Pittsburgh" did on that floor.
Game-by-Game Breakdown of the 2025 Finals
If you look at how the series actually flowed, McConnell's impact wasn't just a steady climb. It was a series of explosive moments that kept Indiana alive when their starters were gasping for air.
- Game 1 & 2: He was finding his footing. 9 points in the opener, 11 in the second. Standard T.J. stuff.
- Game 3: This was the "10/5/5" game. He was a +12 in just 15 minutes. He single-handedly ruined the Thunder's rhythm.
- Game 5: He poured in 18 points. OKC started overplaying the pass, so he just started hunting his own shot.
- Game 6: This was the legacy game. 12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals. He was everywhere. He became the first bench player in NBA history to record 60+ points, 25+ assists, and 15+ rebounds in a single Finals series.
- Game 7: Even in a heartbreaking loss, he gave them 16 points and 6 boards. He didn't go away.
Why T.J. McConnell Still Matters
We live in an era of "gravity" and "spacing." Everything is about the three-ball. McConnell ignores that. He lives in the "dead zone"—that 10-to-15-foot range where defenders are taught to give up shots.
Bad idea.
During the 2024-25 season, nearly 66% of his mid-range attempts went in. That is an absurd number. It’s basically a layup for him. When defenses drop back to stop the lob or the kick-out, he just stops on a dime and hits that little leaning jumper.
LeBron James actually talked about this before the 2025 Finals. He pointed out that if you don't account for McConnell, you end up losing those bench minutes 8-2 or 9-3 in a heartbeat. The pace shifts. The energy changes. Suddenly, the Pacers are on a 10-0 run and you're wondering where your lead went.
The Defensive "Full-Court" Nuisance
The stats don't show the psychological toll he takes on opposing point guards. He picks up full court. He doesn't let you walk the ball up. Every single possession is a chore.
In the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals against Boston, he averaged 15 points and 5.5 rebounds. He was the one guy the Celtics couldn't quite figure out how to keep out of the paint. Fast forward to the 2025 Finals, and he did the same thing to the younger, faster Thunder.
What Most People Get Wrong
There's this idea that McConnell is just an "energy guy." Like he’s just out there running hard.
That’s a lazy take.
He is one of the smartest floor generals in the league. Look at his assist-to-turnover ratio. Even in the high-stakes environment of Game 7 in OKC, he was making the right reads. He knows exactly when to probe the defense and when to reset.
He isn't just "trying hard." He's out-thinking you.
Looking Ahead: The 2025-26 Season
Right now, the Pacers are in a weird spot. Tyrese Haliburton is dealing with that Achilles issue, and the roster looks a bit different without Myles Turner. This means McConnell’s role is likely going to expand even more.
He’s already moving up the franchise ranks. Recently, he passed Roger Brown for 8th on the Pacers' all-time assist list. For an undrafted guy who many thought would be out of the league in three years, that’s a massive achievement.
If you’re watching the Pacers this year, pay attention to the transition minutes. Watch how the game changes the second he checks in at the scorer’s table.
Actionable Insights for Following the Pacers:
- Watch the Inbounds: McConnell is the king of the "back-tap" steal. If the opposing team scores, don't look away. He’s probably hiding in the corner waiting for the pass.
- Track the Mid-Range: If he gets to his spot on the right elbow, it’s basically two points.
- The "Hustle" Stats: Keep an eye on deflections. He consistently leads the team in "non-box-score" defensive metrics.
T.J. McConnell proved in the 2025 Finals that you don't need a 40-inch vertical to change a championship series. You just need to be the smartest, most annoying person on the court. He’s mastered both.