Myles Turner On T.J. McConnell: 'He Takes It Personal When He Sees White Boys Guarding Him'

T.J. McConnell will not get love in terms of the Sixth Man of the Year conversation due to his limited minutes and production, but he's been one of the best backup guards in the NBA all season long. He's averaging 10.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 5.4 assists this season, a crucial winning piece on this Pacers roster.

While the Pacers have Tyrese Haliburton making all the headlines as their starting guard, McConnell has been an extremely high-quality backup who's taken a bigger role this season. With Haliburton playing through injury for a large chunk of the season, McConnell has consistently stepped up. 

The Pacers are 7-6 without Haliburton in the lineup this season, with McConnell's stable guard play being one of the main reasons behind it.

Reggie Miller Thinks The Pacers Are On The Path To A Title

The Indiana Pacers have been a sturdy team for decades in the NBA but people haven't looked at them and pegged them for a title since the Reggie Miller days. However, the new-look Pacers led by Tyrese Haliburton are being touted as genuine contenders for the title in a few years, with Reggie Miller himself claiming the same.

"I really do believe that he can carry this team to a championship. We are witnessing a superstar in the making. He brings people together. If you watch Tyrese play, it’s never been about him. It’s been about us. What can we do to win tonight? I think he would be happy with four points and 24 assists and the victory as opposed to a 40-point game in a loss."

Miller also says teammates in Indiana look at Haliburton the same way players look at the former Finals MVPs such as LeBron James, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

"The way his teammates look at him, they look at him like they look at LeBron, they look at him like they look at Jokic, they look at him like they look at Giannis. Like we can do anything with this dude out there. And I see that."

Haliburton is averaging 20.1 points and 10.9 assists this season. While his performances have fallen off after a hot start to the season, the Pacers have kept their pace as a top-six seed in the East. 

They have a record of 45-34 and will hope to make noise in their first playoff appearance of the Haliburton era, who is expected to win his first career assists title this season.