Averaging career-highs per 36 minutes in points (13.7), rebounds (6.2), and assists (10.2) over his first 10 games with the Pacers, T.J. McConnell has been like an earthworm burrowing into the narrowest of spaces. Staying in constant motion and twisting to and fro, the plucky 27-year-old patiently keeps his dribble alive with pace as he probes for slivers of opportunity to drag out unsuspecting defenders and wriggle his way into floating, pull-up twos and balanced turnaround jumpers — shots which he’s drilled at a 60 percent clip over the last three games while making himself comfy cozy in a system that, for better or worse, values openness more than shot-volume, at least when it comes to threes.
T.J. McConnell is the role player your favorite team told you not to worry about
