Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff praised TJ McConnell’s performance in Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
The Indiana Pacers have surprisingly split their opening two games in Oklahoma City, but they are still heading to this encounter as big losers.
Well, Rick Carlisle’s team produced even more unexpected playoff magic in Game 3 and now holds the series lead.
While Tyreese Halliburton and Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with points, Vickerstaf believes McConnell has had a “incredible” night.
The Pacers team doesn’t look special on paper. It is their coaching, pace of play, and role players that distinguish them from others.
Bickerstaff highlighted the importance of the latter after Game 3, highlighting McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin as two important bench players.
In particular, he was surprised by the point guard’s amazing five steals in just 15 minutes. This defensive strength “sets the tone” of the pacer.
“Haliburton set the tone early, but we have to give credit to those coming out of the bench,” explained Bickerstaff. “What TJ McConnell and Ben Mathurin did was incredible setting the tone.
“The energy they brought before the crowds of the house. TJ McConnell steals five in 15 minutes of play. And, obviously, the way Matlin gets the ball. It certainly lifted the team.”
Bickerstaff also spoke a lot about Halliburton, the Pacers’ on-court leader, about how he responded to criticism after Game 2.
Many basketball experts called him for being too passive in the first two games of the finals, and he answered in the best possible way.
But Bickerstaff was even more impressed with his defensive rebound than anything he did offensively against the OKC Thunder.
“I think he’s taken that to heart,” he added. “But he wasn’t the only one who stood out to me on the offensive edge of the floor.
“He had eight defensive rebounds. So when you have such a guy, when you can defensive rebounds and push the ball, it makes your break faster.
“He’s good at getting his teammates to move the ball forward when his teammates run, so when the ball starts with his hands… I think I had 40 points in that second quarter, and I think it had a lot to do with pace, tempo and his ability to attack and play from there.