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T.J. McConnell · If the game of basketball were predictable, one might say it was only inevitable that the Detroit Pistons, wanting no parts of a slow start in successive seasons, would deliver an early-game strike to the Indiana Pacers’ metaphorical chins. In response, the Pacers — rostering last season’s highest-scoring bench since 2019-20 — assigned its comeback attempt to a floor general who, even when bumped off track, knows how to keep Indiana’s offensive train moving. Speeding through Little Caesars Arena with his distinctive, never-stop-moving approach, T.J. McConnell uses a corner screen-and-roll to kickstart his hunt for a left-baseline driving crevice. Rapidly running out of real estate with Tobias Harris’ subtle nudge making it no easier, the 10-year veteran remains collected and somewhat balanced, darting a dime to a cutting teammate for a possession-saving play. In a come-from-behind win on October 23, 2024 that offered a similar survival-type feel, McConnell’s role proved key, as generated a 14-point showing (on a near-flawless seven-of-eight), alongside two boards, four assists, and one steal. · State of Mint