Tag: T.J McConnell

Pacers’ T.J. McConnell reminisces on time with Sixers before return

Former Philadelphia 76ers guard T.J. McConnell reminisces a bit on his time in Philadelphia.

When the Philadelphia 76ers began their infamous “process” in 2013, they picked up a scrappy point guard from Pittsburgh along the way. They picked up a scrawny guy by the name of T.J. McConnell before the 2015-16 season and it was assumed that he would only be with the team for the time being as they continued to grow, but he found a way to stick around for a few years.

In McConnell’s rookie year, the Sixers won 10 games and it was assumed that he would not last there considering his lack of size and talent compared to other players. However, he continued to find a way to stay on the roster as he and coach Brett Brown went through that tough journey together from the bottom to the top.

McConnell stated pregame:

Starting here, winning 10 games, and then kind of at the end of my tenure here, you’re one shot away from going to the Eastern Conference Finals. That’s pretty incredible, the jounrey that we went on and he taught me so much about life and especially basketball.

He spent four seasons in Philadelphia averaging 6.4 points and 4.7 assists and he became a fan favorite for how hard he fought and his leave it all on the floor attitude. That goes a long way in Philadelphia, but now that he’s wearing enemy colors, he’s not sure what to expect from the fan base.

He added:

I’m not sure. Hopefully, a lot of cheers, but they root for their team hard. So, we’ll see.

McConnell and the Pacers face-off with the Sixers at 7:00 p.m. EST from the Wells Fargo Center. [lawrence-related id=20289,20279,20272]

Sixers vs. Pacers preview: Sixers welcome back reserve T.J. McConnell

The Philadelphia 76ers return home to host the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

The Philadelphia 76ers will return home on Saturday night after rallying to knock off the New York Knicks on the road on Friday and they will be facing off against a familiar face. When the Indiana Pacers invade the Wells Fargo Center, they will be bringing with them Process champion T.J. McConnell.

McConnell left the Sixers in free agency in July to sign with the Pacers after he spent four seasons in Philadelphia. He was a major part of the Sixers infamous “Process” and he saw the majority of it through and through and he even started a playoff game in 2018 against the Boston Celtics. Unlike Jimmy Butler’s return on November 23, it can be assumed that the reception for McConnell will be a bit more friendly.

With that said, it’s time to dive into the Sixers and the Pacers with all of the guidelines:

How to watch Sixers vs. Pacers

  • Date: Saturday, November 30
  • Time: 7:00 p.m. EST
  • Location: Wells Fargo Center Philadelphia, PA
  • TV: NBATV, NBC Sports Philadelphia

Injury Report

  • Sixers: NOT YET SUBMITTED
  • Pacers: NOT YET SUBMITTED

Storylines

Bench producers

The Sixers bench has been able to step up and provide some production when the team needs it. In their Thanksgiving Eve win over the Sacramento Kings, it was rookie Matisse Thybulle who stepped in and provided some good work off the bench to give the team a big spark late. On Friday, it was James Ennis III who scored 20 points off the pine to guide Philadelphia on a big rally past the Knicks.

Tobias Harris stated on Ennis on Friday:

I mean, in this whole locker room he has a respect level with the way that he plays and how hard he plays and tonight it was that coming to fruition in a high-volume way, but we don’t come out of here with a win today without him, his effort. I thought he gave us a huge spark especially in the third quarter and played a great game. He desereves it, he works his butt off and he is a professional and he comes in every game and gives us that great energy.

Pelle surprises

The Sixers were undermanned on Friday as they were already missing Kyle O’Quinn due to injury and then decided to rest Al Horford with the team playing a back-to-back situation. So, the Sixers decided to call upon two-way player Norvel Pelle to provide some minutes off the bench. The 26-year old made his debut and scored three points with four big blocks as he protected the rim nicely.

Harris again was happy with what he saw from Pelle as he stated:

To come right up from the G League and be able to make an impact today in the game, I thought he did a great job of just contesting shots, making the game a bit scrappy just by imposing his will out there. So I thought his energy was great for us.

Prediction

The Sixers are just a different team at home. The Philadelphia fan base just rallies around them and gives them the big boost of energy they need in some games to come away with a win. The Pacers are a scrappy bunch led by Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, and Malcolm Brogdon who have been holding down the fort until Victor Oladipo returns from injury, but it will be a tall task on the road. Philadelphia should be able to hold off Indiana and make it three straight wins.

Pick: Sixers in a close one

Sixers vs. Pacers season series

Game 1 November 30:

Game 2 December 31:

Game 3 Januaru 13:

Game 4 March 14:

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