Indiana Pacers new rotation keeps T.J. McConnell on the court, which was vital vs Houston Rockets

McConnell was great in a win last night

The Indiana Pacers once again changed their starting lineup on Sunday in Charlotte, moving Andrew Nembhard into the opening five at the shooting guard spot. Nembhard's defense and secondary ball handling makes him a natural fit in that role, and the Pacers are 2-0 since making that change.

An additional benefit has come from that lineup swap. When Nembhard starts, that means he isn't occupying the backup point guard spot. Instead, T.J. McConnell gets that role, and he's been producing of late.

"The obvious thing... When Drew starts, it creates a definite role for T.J. [McConnell]. And T.J. is one of our best competitors. So I like it from that standpoint," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of his new rotation on Tuesday.

McConnell had four points, six rebounds, and seven assists against the Hornets on Sunday in a Pacers win. He was solid. But last night against the Houston Rockets, the veteran guard showed exactly why Carlisle is so happy to have him in the rotation. He changed the flow of the game in a victory.

Indiana couldn't get going defensively in the first half. Houston was on fire and threatening to run away with the game — their lead reached double-digits more than once. The Pacers needed to keep scoring to give themselves a chance once their defense started clicking.

Insert McConnell. The Pacers starters did their job offensively, but the bench was a question mark. The veteran guard answered those questions, scoring eight points and dishing out four assists in the first half. He kept a bench unit that was missing Bennedict Mathurin (illness) moving.

"I thought McConnell and Hield really played huge roles in this game," Carlisle said later that night. He added more detail later. "This is one of the reasons it's important to structure the rotation so he's a significant part of it. What he does competitively and intangibly is unreplaceable."

Often, when the blue and gold need a jolt, McConnell has been their answer. That's been his most common method of making an impact this season. But against the Rockets, McConnell was more than just an energy giver. He was a stabilizer and a creator.

Those are his usual additions to an outing. He gets steals, throws his teammates open, and makes fall-away jump shots in the lane that few NBA players dare to attempt. Against Houston, all of that was happening — and it was happening often.

It was vital throughout the second half. The blue and gold reclaimed the lead with 2:08 to go in the third quarter, which was less than two minutes after McConnell re-entered the game. In that stretch, he scored and had a rebound — he finished with seven points and two assists in the period.

Indiana never gave the lead away. McConnell was terrific throughout the second half. Every moment that the Pacers outscored the Rockets without one or both of Tyrese Haliburton or Pascal Siakam on the court was crucial, and the veteran ball handler made sure that happened.

"He's tough, man," Siakam said of McConnell. "Plays with so much energy. His pace is always a problem for a lot of teams. I'm glad he's on my team."

McConnell finished with nine points in the second half, and Indiana was plus-eight with him on that court in that span. When the game was all said and done, the 31-year old had 17 points and four assists. On a night that the Pacers didn't have enough on defense, McConnell made sure they always had enough on offense in a three-point victory.

"That's what he does. He comes in, he brings energy. And I think that's been really really good for us," Haliburton said. While talking about McConnell, Haliburton stopped for a moment to point out how impressed he was by McConnell's shooting percentage (8/11).

That's what the nine-year veteran has done all season. He is almost always a reliable floor general for Indiana's second unit, and that's why it's so valuable that he's in the rotation. The starting lineup with Nembhard has been great, and McConnell playing frequently makes it even more worth it to keep that lineup as the opening five.

For the season, McConnell is averaging 8.1 points and 5.5 assists per game. He's been great, and Carlisle praised him for his competitiveness and playmaking after Tuesday's win.

Energy can be contagious, but the scrappy guard fights in a way that is more than just to provide energy. He's proving that he deserves minutes every single time he steps on to the floor. Early in the season, McConnell was out of the rotation and played more sparingly. The Pacers can't do that anymore.

"I just try to do my job. The rotations and minutes are up to [Carlisle]... I just try to show up when my number is called and do my job. It's really that simple," McConnell said Wednesday.

After making a big trade last month, McConnell is a more vital piece on and off the court for the Pacers. That's why the team reportedly does not want to trade him, and it was obvious on Tuesday night why the blue and gold may hope to keep McConnell.

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