McConnell, you are so cruel. After only 15 minutes, you scored a unique record in the 1979 NBA

On the NBA Finals G3 night on June 12, 2025, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 116-107 at home, rewriting the big score to 2-1. This game was not only the focus because of Halliburton's quasi-triple double-double, but also because a substitute player - TJ McConnell - broke the 79-year NBA record with amazing data of 10 points, 5 assists and 5 steals in just 15 minutes and 06 seconds of playing time, and became the first substitute player on the finals stage to contribute "5+ assists + 5+ steals" in a single game. At the beginning of the game, the Thunder continued the tough defense of the first two games. Alexander and Homgren's pick-and-roll cooperation repeatedly tear open the Pacers' defense line. At the end of the first quarter, the Thunder led 32-24. The Pacers strengthened the pressure on the outside in the second quarter, and Halliburton scored 8 points and 4 assists in a single quarter, leading the team to overtake the score. However, the situation changed suddenly in the third quarter, and the Thunder once led by 8 points with Jaylen Williams' continuous breakthroughs.

Just when the game was in a stalemate, McConnell came on the stage to change the situation. The 1.85-meter-high substitute point guard became the winner with aggressive defense and precise passes: he completed two consecutive steals at the end of the third quarter, and a one-stop fast break layup ignited the whole game; in the early stage of the fourth quarter, he once again stole Alexander's pass, and then assisted Nembhard to hit a three-pointer, helping the Pacers to score a 12-2 offensive climax to secure the victory. During the 15 minutes and 06th time, McConnell made 3 of 8 shots, contributing 10 points, 5 assists and 5 steals, with a plus or negative value of up to +12. Behind this seemingly ordinary set of data, there are multiple historical significances: he is the first substitute player to score 10 points, 5 assists and 5 steals in the finals since the founding of the NBA, and is also a great contributor to the winning goal today.

The Thunder's three-core performance was excellent in this game, Alexander scored 24 points and 8 rebounds, Jaylen Williams also scored 26 points, and Chet contributed a double-double of 20+10. The Pacers' two superstars are also in good shape. Halliburton scored 22 points, 9 rebounds, 11 assists, and Siakam scored 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. However, the Pacers won the ball, and the two bench bandits on the bench made great contributions. Mathering made 9 of 12 shots and scored 27 points alone. McConnell scored 10 points, 5 assists and 5 steals alone, and his performance was impeccable.

Muserin led the offense, McConnell made contributions on the defensive and organizational ends, and after only 15 minutes of playing, he became the winner of the game. The veteran's counterattack is also admirable. The outside world's evaluation of him back then was: "a white defender with mediocre physical fitness", but he played better and better in the league. In this regular season, he averaged 9 points, 2 rebounds and 4 assists per game. After entering the playoffs, he can still score 9 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists per game. He is very efficient on both offense and defense and is also an important firepower point on the bench. From being unknown to setting an NBA record, McConnell successfully made a counterattack.