No team in NBA history seemed to have destiny on its side more blatantly than the 2024-25 Indiana Pacers did. But instead, everyone is writing post-mortems about their incredible season after losing Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 103-91, halting what was such a dream season in its tracks. They did their best in the aftermath of Tyrese Haliburton's injury, but that proved to be far too much to overcome, even for a team that has conjured up so much magic on their way to the NBA Finals.

One of the Pacers who gave it their all in the losing effort was TJ McConnell. Similar to Game 5, McConnell gave the Pacers a lifeline when they were flatlining in the third quarter, going on a scoring rampage all by himself to try and keep Indiana within striking distance. This proved to be moot as the Thunder ended up building a huge lead after that anyway, but McConnell deserves so much credit for everything he put in the series.

Nonetheless, McConnell and the Pacers are not about to make themselves feel better with all the moral victories everyone is giving them after their soul-crushing NBA Finals defeat to the Thunder.

“No moral victories, obviously. Deflated, but proud of everything we’ve accomplished. There’s no award for second place so everyone is upset but hats off to OKC — they were the better team today,” McConnell said in his postgame presser, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.

Indeed, given how hard the Pacers fought all year, battling back against any and every kind of adversity that fell their way, they were not envisioning such a dispiriting end to their season. They showed plenty of times this year that they had the heart of a champion, but sadly enough, the Thunder were the better side who executed their game plan the best when it mattered the most.

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TJ McConnell's gave Pacers one last hurrah

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) and guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) cheer in the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

There may not be a better embodiment of how the Pacers have the heart of a champion than the way McConnell battled in the third quarter. He was navigating the Thunder's lockdown defense with relative ease and he was finding impossible angles to get shots to fall through the hoop when Indiana had nothing going on offense.

With Haliburton looking like he's about to miss plenty of time with an Achilles injury, McConnell will be stepping into a big role for the Pacers next season. And if his NBA Finals performance is any indication, then the Pacers remain in good hands even without their “good mom”.