The Indiana Pacers came into the 2021-22 NBA season as a relatively unknown quantity in the Eastern Conference. Some believed they would be a playoff contender, assuming they could stay healthy, while others expected them to miss the playoffs. Well, 14 games into the season the Pacers hold a 6-8 record and are in relatively the exact same situation as they were to begin the season.

Unfortunately, the Pacers have been unable to stay healthy this season. Caris LeVert has missed time with injury, T.J. Warren still has not played due to injury, and Malcolm Brogdon has also bee in and out of the lineup with injury issues. Other players have been banged up as well, and things just haven't gone smoothly for Indiana.

Despite the health issues that the Pacers have already had, they have remained competitive. Two of their losses came by just one point to begin the season against the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards. They also lost to a Denver Nuggets team without Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr.

However, on the flip side of the negative, the Pacers were able to head into Utah and knock off the Jazz. They have looked great and bad at the same time this season. With that in mind, no one knows what to expect from the Pacers still.

All of that being said, the Pacers are still very confident that they can be a force in the East. They have a lot of talent on their roster and have been competitive for the most part. One player in particular has become their main X-Factor for the rest of the season.

The Pacers' X-Factor For 2021-22

A lot of fans would guess that rookie wing Chris Duarte would be the main Pacers' X-Factor for the rest of the season. That isn't the case, however. Instead, veteran point guard T.J. McConnell has become the main X-Factor.

McConnell has become a fan favorite for the Pacers and was rewarded for his play over the last two years with a lucrative four-year, $35.2 million contract in free agency. With that contract under his belt, McConnell has not changed the hard-nosed play that made him loved in Indiana to begin with.

So far this season in 14 games, with five of those appearances being starts, McConnell has averaged a career-high 10.4 points per game to go along with 5.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.9 steals per game. His defensive effort is never questioned, but it is his offense that has begun making him a dangerous weapon for the Pacers.

No one will look at McConnell as being a lethal three-point threat, but he has improved that area of his game a lot. McConnell has shot 38.9 percent from the three-point line this season, up from just 31.3 percent last season. Whether or not he can maintain that shooting increase for the rest of the season or not will remain to be seen.

Indiana has also relied heavily on McConnell running the offense. Rick Carlisle has utilized Brogdon much more off the ball, which is a much more favorable situation for Brogdon. That has also allowed McConnell to play his game of running the offense, slashing off the ball, and creating mid-range pull-up opportunities for himself.

Due to the injury issues that Brogdon has dealt with this season, and in years past, McConnell has become an even more important piece for the Pacers. He is the go-to point guard when Brogdon is unable to play. McConnell has displayed excellent chemistry with both Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, and has constantly created open looks for perimeter players as well.

While we're talking about his offense, his defense also needs to be discussed more. McConnell is the Pacers' best on-ball perimeter defender. He works his tail off each and every night, diving for loose balls, working hard through screens, and terrorizing opponents in the passing lanes. McConnell has not averaged as many steals as he did last season, but those numbers will come.

For a team that has desperately needed better bench play, McConnell has been a consistent presence. Indiana truly knows what they are going to get from the 29-year-old point guard each and every night. They'll get hard work and a blue collar style of play, which is something that Kevin Pritchard absolutely loves about McConnell.

Granted, the Pacers still need to keep guys healthy, and when they do, McConnell will be an even bigger X-Factor. He is the heart and soul of this Pacers team and creates energy in his teammates. It's hard to find guys like that, and Indiana has a good one.