Despite his calf strain and his dreadful 0-6 shooting performance in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Tyrese Haliburton is the best player on the Indiana Pacers, and they will need him on the court at the very least if they aim to stay alive in Game 6 tonight.
Haliburton and head coach Rick Carlisle have made it long clear that he will play through the pain on Thursday night, although if he is as ineffective as he was in Game 5, the Pacers' championship bid is all but over.
In order to alleviate some of the load on their floor general, the Pacers could turn to a rarely-used lineup in Game 6: pairing Haliburton with TJ McConnell.
In the postseason, the two point guards have shared the floor for only four and a half minutes. Neither have been sharpshooters in the playoffs, although Haliburton can pull up from almost anywhere.
The two will likely be used to push the pace, with Haliburton finding outlet passes when possible, and McConnell using his healthy legs to dribble the ball up court.
In a half-court offensive scheme, Haliburton can serve as a perimeter player and facilitator, and McConnell, despite his small size, can get to the paint with ease, kicking the ball out to shooters, Haliburton included.
While both players are pesky defenders, neither is elite, so Carlisle would have to pair them with Myles Turner, Pascal Siakam, and Aaron Nesmith to help minimize the damage on the other end of the floor.
Luckily, all three of those players are solid shooters, giving McConnell even more options.
In a do-or-die setting, expect Carlisle to throw everything he has at the Oklahoma City Thunder, including his rarely-used dual point guard tandem.
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