The Indiana Pacers and their fans will always wonder "what if" with regards to these NBA Finals after star point guard Tyrese Haliburton injured his Achilles tendon in the first quarter and missed the remainder of Game 7.
One thing Indiana and its fanbase will never have to wonder about again is the grit and talent their backup point guard T.J. McConnell showed throughout the entire series, but especially in Haliburton's stead during the biggest game in the organization's history on Sunday night, June 22.
McConnell finished the night with 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting, six rebounds, three assists one block and one steal in 28 minutes of court time. He spoke with media members following the defeat and sent a heartfelt message of apology to Pacers fans for the team coming up just short of the first NBA title in franchise history.
"They're absolutely incredible," McConnell said of the team's fanbase. "Just want to apologize for coming up short. We wouldn't be in this position without em'. They've willed us to a lot of wins, and it's an honor and a pleasure to play in front of them."
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam also addressed the fans during his postgame interview.
"We're sorry, you know. We wanted to do it for Indy. We wanted it more than anything -- just for the city, for the state, just [because] they deserve it," Siakam said. "These guys sleep, breathe basketball, and it was refreshing for me to be in that environment and to see how much basketball means to [this] group of people."
The Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals two seasons ago and fell one win short of a title this year. However, the team will face an uphill battle to repeat those successes in 2025-26 if Haliburton did, in fact, tear or rupture his Achilles tendon, as that could mean he misses the entire campaign on the road to recovery.