Pacers PR tries to protect TJ McConnell in heart-wrenching post-Game 7 moment

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Pacers PR tries to protect TJ McConnell in heart-wrenching post-Game 7 moment

Jedd Pagaduan · ClutchPoints

Mon, Jun 23, 2025 ·

2 min read

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The post Pacers PR tries to protect TJ McConnell in heart-wrenching post-Game 7 moment appeared first on ClutchPoints .

There is no greater heartbreak for any NBA player than to lose the NBA Finals, and in Game 7 no less. But that's what every member of the Indiana Pacers roster has to contend with after being on the receiving end of a 103-91 defeat on Sunday night against an Oklahoma City Thunder squad that proved itself to be the best in the league from the start of the season up until the very end.

TJ McConnell , in particular, couldn't hide the pain in his eyes before the final buzzer had even sounded. On his way back to the Pacers' locker room, he was even consoled by franchise legend Reggie Miller . But before that, the plucky backup point guard for Indiana let loose all the emotions he was feeling after suffering such a heart-wrenching defeat on the NBA's grandest stage.

While many believed that the person he was pouring his heart out onto was his mother, the woman she was with was Pacers vice president of player relations, Karen Atkeson. Atkeson tried to protect McConnell's private moment by shooing off the cameraman as he tried to get an up close and personal look at the emotional postgame moment.

(Note: the post above misidentified Atkeson as McConnell's mom, Shelly.)

Cameras are simply going to be everywhere during Game 7 of the NBA Finals, and every moment in the tunnel was going to be documented, for better or for worse. Perhaps Atkeson was simply asking the cameraman for some wiggle room, as it seemed as though he was getting very intrusive towards the Pacers guard's personal space.

But at the end of the day, this simply captures the raw emotions that come with processing such a demoralizing defeat. Nonetheless, this Pacers team is the most unflappable we've seen in NBA history, so this should not have any lingering effects on their confidence moving forward.

TJ McConnell tried to save the Pacers one last time

When the Pacers were starting to fall off the pace in the third quarter, it was McConnell who was trying to punch back and help the team keep in step. He went bonkers in the third quarter, scoring 12 points to bring Indiana to within four points before the Thunder blitzed them yet again and pulled away for good.

McConnell is going to have to take on a heavier workload next season, what with Tyrese Haliburton suffering a potential long-term injury, and he looks very capable of flourishing in a starting role.

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