In a matter of minutes, McConnell’s running out of time
The sneaky drives into traffic, and the successful finishes. The tipped passes, and the steals. The defensive rebounds, the alert passes, the winning plays, emphasis on winning.
Anybody remember TJ. McConnell?
McConnell played only the final 2:24 Sunday as the Sixers ran a winning streak to 14, thumping the Dallas Mavericks, 109-97. Two nights earlier, he played five minutes in a victory over Cleveland. The game before that, he played 13.
Wasn’t he the backup point guard, and a significant, reliable contributor for most of the season?
And isn’t he becoming lost in the Sixers’ determination to work Markelle Fultz high into their backcourt mix as the backup to point guard Ben Simmons?
“There are special players ahead of me at my position,” McConnell said. “It’s all about staying ready and doing whatever the team needs me to do to win. If I play two minutes and we win, that’s great. As long as we win.”
The Sixers were winning with McConnell, and they are winning without him. Given that flexibility, Brett Brown wants to gauge Fultz’s readiness for the playoffs. That’s why he played the rookie 21:13 Sunday, watching him shoot 4-for-11 and deciding he looked, “OK.” The coach is making no promises about McConnell’s postseason role.
“He’s one of these gut-feel guys,” Brown said. “I think where I get challenged is Markelle Fultz. Because I believe there are times in games where I want to see more of him. And if we do that, it’s going to dig into T.J.’s minutes. And you can’t have it all.”
Earlier this season, McConnell had long stretches where he was playing 25-30 minutes a night, with Brown regularly gushing about his multi-layered value. But as the playoffs near, with their typically shortened rotations, it looks like McConnell could be play only in spots.
“I thought our defense in the second half against Cleveland stunk,” Brown said. “Seventy-five points, that’s not who we are. We just scored. We were just lucky to just go get 132 points. There are times when he can bite somebody and pressure somebody and do what he does. And that’s what we call horses-for-courses; this game merits T.J.
“But it’s all sort of intermixed with my desire to also look at Markelle more.”
There are two regularseason games. Then, the time for auditioning is over.
“It’s just about staying ready,” McConnell said. “It’s good to see Markelle get in there and play the way he has been. It’s been fun to watch. Ben needs to come out at some point. And you need to be ready when your name is called. And that’s what I am trying to do.”
Fultz is doing what he can to show the Sixers that he is physically ready for the playoffs, despite only having played 12 regular-season games.
“For sure,” he said. “Any time I step on the floor, I am a competitor.”
Fultz realizes he has benefitted from added minutes, with Brown trying to measure his readiness.
“It helps a lot,” he said. “It gives me more confidence. I learn my teammates, defense, offense, everything.”
There is no reward for it, but winning 50 games in the NBA carries a certain historical status.
The Sixers are 50-30. “That’s more games than we won, combined,” McConnell said, “in my first two seasons here.”
With two regular-season games to play, the in-house celebration was muffled. But the satisfaction, to Brown, was real.
“Our season to date has been exceptional,” he said. “The group has been fantastic. And we continue to improve, I think.”
NOTES » While it appeared likely for a while, the Sixers Sunday officially clinched the home-court advantage for the first playoff round. Simmons: “It will be great to play in front of these fans.” … The Sixers will finish either third or fourth in the Eastern Conference … The Sixers had 32 assists Sunday. Brown: “That is a statement about sharing and caring.” … After a visit to Atlanta Tuesday, the Sixers will finish the regular season Wednesday against visiting Milwaukee.