Tyrese Haliburton Dubs Teammate with ‘Great White Hope’ Nickname after Sensational Game 6

Tyrese Haliburton did not waste any time in giving his teammate TJ McConnell his flowers for his Game 6 performance.

Tyrese Haliburton Dubs Teammate with ‘Great White Hope’ Nickname after Sensational Game 6

TJ McConnell and Tyrese Haliburton (Image via FirstSportz)

In Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers dominated the Oklahoma City Thunder—and it was TJ McConnell who stole the spotlight. With All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton limited by a calf injury, his backup stepped up in a big way Thursday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

A few months ago, nobody predicted or put their money on the Pacers to reach the NBA Finals; and they did just that. Now, they haven’t just reached the Finals, they have forced the #1 seed from the WCF to an all-but-important Game 7 Finals matchup for the 2025 NBA title. Thanks to McConnell. His teammate, Haliburton, was left in awe of his performance as he came up with a great nickname for him.

He’s unbelievable. I don’t even have the words. He’s the great White Hope, that’s what we call him.

Tyrese Haliburton told the reporters after the game

The Indiana team defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder by 17 points to force Game 7, and McConnell, a fan favorite, recorded 12 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals off the bench. He just played 22 minutes in the possible elimination match, which was enough to allow Haliburton to have some recuperation.

Different players stepping up on different occasions throughout the NBA Playoffs has been the norm for the Pacers this season, releasing immense pressure on Haliburton at times. McConnell’s Game 6 performance was just another showing of how united this Pacers’ roster is.

Tyrese Haliburton made a clear case after securing Game 6 on home court

In Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers won handily, and Obi Toppin gave a standout effort along with TJ McConnell. Additionally, important to the Pacers’ efforts were Tyrese Haliburton and Aaron Nesmith, who provided vigor and defensive tenacity throughout the Thunder game. After the game, Haliburton made an important case regarding the NBA title.

We just wanted to protect the home court. We didn’t want these guys to celebrate a championship on our home floor. Backed against the wall, we just responded (in game 6). So many guys chipped. It was all a team effort and we are proud of this group.

Tyrese Haliburton said

Following a strong performance in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder were poised to capture the championship on the Pacers’ home turf. However, the Thunder were defeated by a Pacers team that was eager to defend home turf at any cost, even though they came into the game as the favorites at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Pacers’ HC Rick Carlisle did not hold back his feelings regarding Tyrese Haliburton’s injury before Game 6

Towards the end of Game 5, Tyrese Haliburton was spotted limping, which is because he sustained a calf injury in the game. This led to doubts regarding Haliburton’s appearance in the crucial Game 6 on home turf. However, Pacers HC Rick Carlisle shrugged all of this off and made a clear case for his star man during the pre-match press conference.

Tyrese Haliburton 2
Tyrese Haliburton (Credits: X)

Tyrese will play, he was tested at 5 p.m. He was strength tested at 5 p.m. and did very well. Went through walkthrough. There’s no set minutes limit. We will watch and monitor things very closely from the beginning of the game through the entirety of the game. We’ll go from there.

Rick Carlisle told the media

Carlisle’s decision to start Haliburton paid off. Indeed, Haliburton started the first half with 12 points and four assists. Haliburton had no turnovers, although the Pacers did have two in the half compared to the Thunder’s 12. That contributed significantly to Indiana’s early lead. This led to the Pacers eventually securing the win over the Thunder, forcing a Game 7 on the away court.

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