T.J. McConnell: The smallest player on the floor had one of the biggest impacts in Game 3 of the NBA Finals

Early in the second quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers’ home crowd was in a bit of a lull.

INDIANAPOLIS — Early in the second quarter of Game 3 of the NBA Finals, the Indiana Pacers’ home crowd was in a bit of a lull.

After leading nearly the entire first quarter, the Oklahoma City Thunder began the second period with an eight-point advantage, a sobering continuation from Game 2, which the Thunder led for the last 38 minutes of play.

Despite it being the first finals game in Indiana in 25 years, the energy in the arena was fading.

But then T.J. McConnell went to work.

In the first three and minutes and 52 seconds of the second, Indiana went on a 15-4 run, taking its first lead of the finals since the first quarter of Game 2.