Watch Tyrese Haliburton get up shots before Pacers game
Watch Tyrese Haliburton get up shots before Pacers game
Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell and Boston’s Jordan Walsh each drew a technical foul with 1:24 of the third quarter after shoving each other.
McConnell was clearly the more heated of the two players. There was definitely contact between them though it seemed the newest Pacer, Micah Potter, dealt the guard the bigger blow.
McConnell took a shove from Boston’s Jordan Walsh and was determined to give it right back to him. The 6-1, 190-pound McConnell pointed at the 6-6, 205-pound Walsh and pushed him with both hands, bringing officials and Pacers teammates to the scene to separate the two players. An official review levied technical fouls on both players.
The Pacers were trailing 111-87 prior to the double technical and McConnell scored the game’s next two baskets but whatever emotional charge McConnell gave his team (and the crowd) quickly pushed the lead back over 20.
“I thought it was just basketball, probably escalated a little too much by me,” McConnell said. “It is what it is. People say stuff between the lines. It’s just competitive. There’s no ill will from me toward him. It’s just basketball.”
McConnell confirmed that some things Walsh said added to physical contact.
“Competitively, I thought it was unnecessary, some of the stuff that he said,” McConnell said. “But I don’t take it personally. It’s just basketball.”
Walsh said he thought McConnell tripped over his teammate and said he would fight the fine that comes with the technical.
“I looked at the review, I didn’t see me push him,” he said to media after the game. “I thought he tripped over his teammate then he came at me. Can’t have that. I’m definitely going to fight that one. I didn’t think he’d do nothing, then he pushes me.
“It’s a physical sport. Two guys are competitors and sometimes it gets like that.”
Don’t miss referee Bill Kennedy’s annunciation on the explanation for the call.