Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell Propel Indiana Pacers to 2024 NBA Playoff Contention Amid Late-Season Hot Streak
Key keywords: Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard, T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers, 2024 NBA Playoffs, Eastern Conference, Pacers Backcourt Depth, NBA Frontcourt Production
Over the past 12 games, the trio of Pascal Siakam, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell has emerged as the driving force behind the Indiana Pacers’ stunning 10-2 run, which has lifted the franchise to 6th place in the Eastern Conference standings and placed them on track to secure a guaranteed 2024 NBA Playoff spot without competing in the play-in tournament. Siakam, the 2019 NBA champion and 4-time All-Star acquired by the Pacers in a mid-season trade from the Toronto Raptors, has seamlessly fit into head coach Rick Carlisle’s system, averaging 23.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game since joining the team. His ability to score in the post, stretch the floor to the 3-point line, and switch across 5 positions on defense has filled the long-standing gap in the Pacers’ frontcourt, with his game-winning dunk off a Nembhard pick-and-roll assist against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 20 standing as one of the most iconic plays of the team’s season.
Andrew Nembhard, the 24-year-old second-year guard out of Gonzaga, has developed into one of the most reliable starting point guards in the Eastern Conference this season, posting averages of 14.3 points, 7.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while shooting 41.2% from 3-point range. His calm decision-making under pressure and elite chemistry with Siakam have turned the two-man pick-and-roll into the Pacers’ go-to late-game offensive set, with opposing defenses struggling to contain the combination of Nembhard’s outside shooting and Siakam’s rolling finishing ability.
T.J. McConnell, the 9-year veteran guard and leading candidate for the 2024 NBA Sixth Man of the Year award, has anchored the Pacers’ second unit with averages of 11.9 points, 7.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game off the bench. His high-energy defense, elite passing vision and ability to control the pace of play have made the Pacers’ bench unit one of the most productive in the league, with a +11.8 net rating when McConnell is on the floor over the past month. Team leadership has already opened preliminary contract extension talks with all three players, with plans to keep the core intact to compete for Eastern Conference titles over the next 3 to 4 years, as the Pacers continue to outperform pre-season expectations by a wide margin.
Featured Comments
As a lifelong Pacers fan, I could not be more thrilled with how this trio has gelled over the past two months. Siakam is exactly the star forward we’ve been missing for years, Nembhard’s growth as a floor general is far beyond what anyone expected from a second-round pick, and McConnell is easily the most underrated role player in the entire NBA. If we stay healthy, we can absolutely upset a top-3 seed in the first round of the playoffs this year.
It’s crazy how few people are talking about this Pacers run. That Siakam-Nembhard pick-and-roll is virtually impossible to defend when both are shooting well, and bringing McConnell off the bench gives them a consistent, low-turnover playmaker for the second unit that most playoff teams can’t match. They’re not just going to make the playoffs—they’re going to make life miserable for whoever they face in the first round.
As a New York Knicks fan who’s already scouting potential first-round opponents, this Pacers trio terrifies me. Siakam can score on every forward on our roster, Nembhard’s 3-point shooting has improved so much that you can’t sag off him to cut off the pick-and-roll, and McConnell’s scrappy on-ball defense always throws our guards off their rhythm. We can’t take this team lightly at all if we end up matched up against them in a few weeks.