Pacers' T.J. McConnell: Limited minutes in starting role
McConnell (hamstring) registered nine points (4-8 FG, 1-2 3Pt), two rebounds, two assists and one steal in 15 minutes Friday in the Pacers' 131-118 loss to the Wizards.
With Andrew Nembhard (back) sitting out the second leg of a back-to-back set, McConnell -- who missed his second straight game due to a hamstring injury in Thursday's 112-105 loss to Washington -- picked up his first start of the season after being cleared to play. McConnell didn't end up taking on a typical starter's workload, as head coach Rick Carlisle held him out for the final 19 minutes of the contest while the 15-42 Pacers seemingly prioritized their positioning in the draft lottery over winning the game. Expect McConnell to move back into a backup role Sunday against the Mavericks if Nembhard is cleared to play.
