T.J. McConnell, Obi Toppin help lift Pacers to first playoff series win since 2014

INDIANAPOLIS -- After missing out on their first opportunity to close out a playoff series for the first time since 2014, the Pacers weren't about to let another slip by at home. The Bucks had Damian Lillard back in action, but the Pacers still throttled Milwaukee 120-98 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Game 6 of their series on Thursday night, clinching a 4-2 series win to move on to the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The series win marks the Pacers' first since they beat the Wizards in six games in the 2014 Eastern Conference semifinals. The No. 6 seed Pacers will play the No. 2 seed Knicks who beat the 76ers later on Thursday night to clinch the series 4-2. The Pacers-Knicks series will begin on Monday at Madison Square Garden.

Here are four observations.

Even with Damian Lillard back, Pacers' defense steps up

The Pacers spent most of the day not certain if they would see one or both of the Bucks All-NBA superstars. It wasn't official until about an hour before tip-off that Giannis Antetokounmpo would not play, but about a half-hour before that, news broke that Damian Lillard would return after missing the last two games with an Achilles issue.

Lillard managed to get his points, scoring 28 points on 7 of 16 shooting, but guards Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell made him work for those. Forward Bobby Portis and center Brook Lopez also scored 20 points each, but overall the Pacers' defensive performance was one of their strongest of the season.

Lopez was the only player who took more than one shot who shot better than 50% from the field. Milwaukee shot 35 of 83 from the floor (42.2%) including 7 of 27 from 3-point range. They finished with 1.04 points per possession and only one quarter over 25 points. They were held under 1.00 points per possession the the first and fourth quarter.

The Pacers caused the Bucks problems by making it difficult for them to bring the ball up the court with McConnell and Nembhard both defending ball handlers from the in-bound. They recorded seven steals and caused 12 turnovers, which on offense led to 22 points off turnovers and 21 fast-break points.

"We had to make some adjustments coming into this game," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "Our poor offense was leading to bad defense. Our crowd was a big factor in this game. The difference in the series was pressure. It's very difficult to get a group of guys to buy into 94-foot, full-court pressure on every possession that's not a fast break. Our guys did it. (Pascal) Siakam was picking up full court. (Obi) Toppin was picking up full court. That allowed us to maintain our pace. We just felt that if we could keep pressure on them, then we could make it difficult."

Obi Toppin catches fire

Obi Toppin has had some bright moments in these playoffs and he entered Game 6 averaging 10.7 points per game in the playoffs on 47.7 percent shooting, but he was 6 of 22 from 3-point range.

On Thursday, though, he was a force as both a rim runner and an outside shooter as he has been for much of this season.

Playing extended minutes thanks to foul trouble for center Myles Turner and starting forwards Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith, Toppin scored 21 points on 8 of 15 shooting, knocking down 3 of 10 3-pointers. He also grabbed eight rebounds and was +9 in 24 minutes.

"T.J. (McConnell) actually helped me today," Toppin said. "Told me to be aggressive. Play my basketball."

McConnell, who had a sensational game as well, spoke to Toppin before the game and gave him what Toppin said is the same message he gives him ever game, making the point of how good Toppin can be in transition.

"I just tell him that in the open floor, there aren't many guys in the NBA that can really challenge him at the rim," McConnell said. "When he's running the way he does he just takes our group to another level. He's a special player, his ability to really shoot the ball and run and create mismatches in transition and go catch lobs."

Toppin helped the Pacers' bench outscore Milwaukee's 50-10.

T.J. McConnell had his best performance of the playoffs

After the best season of his nine-year career and one of the best of any substitute in the NBA this season, T.J. McConnell struggled throughout the first five games of this series. Prior to Game 6, McConnell was averaging 7.4 points and 3.6 assists per game and shooting just 37.0% from the floor. And the man who once led the league in total steals for a season didn't record a single theft.

The Pacers were a combined -32 in five games when McConnell was on the floor. During the regular season, he was +95, second only to forward Obi Toppin among the players who ended the year on the Pacers' bench. Game 5 was particularly rough, as he made just 3 of 10 field goals and was -18 in his minutes.

"Pretty poor performance for me last game competitively," McConnell said. "Just all around. I just tried to go to a different place competitively."

On Thursday, McConnell got to that place. He frequently guarded and harassed Lillard when he was on the floor and he was back to his pesky ways in the backcourt on defense. He stayed in attack mode on offense and got fortunate rolls on the short jumpers that he hasn't always hit this series.

In the first half, McConnell was 2 of 3 from the floor and 4 of 4 at the line for eight points to go with six assists and three steals in 11 minutes. The Pacers were +11 in his minutes.

And in the second half, he was even better. McConnell drilled a 3-pointer right before the end of the third quarter and another early in the fourth with the Bucks having left him alone because the 3-ball is not usually his strong suit. That got him even more motivated for paint attacks. He finished with 20 points on 7 of 9 shooting, nine assists and four steals and was + 22 for the game.

"Tonight was one of my better let-the-game-come-to-me games," McConnell said. "I feel like I tried to force the issue a couple of games and it hasn't really worked out the way I'd like it to. (Assistant coach) Lloyd Pierce said 'Let the game come to you. Get off the ball and it will find its way back.' And it did, so credit to my teammates."

Pascal Siakam dominates in second half

After he scored a combined 71 points in the first two games of the series, the Bucks started committing more and more double teams to Pascal Siakam and he didn't find it anywhere near as easy to work, scoring 17 points or fewer in each of the last three games and shooting 43% or under in all three of them. The attention didn't let up in Game 6, and at halftime, Siakam had just four points on 2 of 4 shooting.

But with exceptional ball movement, the Pacers managed to find Siakam in more advantageous positions in the second half, he got some of his mid-range and outside shooting back and he managed some easy paint buckets and returned to the form of the go-to option he was for the early part of the series. He scored 15 points on 7 of 11 shooting in the second half and finished with 19 points for the game, making 9 of 15 total field goals.

"This is one of the reasons we acquired Pascal Siakam was to have a chance not only to get to the playoffs but have a chance to advance to the playoffs," Carlisle said. "He showed tonight the difference maker he's been here. I should say he showed this series. He played well tonight, but he's been tremendous and he's also been a tremendous teammate and a great leader."

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: T.J. McConnell helps Pacers to first playoff series win since 2014