Philadelphia 76ers: Top 5 games from the regular season
By Tyler King
Feb. 12 vs. Knicks — T.J. McConnell’s triple-double
Plenty of history was made by the Sixers team as a whole, but some individual performances were etched into history as well, including the the franchise’s first ever triple-double off the bench courtesy of the man nicknamed “Gritness.”
T.J. McConnell has become somewhat of a folk hero in Philadelphia sports over the last few seasons. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Arizona, where he played two years after transferring from Duquesne in Western Pennsylvania.
After making the team as a rookie and eventually working his way into a starting role last season, McConnell was faced with a new challenge in a limited role with the emergence of Ben Simmons as a young superstar.
But McConnell was still able to find a way to contribute and was rewarded with this performance in the 108-92 victory over the Knicks in mid-February.
If it was at all unclear how much McConnell was beloved not just by the fans, but by his teammates as well, things became a lot clearer as McConnell crept toward wrapping up this historic performance.
When he grabs the final rebound to seal the triple-double, the fans and the Sixers’ bench erupt. Afterward, Joel Embiid and Robert Covington drench him in water during his postgame interview, proving just how much McConnell means to the team and the city.