By Brandon Apter, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia 76ers won their second consecutive game on Tuesday, albeit an unnecessary nailbiter, and with injuries plaguing some of their starters, other players have stepped in and performed well. Most notably, reserve point guard T.J. McConnell has done an admirable job in place of the injured Sergio Rodriguez, who has been sidelined with a left ankle sprain.
Although it's a small sample size, the Sixers are 3-0 with McConnell as the starting point man and not only is he running the offense efficiently, but he's constantly bringing his team into huddles at different parts of the game to make sure everyone is on the same page for the next series. His teammates have taken notice to his improved play and what he brings on the defensive end of things as well.
“I think T.J. brings a gritty, defensive type,” said Sixers center Nerlens Noel. “T.J., I think he can get in the lane, make those plays, and he’s hit some big shots. I think his shot is growing. As his confidence continues, he’ll only get better and better.” [Sixers.com]
In three games as the starting point guard, McConnell is averaging 11.7 points on 50 percent shooting to go along with 8.3 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. During the opportunities he's gotten to start, McConnell has averaged 36 minutes per game, compared to to the 19.3 minutes per contest he gets as a backup to Sergio Rodriguez. The extended minutes have benefited the once undrafted free agent, despite having some wear and tear issues.
"You can just tell, with those extra minutes, that it wears on you a little bit but it also gives you more confidence to go make plays," McConnell mentioned before Tuesday's game. "You’ve got extra minutes to go out there and make plays for your teammates, so that’s what I’m going to try to do. I’m just going to continue to play like I’m playing. You know me — I’m up and down the floor. No matter how many minutes I play, that’s how I’m going to play.” [Philly.com]
There hasn't been a clear indication as to when Sergio Rodriguez will return, but for now, it looks like the Sixers offense is in capable hands with McConnell running things from the point. If you have missed any of his recent play, below is a highlight video of his 17 point, eight assist effort during the Sixers' 124-122 win over Denver to conclude their four-game west coast trip last week.
The Sixers signed McConnell to a four-year minimum salary deal back in September 2015. He played two seasons at Duquesne before transferring to Arizona for his final two years of college.
