T.J. McConnell: season-high 23 points vs Hornets (Jan 8, 2026)
23 PTS · 10-of-17 FG · 1-of-3 3P · 2-of-2 FT · 27:48 MIN
Usual before this game: 9.6 PTS · 8.3 FGA · 17.0 MIN, from 25 regular-season games
Best Game Score of 26 games this season: 21.9 against a usual 9.4 (+12.5)
Season-high 23 points (previous high 16, reached in 4 earlier games)
above usual
No more than 5 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual.
For a player who plays every game, a game this far above the usual comes about 2 to 4 times a season.
How the score worksWhy did T.J. McConnell score 23 points?
T.J. McConnell scored 23 points against the Hornets on Jan 8, 2026 in 27:48: 10-of-17 from the field (58.8%), 1-of-3 from three, 2-of-2 on free throws. Coming in, McConnell had averaged 9.6 points on 8.3 shots in 17.0 minutes, from 25 regular-season games. No earlier game this season reached 23 points. By Game Score it was the best of 26 games this season. Shot attempts: 17, against a usual 8.3. The 58.8% from the field compares with a usual 54.1%. Points by shot type, against the usual: two-pointers 18 (8.3), threes 3 (1.0), free throws 2 (0.3). McConnell played 27:48 against a usual 17.0 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 28.4, against a usual 19.9. McConnell had 4 turnovers and 2 fouls, against a usual 1.2 and 1.1. The Pacers won 114-112 at the Hornets. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
McConnell in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (25 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 27:48 | 17.0 | +10.8 |
| Points | 23 | 9.6 | +13.4 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 17 · 58.8% | 8.3 · 54.1% | +8.7 · +4.7 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 1-of-3 | 1.0 · 30.8% | +2.0 |
| FTA · FT% | 2-of-2 | 0.4 · 100.0% | +1.6 |
| Rebounds | 4 | 2.4 | +1.6 |
| Assists | 8 | 4.7 | +3.3 |
| Turnovers | 4 | 1.2 | +2.8 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 25 games | 34.3 | 24.7 | +9.6 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 28.4 | 19.9 | +8.5 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (25 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 3 (1-of-3) | 1.0 (0.3-of-1.0) | +2.0 |
| Twos | 18 (9-of-14) | 8.3 (4.2-of-7.3) | +9.7 |
| Free throws | 2 (2-of-2) | 0.3 (0.3-of-0.4) | +1.7 |
| Total | 23 | 9.6 | +13.4 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
21.9 against a usual 9.4 (+12.5)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +9.5 |
| Rebounds | +1.1 |
| Assists | +2.3 |
| Steals and blocks | +2.7 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -3.1 |
| Total | +12.5 |
Season so far
Regular season, in date order
Best Game Score of 26 games this season.
Previous best: 19.4, set on Dec 20, 2025.
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Pacers won 114-112 at the Hornets.
- Previous appearance: Jan 6, 2026, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier regular-season meetings with the Hornets this season: 14 points (Nov 19, 2025).
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own usual line. How rare a gap is comes from NBA regular-season games of 2023-24 and 2024-25, checked on 2025-26.