Indiana Pacers: T.J. Warren has brought surprise value to Indiana

After being somewhat of an afterthought for the Phoenix Suns, T.J. Warren has brought surprise value to the Indiana Pacers this season

As we come out of All-Star weekend, the Indiana Pacers have struggled more than they have in recent memory. They have lost six of their last seven as they work to find the right chemistry since shooting guard Victor Oladipo returned to the lineup.

What often gets lost in the mud though is that the Pacers are silently getting a great season out of a player that was cast away by his former team. That man’s name is T.J. Warren. He has been one of the biggest surprises for the Pacers this season and it has been a welcome one for Pacers fans everywhere.

In a game where more and more teams rely on either the 3-point shot or buckets right by the hoop, Warren has been excelling at the mid-range shot. It is a lost art that is often considered inefficient, but not for Warren.

He is a master at the off-balance jumper. Whether that is fading away on the baseline or falling forward in the paint he is making shots that you do not often see in the NBA anymore. Through 52 games Warren is shooting 57.2 percent from inside the 3-point arc. That is the highest 2-point percentage of his career. The mid-range shot is not the only thing that Warren excels at though.

Warren is an excellent 3-point shooter as well. He is shooting 37.3 percent from the 3-point line which is the second-highest of his career.

This season Warren is averaging 18.5 points, 1.4 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game. This season’s points per game and assists are both the second-highest of his career. The difference now is that he is performing on a good team rather than putting up numbers on a bad team. His 18.5 points per game also lead the Pacers in scoring. A top team in the East is being led in scoring by a guy that the Phoenix Suns traded for cash considerations. The Pacers’ general manager, Kevin Pritchard, looks like a genius right now.

In the Pacers’ most recent game, Warren showed off how efficient he can be on the offensive end of the ball. He scored 35 points in 38 minutes on 16-19 shooting with seven rebounds to lead the Pacers to a 118-111 victory over the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks. He has shown up on the defensive side as well. Against the Bucks, he had a team-high four steals and has tied his career-high of steals per game at 1.2.

There is no doubt that T.J. Warren has been the greatest surprise of the Pacers this season. There were thoughts he could not stay healthy. He has played the most games of any Pacers starter: 52 games. There were thoughts he could not score on a good team. He is a good team’s leading scorer. There were thoughts he could not play defense. Turns out, he can.

There is no doubt in Indiana that T.J. Warren was a much-needed piece for the Pacers. Hopefully, the Suns are enjoying those cash considerations.