Indiana Pacers: T.J. Warren put the NBA on notice in Orlando

The Indiana Pacers should build off T.J. Warren’s bubble explosion

When the Indiana Pacers acquired T.J. Warren last year along with a draft pick from the Phoenix Suns, there wasn’t much made of the trade. Up to that point, Warren had just been an average NBA player who didn’t live up to expectations in Phoenix after they rewarded him with a four-year, $50 million deal in 2017. Due to his lack of production, they traded him. In return, the Pacers sent cash to the Suns.

His first season in Indiana this year had been decent up till the hiatus, but Warren didn’t do anything to open any eyes. But with several months off, everything clicked for the 26-year-old in Orlando. Across seven regular-season games in the bubble, Warren averaged 31 points, including a 53-point performance against Philly.

In four of those contests, the former NC State forward dropped 30 or more. Although he was quieter in the playoffs against the Heat where he only averaged around 20 per night, there’s no doubt that Warren looks to be taking that next step in his career.

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Scoring from all over the floor

Warren shot 41 percent from downtown in the bubble, while going 9-12 from long range in his 53-point performance. He also shot over 50 percent from the field.  In several contests, he got very hot from the perimeter. But, he wasn’t just tossing up three’s. Warren was showing the ability to get to the hoop and use his large frame to finish. Fade-aways, lay-ups, three-pointers, you name it. His versatility on the offensive end was extremely hard for opposing lineups to defend.

The Pacers forward also did a good job of reading the game, making the necessary cuts to the hoop to receive passes on the move which led to easy finishes. Warren was also impressive defensively, recording numerous steals that led to fast-break points.

With Victor Oladipo playing limited minutes and Domantas Sabonis out with a foot issue, someone had to step up and provide star-power. Warren proved that he was up for the task. He was able to get a lot more touches since Sabonis and Oladipo weren’t on the floor.

In return, he gave the Pacers a ton of production. There’s no doubt Indiana will be incorporating him more frequently into their offense next season, especially if Warren continues to produce.

Miami did a good job of limiting him offensively in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, but nonetheless, Warren put the league on notice in Orlando. Thanks to his outstanding numbers through the seeding games, he was named to the All-Seeding Games first team along with numerous superstars including Luka Doncic, James Harden, Damian Lillard, and Devin Booker.

If that is any indication, Warren could be on his way to becoming one of the league’s best players if he continues to show out like this. At 26 years old and five years into his career, this is the time for Warren to reach new heights.

With the firing of Nate McMillan after Indiana’s disappointing playoff defeat to Miami in the first round, a new coach coming in could be a blessing or a curse for Warren, only time will tell. But considering he was their best player in the bubble, the 26-year-old should be an important part of their rotation in 2020-21.

Orlando’s seeding games could be a turning point for T.J. Warren as he looks to become one of the premier talents in the association after a lackluster beginning to his NBA career.