T.J. Warren's First Playoff Experience Ends Quickly
It took six long years for T.J. Warren to make his first NBA playoff appearance. It took just four quick games for his postseason debut to end.
The former NC State star scored 21 points for the Indiana Pacers on Monday in Game 4 of their first round series against the Miami Heat. But it wasn't enough to prevent a 99-87 defeat that allowed the Heat to complete a sweep of the best-of-seven series and end the Pacers' stay inside the NBA's "bubble.".
Warren has been an unexpected breakout star since the league's restart in Orlando. He got things started with a career-high 53 points in the Pacers' first game on Aug. 1 against the Philadelphia 76ers.
He scored 32 or more in three of his next four games, including 39 in a head-to-head showdown with LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Despite missing the final two seeding games with a case of plantar facitis, the 2014 ACC Player of the Year ended up averaging 26.6 points in the 10 games he played in the bubble while shooting 57% from three-point range.
Warren went 8 of 17 from the floor (3 of 6 on three-pointers) In his final game of the interrupted 2019-20 season, with five rebounds and four assists.
Although he and teammates Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner all scored 20 or more points for the Pacers, the Heat -- as it had in the first three games -- took advantage of its greater balance and depth to put a quick end to the series.
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