5-on-5: Can the Suns sneak into the playoffs?
2. What has impressed you the most about T.J. Warren the last few games?
Bourguet: We keep talking about Warren’s nose for the basket, but it’s really the simple fact that he moves without the ball in a stagnant offense. He crashes the boards, he knows how to finish underneath the rim when he gets a good pass or an offensive rebound and even in limited minutes, he’s been a breath of fresh air for an offense that relies too much on individual play-making.
Harris: T.J. Warren has just been so exciting and is certainly one of the funnest guys to watch on this team. Sometimes he’ll make a boneheaded play on offense or get lost on defense, but his offensive tools are evident whenever he takes the floor.
Hann: His ability to play without the ball. I don’t know if the Suns are so inept at cutting and working off the ball that it makes Warren’s skills look that much better than they are or if he is really that efficient. If I had to bet though, I’m putting my money on the latter. The rookie, who is so calm on the court, quietly goes about his business, averaging 7.4 points in his past ten games. The future is bright for the Suns and much of that is because of Warren.
Saar: His play off the ball is just extraordinary. He cuts, comes off screens and breaks free from his defender well. He is able to be in a great position for offensive rebounds, whether he starts in great position or comes out of nowhere to crash the glass. His play on that end of the court really helps keep the ball moving, which improves the offensive efficiency.
Schall: Just how intuitive his ability to cut to the basket is. I didn’t realize just how much it was missing on this team until Warren had that break out performance against Minnesota (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvFCGsb0Has). Time after time Eric Bledsoe broke into the lane and instead of forcing up a tough shot or kicking it out and resetting, Bledsoe hit a streaking Warren again and again. Warren is just a magnet for the ball wheather it’s on those cuts or offensive rebounds, and is a ridiculosly strong finisher for a rookie, currently shooting 73% within five feet of the basket http://stats.nba.com/player/#!/203933/stats/shooting/. He’s just a joy to watch and he plays some defense too. http://www.nba.com/video/games/suns/2015/03/15/0021400988-nyk-phx-play2.nba/