Highlights:
The good news for Warren is that when he was in the game, it usually didn’t take long for him to make a play showcasing his potential.
Our first extended glimpse came on Mar. 9 against the Golden State Warriors, when Warren logged a then-season high 24 minutes and finished with 11 points on 5-of-9 shooting. It was a blowout loss for the Suns, but Warren was one of the few bright spots in the defeat.
Two nights later, Warren had the best game of his NBA career to that point, putting up 17 points and five boards in a home win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Warren shot an uber-efficient 8-for-10 from the floor and got his points by making simple but smart cuts to the basket for high quality looks:
Against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Mar. 29, Warren scored a career-high 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting. He logged a carer-high 29 minutes in the loss and he added five rebounds, two assists and two blocks as well.
Warren’s most impressive performance of the season probably came a few nights later against the Warriors on the road, in a game the Suns nearly won. Oracle Arena is a brutally tough place to play for visiting teams, but Warren did not shrink from the moment, scoring 17 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
The Suns lost that game on a heartbreaking Harrison Barnes game-winner, and Warren missed one heat check of a jump shot late in the fourth quarter that was probably ill-advised. But without his efficient scoring off the bench, Phoenix wouldn’t have even been in the game in the first place.
Warren’s ability to finish in traffic and use the backboard for protection when shooting around the rim was on display multiple times in that contest and he scored nine straight points at one point for the Suns. He scored 15 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the fourth quarter. Between his scoring and one assist, Warren accounted for 17 of Phoenix’s 35 points in the final period.
When the Suns needed a bucket in the last two minutes of the game, they went to Warren, who had no problem bullying Andre Iguodala to get easy looks right near the basket. It was a remarkable performance for a rookie, and even if the Dubs had nothing to play for, the Warriors’ starters played late and Warren played at a high level against the league’s best team.
His highlights aren’t limited to offensive plays, however. Even though he’s still learning when to rotate over and could stand to improve with his on-the-ball defense, Warren is a smart player who can read the floor. That’s evident watching him sneak to the open space on offense, but it’s also pretty obvious in the instances when he’d read the passing lane for a steal or come from the weak side for a rare but beautiful block:
Most of Warren’s highlights came after the team fell into disarray thanks to the trade deadline, but with the Suns’ commitment to the future came an opportunity to see what the rookie can do. He’s still got a long way to go, but there were plenty of highlights to feel good about.
Next: Final Grade