Warren's Scoring Spree Comes to Screeching Halt

Former NC State and current Indiana Pacers star TJ Warren was shut out in the second half of his showdown against Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat on the way to his lowest-scoring game of the NBA's restart

For the second time in three games in the NBA's bubble, an individual showdown got the better of T.J. Warren.

On Thursday, the former NC State star had his hot hand cooled on a night in which he hoped to make a statement against his former team, the Phoenix Suns, who traded him to the Indiana Pacers for "cash considerations."

He bounced back Saturday with a 39-point masterpiece against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

But Monday, in his first head-to-head matchup with the Heat since a highly-publicized confrontation with Miami's Jimmy Butler, he faltered again. Warren was shut out in the second half and held to 12 points in a 114-92 loss to the Heat. 

Averaging a bubble-leading 34.8 points per game on 61% shooting from the floor and 56% from three-point range in the first five games of the NBA's restart in Orlando, Warren made just five of his 14 field goal attempts (2 of 6 from beyond the arc) against Miami.

He wasn't the only one who struggled. Only two other Pacers scored in double figures, with Victor Oladipo leading the way with 14 points.

Butler, meanwhile, had 19 points for the Heat in his first game back from a foot injury.

Back on Jan. 8, Warren and Butler were both assessed double technicals and ejected following an incident that started when Warren grabbed Butler's arm as he drove to the basket. 

Butler retaliated by fouling Warren on the ensuing possession, prompting both players to begin taunting one another. Butler blew kisses toward Warren as he left the court. Warren countered with a one-finger salute.

More important than the personal grudge match, the loss allowed Miami to move ahead of Indiana for the No. 4 seed in the NBA's Eastern Conference with two games each remaining in the regular season.

The teams play again Friday in the final seeding game could potentially meet again in the opening round of the playoffs next week.

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