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It felt like a dream when T.J. Warren finally made his long-awaited return to an NBA court.
It was a fairytale comeback after a two-year struggle to return from several stress fractures (703 days, to be exact). Warren, making his Nets debut against the Raptors on Friday night, finished with 10 points, four rebounds, and a 5-for-9 field goal percentage in an easy 114-105 victory at Barclays Center.
“Man, that was extraordinary, extraordinary, extraordinary… There were just a lot of anxieties, excitement, and other feelings involved. “I’m just really ecstatic to be out there with a victory,” Warren remarked. “My teammates did an excellent job of simplifying the game for me. I’ve been away for a while, so it kept me confident, locked in, and energized on both ends of the floor. Therefore, there is clearly something to work upon.
“I was explaining to someone in the rear that it nearly seemed like a dream. As soon as I checked in, the reality of the situation struck me. As I already stated, after I began jumping up and down, I thought, “All right, this is basketball.” It was therefore quite enjoyable to compete alongside the men.”
Jeremy Warren
The phrase Corey Sipkin
On December 29, 2020, the last time Warren participated in an NBA game, Donald Trump was still president. Jeopardy! episodes featuring Alex Trebek continued to show nearly two months after his death. And COVID-19 vaccine administration had barely begun.
If you thought the past two years were lengthy, Warren believed they lasted forever.
Coach of the Nets, Jacque Vaughn, stated, “It’s a significant obstacle.” “For him to return to this professional game against a very athletic and lengthy opponent… I think that if he seems to be at ease and not out of place, it would encourage him that he has fully recovered.”
With 4:14 remaining in the first quarter, Warren, whose return was a hero’s journey after undergoing two operations for stress fractures he suffered while with the Pacers, entered the game to acclaim. Almost immediately, he pump-faked Chris Boucher and made a baseline jumper from 14 feet out.
“I was intrigued by that initial photo. What was it going to look like? How lengthy or how short would it be? Was it going to strike the rim? … This was a sight to behold,” Vaughn added.
Warren completed a 15-0 run for the Nets to put them up 32-10. With 5:25 remaining in the first half, his put-back made the score 67-31 with a margin of 36.
“Prior to the instant when the ball is tipped, you experience anxiousness. Kevin Durant, who lost a year due to a ruptured Achilles, stated, “I’m sure he has his day highlighted for some time.” Now that he’s out there and has gotten his feet wet, he can rest.
Edmond Sumner exited with a bruise to his right glute.
“We’ll look at it [Saturday],” Vaughn added. “Hopefully, it’s nothing major, so we can continue on.”
»T.J. Warren’s first game in two years was impressive: ‘super, super’«