T.J. Warren out with ankle injury for Suns vs. Magic
Nov 30, 2018, 10:51 AM | Updated: 11:41 am
(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Suns forward T.J. Warren will not play Friday against the Orlando Magic due to right ankle soreness, the team announced.
Warren had been listed as questionable with the injury heading into a Wednesday game against the Los Angeles Clippers, but he played 34 minutes in the 115-99 loss, scoring 15 points while shooting 6-of-14 from the field.
“It wasn’t something that happened last game,” head coach Igor Kokoskov said. “It happened a few games ago.
“If he’s dealing with significant pain then we decided that he shouldn’t play tonight and we’ll go from there.”
The Suns will miss Warren’s 17.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. He is shooting 51 percent from the floor and 45 percent from three-point range while taking a career-high 4.0 attempts per outing.
Wing Josh Jackson will replace Warren in the starting lineup.
“Energy, start with the defense, accept the challenge, run the floor, voice, compete,” Kokoskov said of what Jackson needs to do with the opportunity.
“One thing we can complain about not really having respect coming from the referees but we have to put pressure on the rim too and Josh can do that. Josh can break the lane, get in the paint, turn the corner and put the pressure on the rim. So we’ve gotta do something about it as a team and Josh can do it.”
Jackson has struggled in year two, seeing his role reduced as his quality in play dipped. The former No. 4 pick, though, has looked more comfortable in the past few games.
On the season, Jackson is averaging 7.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in 17.7 minutes a night.