As he finishes his 9th NBA season, Myles Turner had not played in the playoffs since 2020. That is to say he must be impatient, and the Pacers pivot does not disappoint. In the second inning, the interior scored 22 points to tie his career high. Then, he beat this personal record with 29 points in Game 3. A mark he reached again last night in the Pacers' victory in Game 4.
Indiana's top scorer, Myles Turner got the better of Brook Lopez and his “poster dunk” on the Bucks center played in a loop all evening. But what he remembered were the “Turner, Turner” chants from the Indianapolis audience.
“It was special”, rejoices the 28-year-old. “I didn't realize I made the 3-pointer while they were chanting my name. I saw this afterwards. But it's special… Just knowing how much the city means to me and that this love is reciprocated. It was a great moment for me. »
A 3-point festival
Of Myles Turner's 29 points, 21 come from 3-point shots since the pivot signs a magnificent 7/9 behind the arc! In his wake, the Pacers even broke a franchise record with 22 winning baskets.
“After the first game, we reviewed footage and I saw some gaps in the defense. I realized there were open shots we could exploit.”, Myles Turner analysis. “We have to read their defense and act accordingly, which is pretty much our entire offense. »
This 3-point success is also the result of a long work for Myles Turner. “All my life, I’ve shot 3-pointers! I didn't take a lot of it in college or when I first started in the NBA, but I was always able to and worked on it a lot. I continued to work and the results are visible. »
For TJ McConnell, Myles Turner's performance is not exceptional, and he also wants to praise his role in defense. “It’s not just tonight,” insists the replacement leader. “He’s done it all year. He is the anchor of our defense and he can create an imbalance against a lot of teams with the way he drops back and shoots from afar. If this is not the case, he can move on to something else, and have a presence under the opposing circle. Clearly, he was very good tonight and deserved to have the fans chanting his name. »
In the Pacers' three victories, Myles Turner averaged 26.7 points and 8.3 rebounds with a superb 14 out of 25 at 3-points, or 56% at 3-points.
