Myles Turner has career night on 20th birthday
By TYLER SMITH
ISL Editor
(Photo by Pacers Sports and Entertainment)
INDIANAPOLIS — The way he’s played this season, it’s hard to believe Myles Turner is just now turning 20 years old. On Thursday night, the birthday boy put on a show. Turner scored 24 points and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds in the Pacers 92-84 win over the New Orleans Pelicans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
“I think that kid just plays as hard as he can every time he’s out there,” Coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s going to play as hard against the Pelicans as he did against OKC.”
Vogel added: “He’s a big time threat. Teams have to prepare differently for him because of his ability to pick and pop, or to take smaller defenders into the post. He’s improving.”
Myles Turner has 24 points and 15 rebounds tonight. Or as Roy Hibbert calls it- A solid week.
— Tyler Smith (@TylerSmith_ISL) March 25, 2016
Paul George was limited to 20 minutes after leaving in the third quarter with a right leg contusion. He’s listed as day-to-day. With George being limited, the Pacers needed every bit of Turner’s effort in this game.
“He had a big boy game,” George said. “That’s what we needed down the stretch.”
The Pelicans roster is filled with injuries, and they were basically using their JV lineup. But with the season dwindling down, getting a win is the important thing. “You’ve got to get W’s,” Vogel said. “Teams lose games like this. We got it in the right column.”
The offense was inconsistent, but the defense did the job. The Pacers improved to 20-1 this season when holding their opponents under 94 points.
On a night when Monta Ellis and George combined for just 5-of-18 shooting, the Pacers got a nice lift off the bench from C.J. Miles. Miles scored 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting.
As for the other Myles, it was a birthday to remember.
“I came in today with a renewed sense of energy,” Turner said. “Not being a teenager anymore- that might’ve done it.”
The Pacers are holding on to the 7th-seed in the Eastern Conference with just 11 games to play. They will travel to Brooklyn on Saturday night, and will hope to have Paul George back in action.
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