Once labeled soft, Myles Turner is “as tough as they come.”
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — If you’ve ever called Myles Turner “soft” over the years, now might be a good time to rethink your position. If you ask Pacers Coach Nate Bjorkgren, Turner is as tough as they come.
“Tough as hell,” Bjorkgren said of Turner before Friday’s game. “Absolutely, tough as hell. He was told it (hand injury) might be two weeks, and he immediately came to me and said, ‘no way.'”
Not only did Turner still practice each and every day with the injury, Bjorkgren said he never took any plays or drills off. “I’m just so impressed with him,” Bjorkgren said. “He’s the anchor of our defense. His overall toughness is very impressive.” When Malcolm Brogdon was asked what the team needed after a second straight loss the other night, he said three simple words: “We need Myles.”
Turner only missed two games with the avulsion fracture in his right hand. To borrow a line from Bradley Beal, the Pacers “couldn’t guard a parked car” in Turner’s absence. On Friday night, he played through the pain, played 43 minutes, and put together an impressive stat line of 22 points, nine rebounds, and three more blocks, in the Pacers Overtime victory.
“I’ve been working hard every day,” said Turner. “I’m always itching to play. When I got the clearance from the medical staff, I knew I was going to be out there.”
Turner continued: “I have defensive aspirations this year. Defensive player of the year, 1st-Team All-Defense, things like that. But winning, man. That cures everything. This team can take the next step.”
Myles Turner is now up to 53 blocks on the young season. He has more blocks than three entire NBA teams. He’s the first player since David Robinson in 1992 to post at least 50 blocks and 15 steals through the first 12 games of the season. And while he still doesn’t pull down the total number of rebounds needed to keep the critics off his back, he clearly impacts the game in so many other ways. He’s a big reason the Pacers are 9-6, and the trade that never happened may end up being a massive blessing in disguise for the Indiana Pacers.
