Myles Turner is off to a great start as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.
It’s still preseason, but the Milwaukee Bucks are 3-0 with Myles Turner contributing to all three wins.
Granted, Turner struggled a bit in the first two preseason games, but he showed his class in the Bucks’ 127-121 win over the Chicago Bulls.
Despite spending a decade with the Indiana Pacers, Turner wasted little time establishing himself as a member of the Bucks.
Many may view Turner’s evaluation of the Bucks as a dig at Indy, but that’s not the case. The reason the 29-year-old looks happier is because the Bucks have a “refresh” factor.
“It’s very refreshing. The guys on this team are encouraging me to shoot and let it fly. Giannis (Antetokounmpo), he’s going to have to be very careful,” Turner told reporters.
“The team has to carry a lot of load. We’re probably shooting more than we were before. We think there’s something going on again, just changing the mentality and changing to be more aggressive,” he added.
Turner started his first game against Giannis Antetokounmpo and had the best performance of any back in the preseason.
Turner went so far as to earn significant praise from Doc Rivers, as the veteran head coach touted him as the best fit at center alongside Giannis.
Few expected the Pacers to reach the NBA Finals last season. Not only did the Pacers get there, they pushed the OKC Thunder to seven games.
A crucial reason behind the Pacers’ success was following coach Rick Carlisle’s team-first tactics. Turner now claims the Bucks are taking that approach as well.
“From good to great, that’s definitely a big thing in this league. That’s the basketball I’m used to playing on my previous teams and we did a really good job of embodying that.”
“I think this team really figured that out this summer, too. There might be a lot of good shots, but it’s great shots in the corners and vice versa,” Turner said.
Turner had 19 points, six rebounds and one assist against the Bulls. If he can consistently put down numbers like this, the Bucks may finally be able to make a deep run in the postseason.