Myles Turner steps up and leads Indiana Pacers over Atlanta Hawks the way he said he would

Turner was terrific Sunday

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner made his new leadership position with the team known on the first day of the season — media day. He wanted to be a key voice for the blue and gold this year as he entered his ninth season.

"Once we get on the court, we've got to push each other. Real friends help each other get to that next spot. Holding each other accountable is going to be a big thing this year," Turner said early in October of 2023. He didn't want to be just a leader for the Pacers. He wanted to be the leader.

That's why Turner's comments from last Friday, after the Pacers lost the Cavaliers, hit so hard. They were pointed. It was a clear message to his teammates. Cleveland beat Indiana by nine in a game that would have sent the Pacers to the playoffs with a win. Instead, they fell behind by double digits and didn't look right for much of the night.

"Overall, just a maturity moment for this group... you can leave no doubt this time of the year," Turner said at his locker after the game. Indiana left a ton of doubt with their first-half defense, and they were crushed by a more experienced Cavaliers team.

Entering Sunday, Indiana was in the same position. They needed a victory to reach the postseason with the Atlanta Hawks in town. To get it done they needed that maturity Turner mentioned. They needed to leave no doubt that they were better than the Hawks.

Fittingly, it was Turner who helped make that happen. He was the best player on the court to start the action. The 28-year old scored 11 points in the first 3.5 minutes of play, mixing in three-point shots and rim attacks. He had two blocks and three rebounds in that stretch, and the Pacers raced ahead 15-4.

That's what leaders do. In a massive game with huge stakes, Turner stabilized the young Pacers and calmed down his team early. He was dealing with foul trouble later in the game, but the big man still entered halftime with 18 points, eight rebounds, and four blocks.

"[Myles] led the charge from the beginning of the game, and we all followed his lead," Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said of Turner's start. It was important from a tone setting perspective. Indiana could get more comfortable and shake off some jitters thanks to the early game brilliance from Turner. Their margin for error widened.

Turner was stuck on the bench with foul trouble for much of Atlanta's run in the second quarter, but once he subbed back into the game, the blue and gold surged again. The Pacers were +14 with the veteran center the court in the first half, and they were ahead by 14 at the break.

He continued to dominate in the third quarter. Turner scored 13 points in the frame and pulled in four rebounds, and his defense was terrific. Indiana outscored Atlanta 39-21 in the frame and effectively put the game away, and Turner wasn't needed in the fourth period. His night ended with just 21:55 of playing time.

Yet he filled up the stat sheet. In that time, Turner was 13/17 from the field on his way to 31 points, his second-best number this campaign. He added 12 rebounds, also his second-best total this season, and four blocks. The big man was excellent in every way.

"I loved Myles' approach from a physical standpoint and the fact that he got 12 rebounds," head coach Rick Carlisle said. He thought that the rebounding was far more important than Turner's scoring. The Hawks finished third in the NBA this season in offensive rebounds per game, but Turner crushed them on the glass.

"Our focus has got to be on the physical things that are necessary to win playoff games," Carlisle added. Turner, a leader, brought them on Sunday.

The veteran center led with his actions. There are dozens of things he could have shared with his team before the game to get them ready to roll early. He might even have said them. But what he very clearly did was get his team ready by dominating in the first few minutes.

Haliburton explained that the way Atlanta defends pick-and-rolls helps Turner crush the Hawks, and he took advantage with the right reads. Turner's attention to detail was where it needed to be in a key victory.

It sent the Pacers to the playoffs. "It's always nice to hit shots, but more than anything I'm just proud of this group," Turner said after the game. He remembers the team talking about reaching the postseason during their pre-season trip to Nashville. Thanks to his performance on the last day of the season, they made it.

Turner is thrilled to be there instead of planning a vacation. His team will play their first playoff series since 2020 this season. And Myles Turner, an improved player and veteran voice, will hope to help the Pacers take down the Milwaukee Bucks.

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