Summer League isn’t about stats or wins and losses as much as it is about seeing how the players handle near-NBA level competition. With that in mind, let’s take a look the Indiana Pacers 92-76 loss to the Miami Heat in the Orlando Summer League.
Myles Turner
I remember reading an interview with Kevin McHale once where he said that every post move in his arsenal only worked because he could shoot the basketball. If that holds true, then Myles Turner has the foundation upon which to build an excellent post game.
More from 8 Points, 9 Seconds
- 2 Studs, 1 dud from gut-wrenching Indiana Pacers loss to Charlotte Hornets
- Handing out early-season grades for Pacers’ Bruce Brown, Obi Toppin
- 3 positives, 2 negatives in Pacers In-Season Tournament win vs. Cavaliers
- 2 positives, 3 negatives from first week of Indiana Pacers basketball
- Should Isaiah Jackson’s days with Indiana Pacers be numbered?
Sure, the Pacers lost today and it wasn’t close or pretty, but the story of the game was Turner. Turner scored 20 points on 8 of 11 shooting with 8 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. I know I said his stats wouldn’t matter — and they don’t — but that’s an impressive debut. The thing that stood out the most was Turner’s shooting stroke. It’s fluid, and he makes even long shots look effortless. Shooting, however, is the totality of his offensive game at this point. He has no post moves other than turnaround and fadeaway jumpers. He didn’t show signs of being much of a facilitator. He did have one nice put-back dunk and one nice pick-and-roll finish. His jump shot, though, is already a thing of beauty.
As for my keys to watch, Turner still runs a bit awkwardly. It’s not quite as pronounced as it was at Texas, but there is still work to be done on his running mechanics and core and leg strength. As for his physicality, he seems like the type of player who is not unnerved by contact, but does not seek it out.
Other Notes
Mantas Kalnietis has straight-up old man game. I don’t think he has the athleticism to play in the NBA, but he has great court vision, a steady demeanor, and a variety of crafty finishing moves that make up for his lack of quickness and leaping ability. He struggled mightily against the pressure defense of Tyler Johnson, however.
Shayne Whittington was unremarkable. He did show some signs of being comfortable in space both offensively and defensively. In the fourth quarter he started to hustle a bit more and made some nice effort plays. He’s going to have to exert himself like that every minute he’s on the floor in the NBA if he’s going to stick.
Solomon Hill had a nice floor game. Like he always has, he does a lot of little things very well, but is wholly unspectacular. He was clearly inferior to Justise Winslow.
Joe Young did not play due to illness. He’s hoping to play in Game 2.
Final note, the Pacers seem like playing a bit of a “flex” offense where the bigs are away from the basket to allow the guards to slash and even work in the post from time to time. This could be a hint as to what the offense will look like next season.
Next: Myles Turner Has 25/1 Odds of Winning Rookie of the Year