After suffering a broken nose on Monday in a contest against the Atlanta Hawks, it was announced that Pacers talent Myles Turner would go through the concussion protocol and be fitted for a mask. His head coach Nate McMillan expressed his hope that he doesn't have a long-term injury to his head.
Myles Turner (broken nose) will be re-evaluated tomorrow and be fitted for a mask.
McMillan: “The hope is that he doesn’t have a concussion. He can play with a mask.”
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) December 31, 2018
Myles Turner has been excellent for the Indiana Pacers. He had been discussed as a potential defensive player of the year candidate. His impact as a high-flying rim protector while being able to guard big men out to the wing makes him the most important piece of the Pacer's defense.
Likely, Kyle O'Quinn will come in and start in his place. He's a fine backup center, but he won't provide the same rim protection and presence down-low that Turner does. Perhaps O'Quinn will be better on the glass, but will not be very beneficial on the defensive side.
O’Quinn is averaging 2.8 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per contest on the year and shooting 47.7 percent overall.
Turner on the season is averaging 12.9 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game while shooting 50.0 percent from the field while 34.9 percent from the beyond the arc.
The Indiana Pacers are 24-12 on the season and currently sit in the third spot of the NBA's Eastern Conference. They score 107.3 points per game, which ranks 24th overall in the NBA. Fortunately, their defense is a bit better. They only allow 100.9 points per game, which currently ranks first overall in the entire NBA.
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