Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown expects Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner to make a ‘huge difference' as Team USA's defensive anchor in the FIBA World Cup.
Brown believes that Turner will not only make an impact on defense, but he'll also play a key role on the offensive end. The Celtics rising star thinks Turner's athleticism and knack for the ball will aid Team USA in their quest to defend the FIBA World Cup title.
“Myles is going to be huge for us. Defensively, being our anchor. Offensively, getting those extra put-backs, those extra rebounds. His athleticism is going to make a huge difference in this tournament,” Brown said, per USA Basketball. “We are going to need him. We are going to lean on him a lot. We’ve got to help him out by helping him get those rebounds and finding him for some easy ones, so he can get going, but he is going to be big for this tournament.”
Last season, Turner led the NBA with 2.7 blocks per game. He was one of the key reasons why the Pacers were ranked as the third-best defensive team in the league with a rating of 106. In terms of second-chance points, Indiana averaged a decent 13.3 points per contest — which is good enough for 12th in the league.
Certainly, the statistics, as well as Brown's observation, prove how important Turner's presence is for Team USA. They say defense wins championships, and the Americans need all the effort they can get from Turner.
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