As they reach the halfway point of the preseason, the Boston Celtics still are left with more questions than answers:
When will Rajon Rondo come back?
Is Jeff Green’s injury more serious than originally thought?
Can Marcus Smart really succeed as an NBA starter right away?
And those are just a few.
But, with four exhibition games in the books, one Celtics player is making a particularly strong statement.
That would be Evan Turner, the former No. 2 overall pick cast off into free agency over the summer after a disastrous half-season stint in Indiana. Turner arrived in Boston with little fanfare but has played a major role thus far, starting each of Boston’s four preseason games while filling in for both Green and Rondo.
Turner has scored double figures in three of the four contests (including a double-double in Monday’s preseason opener) and has exhibited a penchant for ball distribution that hasn’t necessarily shown up on the stat sheet. Teammates and head coach Brad Stevens have lauded the swingman’s competitiveness, which was on full display Friday as he matched up against New York Knicks scorer extraordinaire Carmelo Anthony.
“Evan is a prideful guy,” Stevens told reporters after the Celtics’ 96-80 loss. “When you’re a former (NCAA) National Player of the Year who is a guy that wasn’t all that heavily sought-after coming out of high school, you’ve got a little chip on your shoulder.
“One of the things we’re excited about the addition of Evan is that he’s got even more hunger added to his norm, just because of the way last year ended for him. I think he’s looking at it as a fresh start and a start that he can take advantage of. And he’s certainly done that. I very much trust him in the game right now.”
Avery Bradley, who has played extensively with Turner this preseason, agreed with his coach.
“He’s a very good teammate,” Bradley said after Friday’s game, via MassLive.com’s Jay King. “Similar to Rondo. He just wants to win.”
Preseason success obviously means nothing, but it can hint at future potential. And for Turner, the future is looking surprisingly bright.
Photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
