One of the selling points of the Milwaukee Bucks taking such a bold swing on Myles Turner was his sweet 3-point shot. However, the shot that made him such a weapon for the Indiana Pacers has not quite translated to Milwaukee just yet. In three games, Turner is shooting just 4-of-17 (23.5 percent) from behind the long line, far below expectations.
Bucks need Turner to start sinking triples, and he will
It's not surprising that Turner hasn't quite gotten things going yet. He's playing in a new system with new teammates for the first time in a long time. While he's found his footing defensively, the big man is still looking for his shot offensively. Knowing what he's capable of, the Milwaukee Bucks will keep pushing Turner to fire away no matter how many triples he misses.
Looking at his shot chart, Turner is missing good looks. He's shot a mere 3-of-15 (20 percent) on his "wide open" looks, categorized as a player given six or more feet of space. Among five players across the NBA to attempt at least 15 wide open triples thus far, Turner ranks dead last in percentage. The next closest player is Dillon Brooks, who is at 31.6 percent.
Last season, Turner shot 121-of-283 (42.8 percent) on these exact same shots. The year before, he was at 93-of-244 (38.1 percent). He's one of the best big man shooters in the entire NBA. A slow start cannot take that away. Knowing he can get back to that level, Myles Turner cannot lose confidence in himself. That type of floor spacing from a 7-footer is far too valuable.
Sooner or later, Turner will get those looks to fall, especially if Giannis Antetokounmpo keeps feeding him on the perimeter. Playing alongside the Greek Freak has played a massive part in Turner being so open from deep, but he's shooting just 2-of-8 (25 percent) on triples off passes from Giannis. He needs to bury more of those to make defenses pay.
It's not just the 3-point shooting that has Turner averaging a mere 9.3 points per game. He has also had trouble connecting right at the hoop, going just 2-of-7 (28.6 percent) on his layup attempts. The Bucks need him to get going in all facets, but it's the 3-point shot that could really open up the rest of his game. No matter what, Turner must confidentially keep firing away from downtown.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.