Myles Turner just solved a problem Giannis Antetokounmpo has been living with for over a decade. For the first time in his career, the Greek Freak has an athletic frontcourt partner who can stretch the floor and defend at an elite level.
Brook Lopez was great for what Milwaukee needed during the championship run, but he couldn't move like Turner. Bobby Portis brings energy but clogs the paint. So too did John Henson, Larry Sanders, and Greg Monroe, even despite their physical dominance or skyhooks or what have you. None of them brought this complete package.
Turner is different, and both he and Giannis are starting to realize how dangerous this pairing can become.
Myles Turner unlocks a totally new dynamic for the Greek Freak
Throughout his career, Giannis has always had capable second fiddles. From Khris Middleton to Jrue Holiday to Damian Lillard, the Greek Freak has never wanted for talent around him.
What he hasn't had, though, is a co-star that also shares the frontcourt with him and is just as complete as he is. And Myles Turner changes all of that.
"He's about to change my life, man," Turner was quoted as saying of his new teammate in an article by ESPN's Jamal Collier. "I spent 10 years of my life doing the exact same thing. It's obviously an adjustment, but it's hoops at the end of the day."
That quote tells you everything about why this fit works. Turner has spent years being perhaps the sole defensive-minded frontcourt presence, save for maybe Pascal Siakam, who was also asked to carry quite a bit of scoring.
The shooting hasn't clicked yet, but Doc Rivers isn't panicking, and neither should anyone else.
"The shot's not going down right now," Rivers was quoted as saying. "I don't seem that concerned about it at all because I'm not. He's doing a lot of stuff for us that helps us win. He's a winner, and there's going to be nights where all the shots go in and he's going to look great. There's going to be nights [...] where he contributed in a huge way to his winning and it doesn't show up in the stat sheet. We know it, and that's really all that matters."
Rivers gets it. Turner's value is less about making threes and more about the gravity his shooting creates and all the little things that elevate everyone around him. The offensive spacing, the defensive rotations, the way he dives to the rim and crashes the boards. That stuff matters even when shots aren't falling.
"The combination is good," Rivers said. "I think [Turner] does so many things that you don't see in the naked eye. Giannis made a point talking about it to me yesterday, like how many times when Giannis is coming off a pick, he's never had a big dive [toward the basket]."
That last part is crucial. Giannis has always been the roller on pick-and-rolls because none of his big men could do it effectively. Now Turner can be that vertical spacer, diving hard to the rim and forcing defenses to make impossible choices.
The athleticism Turner brings changes everything about how Milwaukee can attack defenses. He can switch onto guards without getting destroyed. He can protect the rim without being a liability in space. He can run the floor in transition and actually finish above the rim. Those are skills Giannis has never had from a frontcourt partner before.
When Turner's shooting catches up to his reputation, this pairing becomes absolutely lethal. Defenses already can't stop Giannis one-on-one. But with a legitimate stretch five who can punish help defense from deep while also being a lob threat -- that's just championship-level offensive versatility.
The adjustment period was always going to happen. Turner and Giannis are still learning each other's tendencies, figuring out spacing and timing. But the vision is clear with two elite talents whose skills complement each other perfectly.
This is what championship duos look like when they're still finding their rhythm. Wait until they fully click.
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