When asked what it was like to play with Giannis Antetokounmpo for the first time, Myles Turner said, "Man, he 'bout to change my life," with a grin. In their one and only preseason game together, Turner made his most 3-pointers in a game since March 22. Due to how much attention Giannis commands from defenses, his teammates find themselves open more often than not. That's great for Turner.
Like many Bucks do, Turner could have a career year from three
While Antetokounmpo didn't directly create any of Turner's makes via assists, his presence certainly contributed to them. With the Chicago Bulls so focused on Giannis, Turner got open and fired away from deep eight times, sinking five of them. It was those five 3-point makes, in addition to four makes from the foul line, that fueled Turner's 19-point effort in the victory.
Those open looks won't be going away anytime soon. Unless teams want to give up points to Giannis, they will have to send two to three defenders at him. Whether it's Turner, Gary Trent Jr., AJ Green, or any other Buck, someone will be open from distance, and they must capitalize. If Turner can, his life will indeed change, as he indicated.
While Tyrese Haliburton, Turner's old teammate with the Indiana Pacers, was a masterful point guard, he never commanded as much space as Giannis. Turner will be open more than ever before, and his game could reach new heights because of it. He shot a career-high 39.6 percent from distance this past season, and it wouldn't be surprising if he shattered that mark this coming year.
The evidence is there. Brook Lopez was a mediocre shooter upon coming to Milwaukee, but he then became one of the best big men at shooting the long ball league-wide. Turner joins the Bucks as one of the best shooters at his position already, so playing with Giannis now could elevate his game even further, leading to what could be his best offensive season statistically.
Last season, including the NBA Playoffs, Turner made five or more 3-pointers in just seven contests. Even if it came in a preseason game, the fact that he made five in his first game with the Greek Freak certainly says something. Like Turner said after the game, this partnership with Giannis Antetokounmpo could indeed change his life, and the first look at why was shown against the Bulls.
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