Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here… highlighting the big story line. Because there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.
And it starts with Turner, who has been particularly influential in helping Boston post a 5-3 record since Thomas was injured earlier this month against the Heat.
Turner is averaging 14.4 points on 51.6 percent shooting while adding 7.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds over 31.4 minutes per game in that eight-game span. The Celtics are plus-4.1 points per 100 possessions when he’s on the court over those eight games, the team’s offensive rating spiking 5.6 points when he’s on the floor.
Yes, Turner will be allowed to wear whatever he wants if he puts up numbers like those.
The 26-year-old grabbed five rebounds in the final quarter to polish off the triple-double. He said he was unaware he was nearing the accomplishment until someone in the green-speckled stands tipped him off that he was close.
“I heard a guy in the crowd — me and Tyler [Zeller] were talking — and he said, ‘Zeller, give Evan one more rebound. Don’t touch the [expletive] ball.'”
Most of the advanced analytics people laugh in your face when you include the words ‘Evan Turner’ and ‘effective’ in the same sentence. A glance at the most basic of stats do not support the cause; 42% FG, 30% 3 FG, 12.48 PER.
But fans who have watched the Celtics all season know the reality – Turner is one of the most valuable players on this team.
For every maddening over-dribbled possession which leads to a poor shot or awful turnover, he quietly makes 2-3 fundamentally sound plays.
He’s become a do-it-all glue guy with a clutch gene who is worth every penny of his $3 million contract.
As for the gold grill he was sporting after last night’s game (h/t Sven Hi for the photo):
“Every now and then, I switch things up. I just gotta have fun,” explained Turner. “I woke up feeling like it. … This originally started off every family [vacation], me and my brothers do something off the wall to make my grandma go crazy, whether it be like a mohawk or like a henna tattoo or something stupid. So this past vacation, we decided to get grills. We got the reaction we wanted from her.”
And what reaction was that?
“She said, ‘Oh my god. Oh lordy, they’re going to kill me,'” said Turner. “It started off as a joke and that’s it.”
With his second triple-double of the season, Turner joins a select group of Celtics with mulitple trip-doubs: Larry Bird, Rajon Rondo, Antoine Walker, and Paul Pierce.
Related: Herald – Turner all up in Nets grill
On Page 2, Marcus Smart insists he’s not a dirty player.
“Looking at the film, it does look a little intentional. But that’s not who I am. I’m not a dirty player, nor was I trying to (hit Bonner below the waistband). But looking at the film, I can definitely see where that comes into play. The NBA made the right decision with the one-game suspension and I’m just glad to be back out here tonight with these guys.”
…
Smart’s flagrant-2 foul for the cheap shot on Bonner was his second such violation of the season, making him the only player in the league with multiple flagrant-2s. Still, he does not worry about earning a reputation as a dirty player.
“Not at all because I know I’m not,” he said. “My coach and my team and a lot of players that play know that I’m not a dirty player. I am a physical player, no doubt about that. But a dirty one, that’s not in my reputation.”
Marcus Smart has the conviction of a politician accused of infidelity or a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
He ain’t giving in.
Reminds me of one of my all-time favorite George Costanza quotes:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn_PSJsl0LQ]Related: Globe – Spurs Bonner says Smart hit no freak accident
The rest of the links:
ESPN Boston – Thomas on track to return vs Miami | Herald – Win puts Cs back in playoff position | CSNNE – Olynyk finds his shot | Bench players ignite Cs | Globe – Celtics find shooting touch vs Nets |
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