NBA: Turner booed on return to Indiana as Giannis hits buzzer-beater
It was a mixed night for Myles Turner as he travelled back to the Indiana Pacers
Myles Turner’s homecoming to Indiana took a sour turn on Monday night, as the former Pacers center was met with loud boos from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd.
But his new team, the Milwaukee Bucks, had the final say, securing a 117-115 win over the Pacers thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s game-winning jumper at the buzzer.
As the shot fell, Antetokounmpo turned to the stands, giving fans a thumbs-down before putting a finger to his lips to silence the arena.
Before tipoff, Indiana played a tribute video celebrating Turner’s decade-long tenure with the franchise. The video, however, was greeted by boos from the crowd from the moment it appeared on the scoreboard.
“It was disheartening, man. It was frustrating,” Turner said after the game. “You give 10 years of your life, your blood, your sweat, your tears. You take pay cuts. You survive trade rumors. You try to do everything the right way, and then sometimes stuff shakes out. It is cool. I take it on the chin.”
Support from Milwaukee
Turner’s new teammates rallied behind him, determined to make the night special in his return.
“He might not say it, but it kind of hurt,” said Antetokounmpo, who posted 33 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists. “But we are here to pick him up, tell him how much we love him and respect him. We understand how much he gave for the team, for Indiana, and how much he’s willing to give for Milwaukee.
“He’s a great, great person, great character, a great competitor. I played against him for 10 years. I think he gave everything.”
Leaning Into the Villain Role
Despite the negative reception, Turner appeared to embrace his new status as a rival. As the tribute video played, he mimed closing a book and gave a sarcastic wave to the fans. Once the game started, he turned the crowd’s hostility into motivation.
“It woke me up,” said Turner, who finished with nine points and five blocks. “If anything, you have to channel that energy. That negative energy turned into a positive. I know what it is every time I come back here to Gainbridge.”
Turner opened strong with seven points and four blocks in the first quarter, even gesturing toward the fans after sinking a three-pointer.
But the boos continued throughout the night, each touch of the ball drawing another wave of disapproval.
The crowd erupted when Turner committed mistakes, and at one point, the arena scoreboard displayed side-by-side stats comparing Turner with Indiana’s new starting center Isaiah Jackson, who had 21 points and 10 rebounds, outpacing Turner in both categories.
After the game, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers expressed frustration with how Turner was treated by the home crowd.
“I was really disappointed tonight,” Rivers said. “This guy gives you 10 years. … I want to make something clear. Myles wasn’t looking to leave. Myles was made available. It’s a big difference.”
A Complicated Split
Turner spent 10 seasons with Indiana before joining Milwaukee as an unrestricted free agent over the summer, signing a four-year, $107 million contract.
Earlier in the day, Turner said he felt blindsided by the Pacers’ handling of his free agency.
“Let’s talk about value. Go where you’re valued,” Turner said Monday morning. “The front office and the ownership valued me in Milwaukee more than ownership and front office valued me here in Indiana.”
The Pacers, meanwhile, have maintained that they were not given the opportunity to match Milwaukee’s offer.