Myles Turner didn't really get around to celebrating his 21st birthday until Saturday, a day after the actual event. Out for dinner, he ordered some sort of drink with vodka in it, but the waitress didn't even ask for his identification, spoiling his first opportunity to prove his legal manhood.
Should he need ID in the future, he can just hand over video of the Pacers' 107-94 victory over Philadelphia on Sunday. He turned in a grown-man performance at Bankers Life Fieldhouse with 16 rebounds (matching the career high first established on the day he turned 20 last season), and added 17 points and two blocks in a bruising, efficient performance that he'll need to duplicate in the weeks ahead if the suddenly-depleted Pacers are to hang on to their spot in the playoffs.
"That's the Myles that we need," Paul George said.
Turner, who played 34 minutes, gathered as many rebounds as the other four starters managed to collect in their combined 101 1/2 minutes of play. He'll appreciate help now and then, but he knows he'll have to carry the bulk of the burden. The Pacers play small, with Turner the only genuine "big" in the starting lineup, and his backup, Al Jefferson, went down Sunday with a badly sprained ankle that likely will keep him out at least a few games, if not longer.
Sunday's victory continued several trends for the Pacers. They played more aggressive defense, forcing a few shot clock violations, and are now 19-5 when holding opponents under 100 and 8-1 when opponents shoot under 40 percent. They had seven players score in double figures, and are now 16-5 when six or more do that.
Perhaps most importantly, they are 17-8 when outrebounding opponents. Defensive stats can become inflated when an opponent has a poor shooting night, but rebounding is a constant. The Pacers entered the game the 27th-best rebounding team in the NBA, and are 17-27 when outrebounded. Those are predictable stats given their small-ball approach, which amplifies the need for Turner's contributions.
"My offense has been a little off lately," said Turner, who failed to reach double figures seven times in a 10-game stretch before Friday's loss to Denver. "I was talking to my dad before the game, and he said, 'Go out there and do the little things tonight. Rebounding, blocking shots, being in the right position. Just focus on that and let the rest take care of itself.
"That's what I'll need to do from here on out. Have the same mentality."
Turner's rebounding mentality had been lacking in recent games, although he's hardly alone in that category. He had just four rebounds in the 125-117 loss to the Nuggets on Friday, and hadn't had a double-figure rebounding game since the March 15 victory over Charlotte.
"We just got pounded last game," coach Nate McMillan said. "Myles was a little upset by how we played. We kind of got pushed around in that last game against Denver. He made that effort to defend the basket and go after boards. He played with a little more grit and attitude, a little nastiness in that paint. He continues to grow."
At a listed 250 pounds, Turner gives up poundage to many of the centers he faces. But he's the heaviest Pacers starter by 20 pounds, and therefore the best candidate to do the dirty work. Asked if he feels pressure to rebound each game, he deflected the question.
"I feel a lot of pressure to box my man out," he said. "If I box my man out of the picture, everyone else will come in and take care of the rebounds. That's one thing guys tell me to do, hit your man and we'll come get it. Tonight, I made a more concerted effort to go out there and get the rebounds."
Jefferson, the heaviest Pacers player at 289 pounds, won't be there to throw his weight around for a while. He was having a strong game, with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 10 1/2 minutes off the bench before he landed on a Sixer's foot while coming down with his seventh rebound. He lay on the court for about a minute while teammates and coaches gathered around him under the basket opposite the Pacers' bench, and then was taken to the locker room in a wheelchair.
X-rays were negative, which was a positive development for the Pacers, but his left ankle was badly swollen. He left the locker room in a protective boot and on crutches, politely asking one of the ballboys to clean up around his locker for him before he left.
"You've had a few sprained ankles," a visiting reporter said.
"This is my 1,500th one, I think," Jefferson deadpanned.
Jefferson said he has no idea when he'll be able to return. Kevin Seraphin and Rakeem Christmas will be called on to fill the gap during his absence, but Turner likely will get more minutes, too.
The Pacers can only hope he gets more rebounds, too.
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