ATLANTA -- He was Evan the evangelical here Monday before the Boston Celtics’ practice. Evan Turner, now a veteran NBA guard, was asked about the chance to write his name large on the marquee Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference playoffs against Atlanta.
Avery Bradley, the team’s starting big guard, is sidelined with a hamstring injury and Turner is the likely starting replacement. But he dismissed the idea this is a showcase for him. Turner preached team. There is no boldness, no reckoning at hand for his career, he said.
“I want to play the right way and leave it at that,” Turner said. “I don’t have anything to prove except to my teammates. I just want to come out and play with effort.”
That’s who the 6-foot-7 Turner has become in six seasons in the NBA. A lottery pick in 2010 more for his offensive ability, the 27-year old Turner seems more concerned about being a player his teammates can trust on the defensive end.
“We have great defenders on the team and if you don’t keep up it sticks out like a sore thumb,” he said. “I’ve gotten better with it, the more I have gotten in shape and slimmed down, and can guard different positions.
“It’s no fun when you are the weak link and start getting picked on. I’ve been in that situation before a few times. I just want to earn my spot on the court.”
Bradley, the Celtics second-leading scorer and one of their top defenders, will have an MRI done Wednesday and is doubtful for the rest of the best-of-seven series. Atlanta took Game 1, 102-101, on Saturday night.
Turner, who has started 12 games this season, said he had not been told if he was going to slide into the starting lineup.
Boston coach Brad Stevens talked about going with a more traditional lineup, a bigger lineup with two forwards and a center, to punish the fast Hawks on the glass, but seven-footer Kelly Olynyk sat out practice Monday with shoulder soreness. That could dent a bigs strategy.
Olynyk said he is not sure whether he will play Tuesday night, which should create even more minutes for Turner, guard Marcus Smart, rookie guard R.J. Hunter, and 6-10 forward Jonas Jerebko.
Bradley’s absence could cause the Hawks another issue, said Atlanta guard Kent Bazemore.
“With him out, they know that they have nothing to lose,” Bazemore said. “Sometimes those are some of the worst; players you don’t want to play against because they are going to let it all hang out.”
Turner was playing with a fierce and obstinate attitude on defense, with or without Bradley. He was discarded by two teams, the Sixers and Pacers, and has been busy making himself a two-way player.
Expect Turner to take shots in his skill zones Tuesday night, but do not expect him to try and get back all of Bradley’s 15 points a game, and his own on top of that (10.5).
“It’s not about me, it’s team-oriented,” Turner said. “I’ll be fine. It’s a great opportunity for everybody on our squad, our young guys will be able to get more minutes.”
The Celtics have preferred to play a smaller lineup against the Hawks because another big man is a waste of time. The Hawks crowd the lane with five players and make it difficult to get anything in the paint.
Atlanta also has mobile big men in center Al Horford and forward Paul Millsap, so it can force teams to adjust to play small and keep up. The Celtics’ injuries --Bradley, Olynyk, and Jae Crowder -- make it hard to predict how Game 2 will be played.
The Celtics could still try and bully Atlanta inside.
“We have to punch them on the glass,” forward Jared Sullinger said.
Isaiah Thomas, the point guard, said Boston got what it wanted as far as shots in Game 1. The Celtics just have to make more than the 23% they converted in the first half Saturday when they fell behind by 19.
Big or small, the Celtics still have to replace Bradley’s steady 15 points and defensive presence. Turner will be the first into that breach.
