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Even as the Indiana Pacers advance to the 2025 NBA Finals, Myles Turner knows they are still not a big-market team. But after beating the New York Knicks to clinch the Eastern Conference Finals, the center knows his team does not need attention to “get results.”
After the win, Turner said he sees fans acknowledging they watched the Pacers play for the first time in the Eastern Conference Finals. As a 10-year veteran of the team, Turner is used to the lack of attention Indiana gets, but said his team “thrives” in that environment.
“A lot of people are seeing us play for the first time in this playoff series,” Turner said on SportsCenter. “That's how it is here. We don't get a lot of TV games. People don't really pay attention to us until we make them pay attention, but we thrive with that. We understand that we're not the sexiest team, but we get results.”
Myles Turner on people doubting the Pacers:
"We don't get a lot of TV games, people don't really pay attention to us until we make them pay attention but we thrive with that. We understand that (we're) not the sexiest team but we get results" pic.twitter.com/phZfINIWd4
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) June 1, 2025
Turner, the longest-tenured player on the team, is the Pacers' unofficial emotional leader. Though Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam are the team's stars, Turner is easily the energizer who leads his teammates into battle every night.
Turner did not have the best series against the Knicks, averaging just 13.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. However, his shot-blocking and floor-spacing skills were invaluable against Karl-Anthony Towns on both ends of the court. Turner routinely forced Towns into foul trouble throughout the series, using his poor decision-making against him.
Myles Turner reaches first career NBA Finals with Pacers
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Given his history with the team, the Pacers' Eastern Conference Finals victory meant more to Turner than any other player on the team. The 29-year-old center was visibly emotional on the court after the game and addressed the crowd at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, thanking them for their support throughout his decade-long professional career.
Speaking on Indiana's lack of nationwide attention, Turner touched on how strong the Pacers' chemistry has been all year. He believes part of the reason the team is not popular among the general fan base is their lack of big-name stars, but he feels that it benefits their success.
“I think the years of super teams and stacking, it's not as effective as it once was,” Turner said in his post-game presser. “Since I've been in the league, the NBA is very trendy. But the new trend now is kind of what we're doing. OKC does the same thing. Young guys get out and run, defend, and use the power of friendship, is how they call it.”
"The new trend now is just kind of what we're doing. OKC does the same thing … use the 'power of friendship' as how they call it."
Myles Turner on the NBA trending away from super teams ✍️ pic.twitter.com/BRjPb3Y8fF
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 1, 2025
In the last decade, the Pacers' midseason trade for Pascal Siakam was their only major acquisition. They also acquired Haliburton from the Sacramento Kings in 2022, but that transaction occurred before the guard grew into the player he is now. Otherwise, Indiana built its team solely on the so-called “power of friendship” that Turner acknowledged.
