Handing out alternative awards for the first quarter of the 2012-13 season
Evan Turner is shooting an astonishing 45.9 percent from deep after hitting only 22.4 percent of his three-pointers last year. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
By Rob Mahoney
With the first quarter of the season behind us, and the regular award updates already squared away by our own Ben Golliver, I instead opted to partake in the long-existing Internet practice of handing out made-up awards. Read, applaud politely for the winners and dispute away in the comments:
? MOST UNEXPECTED SKILL IMPROVEMENT: Evan Turner?s three-point shooting
Tons of players have added new wrinkles to their games this year, but no development has been more astonishing than Turner?s 45.9-percent shooting from beyond the arc ? a mark that more than doubles his 22.4 percent of last season. Turner has some interesting facets to his game, but going into this season it was difficult to envision what a successful role might look like for such a strange player. A good isolation option, but not the most effective wing within a conventional offense, his skills often overlapped with Jrue Holiday?s, making it tricky to manage the pair offensively at times. But the ability for Turner to spot up on the three-point line ? especially from the corners ? has been a wonderful surprise for the Sixers? offense.
Dec 19, 2012
The Rise Of Evan Turner
By Warren Shaw
Evan Turner
Expectations, whether they are fair or not, can sometimes ruin a player?s career, especially for those selected near the top of the NBA Draft. If selecting in the top-five, teams plan on getting a franchise changer, even if that player is a ?project? that may take a few years to develop.
When the Philadelphia 76ers took Evan Turner with the second pick in the 2010 Draft after a dismal 27-55 season, it was with the hope he would be the guy to lead them into their next era of success. They had already drafted Jrue Holiday, and realized that while Andre Iguodala was a very good player, he wasn?t a franchise player they could build their team around.
With Turner coming off one of the most impressive collegiate seasons in recent history, Philly expected greatness from the 6-7 swingman. What ensued was disappointment.
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Turner's motivation to be great paying off
December 19, 201
Evan Turner is averaging career-highs in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, three-point percentage and free throw percentage. (USA Today Images)
Motivation can come from many directions for professional athletes. Some channel the struggles from their everyday circumstances into success. Some athletes suffer crumbling setbacks only to rededicate themselves and rise to new heights. Meanwhile, some people are born motivated -- the only kick in the pants they need is already there when they wake up in the morning.
Which Philadelphia athlete do you think resembles the latter profile the most? For me, it?s Evan Turner. In fact, Turner embodies a part of each of those three ideals.
Some people were prepared to write off the 6-7 guard/forward after he was slow to emerge in his first and second seasons. Not so fast. The second overall pick admitted to shooting over 50,000 shots this summer to prepare for the season. The guy just wants to be great.
In two full years he?s played off and on at three different positions and has finally started to flourish in his third season starting at small forward. Turner wanted to extend his shooting range to the three-point line. After seeking some advice he decided to begin with the shortest three-pointer on the court in the baseline corner. Smart move. Turner shot about 27 percent from distance for his career coming into the season, but is over 46 percent just past the quarter pole of this season. Again, the guy just wants to be great.
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Inside the Sixers: Sixers should consider trading Evan Turner for a big man
John Mitchell
Posted: Saturday, January 12, 2013
Following a 26-point, nine-rebound game in a 103-71 victory over Boston on March 7 last season, 76ers coach Doug Collins was clear about who Evan Turner is.
"Evan needs the ball," Collins said. "He's a totally different player when he has the ball in his hands."
Turner agrees. Given the choice, Turner would always prefer to have the ball in his hands. But this possibility dissipated, probably forever in Philadelphia, when the Sixers awarded Jrue Holiday a four-year, $41 million contact.
As things have gone from mediocre to awful this season, the 15-22 Sixers have to at least consider moving someone, and Turner, the No. 2 overall pick in 2010, is probably their most attractive piece at the moment.
The Sixers have lost 16 of their last 21 games. They have dropped their last four by an average of more than 21 points. In those four games their defense has been like a sieve, allowing 57 points on average in the second half.
This could be considered a slump if the Sixers had the wherewithal to turn things around. But with the current roster, they don't.
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DaveyBoy;2290676; said:
