Why Giannis & Myles Turner Is The Perfect Frontcourt Duo!
Last season, only six big men in the entire NBA averaged at least four three-point attempts per game and knocked them down at over 38%. Now, if we raise the bar just slightly from four attempts per game to five, only two names remain. Chrisaps Porzingis and Miles Turner. That’s how scarce elite high volume shooting bigs really are. And now the Bucks have just landed one of them. We all know the kind of spacing nightmares elite stretch bigs can create for opposing defenses and Turner thrives in those situations. Watch this play against the Nuggets. Denver’s running a catch hedge pick and roll coverage whereby the screener’s defender, in this case DeAndre Jordan, steps up to the level of the screen, not to blitz, but to buy his guard time to recover back to the ball handler. It’s designed to deter a pull-up jumper from Matanin. Turner recognizing the pocket of space left behind, makes the smart read to roll hard into the lane, giving Matarin a clean passing window. The result, an easy finish at the rim and arguably should have been an and one. A few minutes later in that same game, Turner hands it off to Nesmith to initiate the same pick and roll action. But this time, Turner, already one step ahead after recognizing how the Nuggets were defending it earlier, pulls off a clever adjustment. Instead of setting a traditional screen, he slips into a ghost screen and dives straight toward the paint, exploiting the open space and putting even more pressure on the defense. Yokic and MPJ do a solid job of denying the direct pass to Turner, but Nesmith makes the right read and swings it to Nemhard, who quickly fires it inside to Turner for an easy dunk. Later in that game, Denver tweaks their coverage, sending an extra defender, Christian Brown, to rotate over and contain Turner on the roll. But once again, Turner reads the play perfectly. He realizes the paint is no longer the space to exploit. So instead of diving to the rim, he pops out to the top of the ark. Hallebertton finds him with a pinpoint pass and Turner calmly knocks down the wideopen three. I highlighted these sequences to showcase just how intelligent and instinctual Turner is as a read and react player. He understands that his three-point shooting is a weapon, but he doesn’t rely on it every time. When teams try to switch on those pick and rolls, he’ll drag smaller defenders into the post and punish them there. It’s never a predetermined move with Turner. He reads the coverage, identifies the mismatch or the space, and makes the smartest decision to help his team. Whether that’s popping out for a three, rolling hard to the rim, or collapsing the defense and kicking it out to a wideopen shooter for three easy points. Now, picture a Giannis Turner pick and roll next season. Giannis was one of the most dominant pick and roll initiators in the league last year, averaging a full point per possession and ranking in the 82nd percentile in that category. He outproduced elite names like Tatum, Durant, Pao, and even LeBron when initiating the pick and roll. Now, pair him with Turner, one of the most versatile scoring threats as a role man, and you’re looking at what could be one of the most lethal pick and roll duos in the entire league. But Turner’s value doesn’t stop at on ball actions. Off the ball, he’s just as impactful. He has a natural feel for finding space, whether it’s slipping into a gap for an easy bucket or subtly shifting to open a driving lane for a teammate. Take this transition play for example. Nemhard receives a pass from Hallebertton and looks to attack the paint. Gobear, seeing this, slides over to help on the drive, but Turner, reading the situation, nudges slightly into open space inside the paint. Nemhar drops it off and Turner calmly finishes with a soft floater. It looks simple, a slight relocation into a basic catch into an easy finish. But that subtle movement is what separates instinctual players from the rest. Most bigs would have just stood there clogging the lane or fading into the background. But Turner, he turns those small windows into high percentage scoring opportunities. Here’s another clip that highlights just how smart and reactive Turner can be. Koozma does a great job staying in front of Seakkum, cutting off the drive and forcing him to pick up his dribble and settle for a tough shot. But instead of standing around and waiting for the rebound, Turner reads the play early. He spaces out perfectly, positioning himself as an easy outlet for Siakum, who hits him with a quick pass. Giannis is just a step late on the contest, and Turner calmly knocks down the mid-range jumper. These are the subtle offball reads that make Turner such a unique threat on offense. Constantly active, constantly thinking, and constantly thriving in those chaotic moments. And when you pair that with someone like Giannis, who demands so much defensive attention, it opens up even more for a player like Turner to operate freely and punish defenses. Even when he’s involved in the primary action, Turner’s impact doesn’t stop here. He starts by setting a screen to get Hallebertton open for a handoff with Nemhard. The Hornets switch it well, cutting off Nemhard’s drive. But Turner doesn’t stand still. He immediately sets a clean offball screen for Hallebertton, who then receives the pass and looks to attack. He beats Curry off the dribble, drawing a rotation from Nerkage. Turner sees Nerkage stepping up and instinctively pops out to the perimeter. Hallebertton kicks it out and Turner drills a high arcing three right over Curry. This is the kind of quick decision-making that separates Turner, making reads in real time, flowing within the offense without ever forcing it. And now he’s bringing that level of offball movement to a Bucks team that frankly hadn’t been doing that much. This past season, Milwaukee ranked bottom five in offensive movement per game. A stark contrast from a team like the Warriors, who led the league in that category thanks to their pass heavy motion-based system. Turner is going to add a new layer to this Bucks roster, a dynamic they simply haven’t had. The big question is how Doc Rivers will deploy him. Will he use Turner in a similar role to what he thrived in with the Pacers, or will he experiment, giving Turner new responsibilities within the Bucks offense? But let’s shift to the defensive side of the ball, where Turner rarely gets the credit he truly deserves. This past season, he finished third in the entire NBA in total blocks, trailing only Wemi and Brook Lopez. And while Lopez did finish with four more blocks, it took him eight extra games to get there. What really makes Turner special though isn’t just his shot blocking. It’s his ability to disrupt and dismantle offensive actions before they even develop. Just like his offensive versatility as a pick and roll or pick and pop threat, Turner brings that same adaptability on defense. He can hedge high and aggressively like on this play with Sheay, forcing him away from the paint, stalling his momentum, and giving Nemhard the extra second he needs to recover. And when Turner sees that Sheay is about to pull the trigger before the recovery is complete, he quickly switches onto him to contest the shot and prevent an open three. And when the scheme calls for drop coverage, Turner is just as effective. He’s able to contain the ball handler, cut off the drive, and still deny the passing lane to the rolling big, all while giving his guard time to fight through the screen and get back in front. Even if that pass does get through, Turner’s reaction time and mobility allow him to recover in time and challenge the shot at the rim. Now, if there’s one area where Turner shows a bit of vulnerability, it’s in switch situations. When a smaller guard or wing isolates him one-on-one, that’s when cracks begin to show. While there have been moments where Turner has held his own, more often than not, he’s struggled in these matchups. This past season, he ranked in just the 38th percentile in ISO defense. It’s a part of his game that has seen improvement over the last three years, but it’s still not a strength, and that’s something to watch closely next season with the Bucks because teams will look to exploit that mismatch when given the chance. But outside of those one-on-one scenarios, Turner is a phenomenal help defender. Whether it’s rotating off his man to cut off a drive or stunting toward the paint before recovering back to his assignment, he’s consistently alert and engaged. He thrives as a last line of defense. Exactly. the kind of rim protector the Bucks could benefit from. In fact, when it comes to defensive activity on ball and off ball, Turner stands out. His energy and awareness on that end of the floor surpass what we saw from Giannis or Lopez last season. That’s why adding a player like Turner brings so much defensive dynamism to Milwaukee. Not just on offense, but as a gamecher on the other end. It’s going to be really interesting to see how the Bucks fare with their new big man anchoring the defense. But before we wrap things up, let me know how you would grade this acquisition for the Bucks. Also, let me know which player I should do a video breakdown on next. Drop your thoughts in the comments. But until then, as always, thanks for tuning in. I appreciate the support and I can’t wait to dive into more film with you next time. KJ Martin had been starting. He’s out due to illness. Philipki, clean it up, Miles.
Why Giannis & Myles Turner Is The Perfect Frontcourt Duo!
What’s in today’s video?
Timestamps :
0:00 – Intro
0:29 – Turner’s Versatile Scoring Arsenal & Underrated P&R IQ
3:00 – Turner’s Elite Off-Ball Decision-Making In Chaotic Situations
5:51 – Turner’s Versatility In Executing Multiple Defensive Coverages
7:03 – Turner’s One Defensive Weakness
Myles Turner is one of just two big men in the entire NBA who averaged over five three-point attempts per game while shooting above 38% last season—the other being Kristaps Porziņģis. That level of high-volume, high-efficiency shooting from a center is incredibly rare, and now, the Milwaukee Bucks have added that exact weapon to their roster.
But Turner isn’t just a floor spacer. He’s a high-IQ, read-and-react player who thrives in chaos—whether it’s slipping ghost screens, popping out for a three, or dragging smaller defenders into the post. His offensive impact stretches far beyond shooting, and his ability to adapt in real-time makes him a unique threat in any system.
Now imagine Turner paired with Yiannis Antetokounmpo, one of the league’s most dominant pick-and-roll initiators. Yiannis ranked in the 82nd percentile in PnR efficiency last season—outproducing stars like Tatum, Durant, Paolo, and even LeBron. Adding Turner’s versatile skill set to that equation could create one of the deadliest pick-and-roll duos in the NBA.
In this breakdown, we’ll dive deep into what makes Turner so valuable—not just as a scorer, but as a mover without the ball, a floor spacer, and an instinctual decision-maker. We’ll also examine how he elevates Milwaukee’s defense with his rim protection, versatility in pick-and-roll coverages, and constant off-ball awareness.
Despite some weaknesses in switch situations, Turner’s overall defensive energy and mobility give Milwaukee a new anchor on the back line—one that might even rival Brook Lopez in certain areas.
So, how will Doc Rivers use Myles Turner? Will he keep him in the role he thrived in with Indiana, or tap into new layers of his game? Let’s break down the film and explore just how much of a game-changer Turner could be for the Bucks this season.
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Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for critique and education.
KEYWORDS :
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11 Comments
Great vid as a lakers fan would love to see how ayton fit with us
Im a Bucks fan, excited to see point Giannis next year!
You are so exited bout turner giannis duo, last season Giannis had dame – nothing good happen after their pick and roll, I hope Giannis will leave bucks, good vid
Great video man! Keep it up!
TD3 made a joke about the Bulls trading Coby White to the Bucks for Kuzma and a 2nd round pick. Honestly I want that so bad. This Bucks is a good player short from having a legit shot in the east.
Man if only this was happening but Giannis was going to the pacers
For me this is such a lateral move by the bucks there's barely any difference between Turner and Lopez archetype both are shot blocking stretch big but sucks at rebounding. There's no point of them waiving lillard just to enter this next with this border line play in roster should've just tanked the ssn and acquired Jrue back to them to have a contending team the following year
What the bucks need to do is bring back Mike bouzzher as the head coach and bring back drew Holliday as the back up point guard
great vid, would love to see a vid on John Collins fit with clippers
All these kuzma bricks 😂
WOWWWW. Everyone was calling this a bust and how horrible milwaukee would be and now it’s a good trade. What’s going on