Myles Turner quotes Drake’s hit song ‘Nonstop’ amid battling through finger dislocation

Myles Turner sustained a severe injury in the second quarter of the Indiana Pacers’ game against the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. While attempting a dunk, Turner forcefully hit his hand on the rim and dislocated his right forefinger. The Pacers were forced to call a timeout due to the injury.

During the brief intermission, it was reported that Turner’s finger, which had been dislocated, was put back in place so that he could take two free throws. Although he returned to the game, the center opted to use his left hand to shoot the shots. He missed the first attempt but successfully made the second.

Following the game, Myles Turner took to Instagram to share his thoughts:

“Give me my respect,

“Give me my respect

“I just took it left

“Like I’m Ambidex’”

The excerpt was extracted from Drake’s 2018 hit single “Nonstop.” Within the song, the rapper made multiple references to basketball, including a mention of LeBron James wearing both the No. 6 and No. 23 jerseys. It was fitting that Turner chose a few lines from that popular track to describe his unexpected left-handed shot.

Upon his return to the court, Turner was not present for the second half due to the Indiana Pacers’ need for further testing on his finger. Coach Rick Carlisle later confirmed that the test results were negative, but it is still uncertain if Turner will be able to play on Wednesday.

On the said date, Indiana will once again face Brooklyn, but the availability of their big man remains uncertain.

The Pacers’ Success Hinges on the Return of Myles Turner

The Indiana Pacers (43-33) remained in sixth place in the Eastern Conference after defeating the Brooklyn Nets 133-111.

Despite holding the third seed in their conference, the Pacers are only one and 2.5 games ahead of the Miami Heat (41-33) and Philadelphia 76ers (40-35). Therefore, it is crucial for head coach Rick Carlisle to have Myles Turner back in the lineup quickly, as they cannot afford to lose ground in their conference rankings.

If Turner is unable to play at full capacity, it will be a major issue for Carlisle’s lineup as he is the only true center. While the Pacers do have Obi Toppin and Jalen Smith, they are not as strong defensively as Turner, who has been a defensive stalwart throughout his career.

With the presence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bam Adebayo, Joel Embiid, and Kristaps Porzingis at the conference, Turner’s return will be crucially important.

Despite his dislocated finger potentially impacting his performance for the rest of the season, Myles Turner’s exceptional skills in rim protection and shooting from the outside, which earned him the top spot in blocked shots in both 2018-19 and 2020-21, will be greatly missed.