Who would’ve thought that we’d be here after 3 games in the NBA Finals? Most fans didn’t expect that the Pacers would win even 1 out of the 3 games so far. But they head into Game 4 at home with a chance to take a 3-1 lead in the series. After Indiana stole Game 3 with Myles Turner playing through what sounded like the plague (nasty cold), everyone’s wondering: Will their defensive anchor be back to full strength for Game 4?

First, let’s talk about that Game 3 performance from Myles Turner. While the box score shows a modest 9 points, the real story was his five blocks – the most in a Finals game in three years. And he did it while reportedly feeling like death warmed over. The big man turned into a human flyswatter in the fourth quarter, swatting Chet Holmgren twice in the clutch and completely changing how OKC attacked the rim.

With T. J. McConnell adding 5 steals, the duo became the first teammates with 5+ blocks and 5+ steals in a Finals game since Allen Iverson and Dikembe Mutombo in 2001. Turner’s aggressive pick-and-roll defense (jumping out on 52% of screens compared to 20% in Games 1-2) threw the Thunder’s rhythm out the window, proving Indiana’s defense can win games even when their offense sputters.

Now for the million-dollar question: Is Myles Turner playing tonight? Take a deep breath, Pacers fans. After coach Rick Carlisle’s cryptic “He’s not coming to media. He was there for our film session, and he’s going home. Hopefully, he’ll feel better tomorrow. We’ll see,” Turner has officially been cleared for Game 4. The big man is off the injury report and ready to protect the rim at full strength.

On the injury front, the Pacers will once again be without rookie forward Jarace Walker (ankle), though he’s been spotted moving without crutches in recent days. The good news? Tyrese Haliburton’s leg soreness isn’t serious enough to land him on the injury report, and the bench mob – including Game 3 heroes Bennedict Mathurin and T. J. McConnell – are all systems go.

And that’s why Turner’s health matters more than any single stat line. While Indiana’s stars provide the fireworks, Turner’s been the foundation, anchoring the league’s most improved defense while stretching offenses to their breaking point.

How Myles Turner’s Defense and Floor Spacing Fueled Indiana’s Finals Surge

Of course, everyone’s raving about Haliburton’s flashy dimes and Siakam’s big buckets—because apparently, defense and spacing aren’t sexy enough. But while those two grab headlines, Myles Turner has been over here doing the dirty work that’s actually winning Indiana games.

Let’s start with the obvious: Turner is the reason the Pacers’ defense doesn’t completely fall apart. Sure, he is averaging 14.9 points, 4.9 rebounds 2.3 blocks in these playoffs. But that number doesn’t account for all the shots he doesn’t block because opponents suddenly remember they’d rather not get humiliated at the rim. In Game 3, while fighting off what sounded like the flu from hell, he still managed to break a 12-year-old record. He sent five Thunder shots into the stands—two of them courtesy of Chet Holmgren in the fourth quarter.

And then there’s the offense. While traditional centers clog the paint, Turner casually strolls out to the three-point line. He knocks down shots at a 39.6% clip. Oklahoma City’s bigs now face an impossible choice: guard him at the arc and watch Haliburton waltz into the lane, or stay home and pray Turner misses. Spoiler: he usually doesn’t.

So yeah, Turner won’t get the viral highlights or the MVP chants. But if the Pacers finish this Cinderella run with a ring, maybe—just maybe—people will finally give the man his due. Until then, he’ll just keep quietly winning games. While everyone else gets the credit. Typical.