Turner says Butler heats up C’s-Philly
PORTLAND, Ore. – Considering that Evan Turner spent the majority of his career in the uniforms of the Celtics and Sixers, he has a particular interest in what Jimmy Butler’s arrival will do to goose the renewed rivalry further.
“Are you nervous?” the Portland swingman said when asked about the blockbuster trade between Philadelphia and Minnesota.
“It’s gonna be good. I’m gonna be sitting back with popcorn watching it,” said Turner. “Great series is what you want, especially for the game of basketball. Great matchups, great rivalries make a storied game. It’s gonna be big time.
“Gonna be crazy, man. I know (the Celtics) have been going back and forth with them a little bit, you add weapons and then they add one. So the energy works for that whole Boston/Philly battle.”
Turner, who has one of the better, more humorous imaginations in the league, then allowed himself to fantasize a little bit.
“You guys are going to bring me back one day, whether it’s GM or a president,” he joked, we think. “I don’t know if Danny (Ainge) or them are going to be done. Or just as one of the players, I’ll get my sixth-man award or something, and then I’ll go do the (Andre) Iguodala thing. I’ll get finals MVP, and me and Brad ride off into the sunset together with Brady. So I think obviously he’s probably just trying to figure out a way to get me back and go get that championship. That’s the only way I can see it working.”
Brady being Brady Stevens, the coach’s son, not that other guy.
Turner struck up a close friendship with Brady Stevens during his Celtic years, though time has gotten in the way to a certain degree.
“He’s probably into girls and all that stuff now, man,” said Turner. “He’s a good looking kid now, man. But that’s my guy. Obviously I talk to Brad. We text and stuff.”
Theis ready to roll
Daniel Theis, who has been shooting off to the side during this trip, was upgraded to probable for last night’s game.
The big forward has been recovering from a partially torn plantar fascia in his right foot. Originally expected to have his foot in a therapeutic boot for two weeks, Theis was allowed to scrap the boot early. Heading into last night, he had missed six straight games because of the injury.
His quick recovery came as something of a surprise.
“I was told that he would recover well and it wouldn’t be as bad as it sounded, but I wouldn’t have guessed two weeks and a day,” said Brad Stevens. “So that was a pleasant surprise this morning.
“Yeah it is (quick),” he said. “Two weeks and one day. I was first told it could be anywhere from two to six, depending on how it really recovered. As he continued to progress, he’s felt great. So he’s ready to roll.”
Theis is grateful for that much. “It’s been a long trip on the road, so I’m happy I can get at least one game at the end of the trip so I can play,” he said, adding that he wasn’t surprised by his early return.
“I was hoping the whole time. The medical staff said we have to be patient, season is long, I was hoping for one game on this road trip,” he said. “I got no pain, I worked out yesterday, I had a pretty tough workout, especially the check if I would be able to play and see how I played this morning. I think I passed it.
“No (pain) so it’s good. I think if I still felt pain, I wouldn’t play. So that’s why I’m positive, so if I play, I play pain free and I can go all in. It took some time (for the pain to go away).
“When I had the boot on, I was off my feet for like three days, so I wasn’t able to run. So we built up slowly over the 10-, 11-day trip. So we built up slowly the volume of running, lifting, all that stuff.”
Turner touts Smart
Count Turner among those cheering for Marcus Smart when the Celtics guard signed his new contract last summer.
“It’s big-time. One thing I say about Smart is he’s always been a team type of guy, like a runthrough-the-wall for you type of dude,” said Turner. “So I never once heard him say anything egotistical or commenting on it always being about him.
“So I think for him to be rewarded that way, financially, on top of staying in a city like Boston, is what he deserves. He’s just an unbelievable teammate, an unbelievable person. Nobody deserves better.”