Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner faced his former team, the Indiana Pacers, on Monday. It was a highly anticipated return for the big man since he spent 10 seasons with the franchise that drafted him. He joined the Pacers’ rival team over the summer, which they defeated twice in a row in the playoffs. Given the established rivalry, fans were hurt that Turner joined the Milwaukee team.
The former Texas center signed a four-year, $107 million contract to play for the Bucks. After making it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000, many thought that the Pacers would do everything to keep their core. However, the torn Achilles tendon injury to Tyrese Haliburton changed their plans, leading Turner to move on from them.
In his first game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as a member of the Bucks, many were expecting that fans would cheer for him. Unfortunately, the fans felt betrayed that Turner left to join a rival team.
Myles Turner and the Bucks had the last laugh and left Indiana with a 117-115 victory. Following the contest, the big man even joked about seeing the visitor’s locker room for the first time.
“I was joking with the guys I’ve never even seen the visitor’s locker room, that I didn’t even know what it looked like, so definitely just a different territory to say the least,” he said. “I’ve never been on this side of things.”
The Pacers gave him a heartwarming tribute for the time he spent playing for the city.
welcome back, Myles.
here’s to a decade representing the Blue & Gold 💙💛 pic.twitter.com/4VnarntxtK
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) November 4, 2025
He also took the time to clarify his past comments. According to Turner, he wanted to join a team that would remain competitive and “celebrate him.” However, fans misinterpreted his statement.
“In no way was I talking about this city, was I talking about my time here. None of that. They say all the time this league’s a business, and I got my first real taste of what that business (during the offseason),” Turner said.
How did Myles Turner play against the Pacers?
Myles Turner’s first game against the Pacers was quiet. He played a solid brand of basketball and did not do too much on the floor. He finished with nine points and seven rebounds. The two-time block champion showed off his defensive tenacity with his five blocks against his former team.
Giannis Antetokounmpo did most of the work for the Bucks. He had 33 points, 13 rebounds, five assists and two steals. The Greek Freak shocked the Pacers fans in the final possession of the game when he hit a turnaround basket to give Milwaukee its fifth win of the season.
The next game for Turner and the Bucks will be on Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
