Evan Turner Says Kyle Korver “Can’t Guard To Save His Life”

Kyle Korver, Evan Turner (Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports)

 

The bucket was as big as a bath tub for Hawks sharpshooter Kyle Korver last night during Atlanta’s 109-105 win over the Celtics at Philips Arena. But the C’s were prepared for the onslaught, assigning Evan Turner to mark Korver. Except, as Turner said after the game, he felt the Atlanta three-point ace got an unfair advantage from the refs. Turner even denigrated Korver’s defense by saying, “he has no business being in the game on the defensive end.”

Korver finished 8-for-9 from the field including 6-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc for a team-high 24 points on the night. Turner didn’t think Korver’s spectacular night shooting the ball was added by a cozy relationship with the people in white and black calling the game. Korver, who played over 37 minutes on the night and added six rebounds and four assists to his 24 points, didn’t get whistled for a foul all night.

By way of Pro Basketball Talk, comes Turner’s complaints to the Boston Globe‘s Gary Washburn:

“They started pressuring and it’s tough to score when you have two hands inside your jersey as well,” he said. “At the same time, I got a foul call on Korver and they said I pushed him and tripped him and he just fell. He can’t guard to save his life and he’s grabbing Marcus Thornton and he’s grabbing me and he has no business being in the game on the defensive end but what can you possibly do if they’re allowed to have their hands on you?”

Turner added that the Hawks, “played a great game,” he just thought the foul discrepancy — 20 for the C’s and 14 for the Hawks despite, as Washburn mentions, an increased defensive intensity in the second half — was an advantage.

The Celtics Six Man added 12 points (5/7) off the bench, but Korver certainly got the better of him on the night. While the former Creighton shooter isn’t renowned for his defense, he certainly made up for it on the offensive end Tuesday night:

(Boston Globe; video via DownToBuck H/T PBT)

Do you agree with Turner?

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