Myles Turner Makes Franchise History After Breaking 12-Year Record in Pacers vs Thunder Game 3

After Game 2 victory, the Oklahoma City Thunder rolled into Game 3 thinking they could get cute at the rim. But wait, someone’s already there. Myles Turner took one look at their layup attempts and said ” Not today nuh-uh” like a bouncer at an exclusive club. Five blocks later, the man didn’t just anchor Indiana’s defense – he casually rewrote Pacers’ history while thinking about which Lego set he’s going to finish next.

Turner first politely erased Jermaine O’Neal’s career playoff blocks record that had stood since flip phones were cool. Then, because apparently breaking one franchise record per game is for amateurs, he matched Roy Hibbert’s entire 2013 postseason block total in fewer games. The Kicker? Hibbert was out there putting 8 points a game while Turner’s dropping 15 a night like it’s nothing special.

This isn’t your older brother’s rim protection. Today’s NBA asks centers to switch onto MVP candidates one possession and splash threes the next. Meanwhile, Turner is out here leading the entire playoffs in blocks while treating the Thunder like they’re trying to score on one of those Fisher Price hoops. Sophomore Chet Holmgren clocked 34 blocks only to discover Turner brought 39 and better dance moves.

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Myles Turner has passed Jermaine O’Neal to become the franchise’s playoff leader in blocks with 121. Already has two in Game 3

— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) June 12, 2025

Now the Pacers sit two wins from their first championship because their franchise center decided to turn the Finals into his personal volleyball clinic. The Thunder might want to consider taking floaters from the free throw line next game – anything to avoid Turner’s personal no-fly zone. At this rate, they’ll need to start charting flights around his airspace.

Game 4 should come with a warning label: “Caution – Contents may include more shattered dreams and broken records.” Turner’s playing like a man who realized he can single-handedly make “Pacers center” cool again. And honestly? We’re all just lucky to witness it.

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What’s Next for Myles Turner and the Pacers in the NBA Finals?

You love to see it. After years of being the “always rumored, never traded” guy, Myles Turner is having the last laugh – swatting shots and splashing threes on basketball’s biggest stage. Remember all those trade machine scenarios? The endless “perfect fit for contender” speculation? Turns out the perfect fit was right where he’d been all along.

Now the man who survived three coaches and three different rebuilds in Indiana is two wins away from delivering the ultimate payoff. That turnaround jumper he’s been honing for years? Money. Those defensive instincts that made him a shot-blocking prodigy at 19? Sharper than ever. And that three-point shot everyone said he needed to develop? Well, OKC’s currently learning that lesson the hard way.

The beauty of Turner’s game is how he’s weaponized all those “yeah, but…” critiques. “Great shot-blocker, but can he switch?” Watch him stonewall Shai on the perimeter. “Solid defender, but can he space the floor?” Ask Chet Holmgren, who’s getting a masterclass in modern big man play.

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As the Thunder scramble for answers, there’s a poetic justice brewing. The guy who was always the hypothetical piece for someone else’s championship might just get his own – while wearing the same uniform he’s had since 2015. For a league that treats loyalty like a relic, Turner’s potential triumph feels like a win for every player who ever believed in the long game.

Game 4 isn’t just another playoff contest. It’s the next chapter in one of the NBA’s most quietly compelling stories – about patience, persistence, and what happens when a franchise finally grows around its cornerstone instead of shopping him around. The rim is protected. The narrative is set. Now we see if Turner can finish what he started.