Myles Turner opened this season with a security-assuring multi-year contract, but also with plenty of skeptics who doubted whether he deserved it.
Now, heading into the final 24 games of the season - the sprint to the finish line that comes following the All-Star break - nobody is questioning Turner's value to the Pacers. He leads the NBA in blocked shots (2.7) and is hitting 41 percent of his 3-point field goal attempts, the reflection of a rare skill set for any player, but particularly a 22-year-old with plenty of time to reach his peak.
The break that ends with Friday's game against New Orleans at Bankers Life Fieldhouse appears to be a natural transition period for Turner, because the mask is coming off.