Myles Turner Still Haunted by Pacers’ 2025 Finals Loss

More than a year after coming within a single victory of an NBA championship, center Myles Turner remains haunted by the 2025 NBA Finals loss while maintaining firm belief that he will return to the sport’s biggest stage, according to an interview published by NBC Sports.

Playing alongside Tyrese Haliburton, Turner and the Indiana Pacers reached the championship round before dropping a decisive Game 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Reflecting on the series in an interview with NBC Sports, Turner described the lasting impact of seeing a career-defining opportunity slip away.

Injury and Luck Cost Pacers the Title

The center pointed to the severe injury suffered by his point guard at the time as a turning point that severely diminished the Pacers’ chances of closing out the series.

Yet the most vivid memory for Turner remains the tactical positioning at the midway point of the deciding game. “Personally, it was above all the fact of returning to the locker room at halftime with the lead in the score and of really having a chance to win the match,” Turner said. He added that capturing a title requires convergence of multiple factors, noting that “part of it is also a question of luck. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough of it.”

Contract Disagreements and the Move to Milwaukee

Following the 2024–25 campaign with Indiana, Turner’s career trajectory shifted significantly. While the Bucks endured a difficult season missing the playoffs—prompting Antetokounmpo’s subsequent departure to Miami—Turner remains under contract in Milwaukee for two more seasons.

Meanwhile, with Haliburton returning to health, the Pacers enter the new season positioned much higher in the Eastern Conference hierarchy than the Bucks. Across his decade-long career, Turner’s statistical output has reflected reliable production. During his final season in Indiana (2024–25), he averaged 15.6 points and 6.5 rebounds across 72 appearances while shooting 39.6 percent from beyond the arc. In his subsequent 2025–26 campaign with Milwaukee, he averaged 11.9 points and 5.3 rebounds over 71 games.

Chasing Another Opportunity on the Grandest Stage

Despite playing for a rebuilding Milwaukee squad rather than a championship contender, Turner insists his competitive fire burns brighter than ever. Contrasting his mindset with players who secure titles and lean on past achievements, he views the near-miss as an open door.

“I know I’ll get back to the Finals. It’s something I repeat to myself, that I say out loud, and I just want to keep working to get there,” Turner stated. Acknowledging the physical and mental hurdles ahead, he emphasized his readiness for the grind: “It’s not going to be handed to me on a silver platter: at the end of the day, there will be trials and difficulties to overcome to get there, and I’m ready to face all of that.”