UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Carmelo Anthony seemed a bit incredulous. It was, after all, an exhibition game. But that didn't stop Evan Turner from hounding Anthony and barking at him on the court and on the bench. Now here the two were shoving each other a bit after a whistle. Anthony shot Turner a glance as if to say, "C'mon, man, it's the preseason!"

Evan Turner pestered the Knicks' Carmelo Anthony physically and verbally during Saturday's exhibition. AP Photo/Jessica Hill

The Boston Celtics were wrapping up a stretch of four games in six nights on Saturday by playing the second night of a back-to-back against the New York Knicks. The game required a two-hour, traffic-deterred bus ride from Waltham, Massachusetts to Mohegan Sun, where most of the Celtics involved probably would have rather spent a couple of hours wandering the gaming floor than the parquet floor in front of a crowd that would flee before the final horn sounded to do just that.

Turner, sporting a pair of reading glasses, walked through the locker room an hour before tip-off, fresh from his latest film session as he tries to get himself up to speed with the team's playbook and principles. The Celtics have asked Turner to learn three positions, including a point guard spot he hasn't played since college because of the need for a ball-handler while Rajon Rondo recovers from hand surgery.

For Turner, that represents an opportunity -- and an opportunity is what he needs. Still only 25, Turner is essentially a reclamation project, a player who can't be referenced without noting his draft status -- second overall in 2010, if you haven't heard -- and who was jettisoned by the Philadelphia 76ers last season and failed to impact the Indiana Pacers' playoff run. Not many teams called this offseason and Turner patiently waited for Boston's roster to unclog before signing a modest two-year, $6.7 million deal with hopes of restoring his value on a team trying to reestablish itself.

Now every second matters to Turner, regardless of whether it's practice reps, film sessions or preseason game action. And that's why he was out there on Saturday harassing Anthony. Turner never has been regarded as a particularly inspired defender, but he's been challenged to become one with the Celtics. And one night after chasing Toronto's DeMar DeRozan, Turner gamely checked Anthony -- maybe a little too intensely for what New York's star player expected out of a breezy exhibition.

"Evan is a prideful guy," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. "When you're a former national player of the year, who is a guy that wasn't all that heavily sought after coming out of high school, he's got a little chip on his shoulder.

"We talked about one of the things we are excited about the addition of Evan for us is that he's got even more hunger added to his norm, just because of the way last year ended for him. And I think he's looking at it as a fresh start and a start that he can take advantage of. He's certainly done that. I very much trust him in the game right now."

(Read full story)