Nate Taylor

nate.taylor@indystar.com

Pacers at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. Friday, Fox Sports Indiana & ESPN

Larry Bird knew he was not doing Myles Turner a favor. Bird, the Indiana Pacers’ team president, felt Turner, the 20-year-old phenom, needed to be the team’s starting center after last season ended.

Yet Bird knew that meant the Pacers’ youngest player would be asked to bang in the paint with the biggest, fiercest and toughness players in the NBA. Turner, as the Pacers reached the midway point of the season in their win Wednesday over the Sacramento Kings, has accepted the challenge.

One of the biggest reasons Bird is optimistic about the second half of the Pacers’ season is that Turner is starting to thrive in his new role.

“You forget the fact that he’s a young man playing in a men’s league,” Bird said of Turner in telephone interview Friday. “I always say throwing that kid out there – what I did to him this year – is really unheard of. His body is not mature for where it’s going to be in a couple years. You’re our starting center. Go out and get Dwight Howard. That’s a tough assignment. The other night, playing against DeMarcus (Cousins), probably the best big man in the league. Those are tough chores, but the kid doesn’t back down.”

Turner had one of his best defensive halves of the season Wednesday, guarding Cousins well enough in the second half for the Pacers to rally from a 22-point deficit. Turner also scored 16 points and collected five rebounds.

In 40 games this season, Turner is averaging 15.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. He is shooting 52.9 percent from the field and an impressive 42.9 percent behind the arc.

“He plays hard,” Bird said of Turner. “He works hard. He wants to be great. He’s going to be great. To me, I think he’s got a chance to be one of the best players or maybe the best player (in the franchise’s history). You’ve still Paul (George) with a bunch of time left, too, and you had Reggie (Miller) here with all the other great ones. But being a 20-year-old and doing what this kid is doing just blows my mind.”

Bird emphasized that the Pacers are still led by George, the team’s perennial All-Star small forward. But Bird believes Turner will continue to mature and grow playing alongside George and Jeff Teague.

Although Turner has played in just 100 career regular season games, Bird expects Turner and George to become a more formidable duo in the future.

“He’s still playing with Paul George and Paul gets a little frustrated at him at times, but night-in and night-out that kid battles you,” Bird said. “With his work ethic, his desire, his mentality to be great, I think the future is unbelievable for that young man.”

Bird is among many in the NBA who have been impressed with Turner’s rapid development.

“Turner is going to be a superstar,” Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers said in December. “I think no one will argue that. In fact, it will probably happen quicker than any of us thought. He’s special.”

George said his teammate was one of “the best up-and-coming talents in the league” in July after the after Turner participated in the USA Basketball camp as a member of the USA Select team that helped train George and the rest of the national team for the Olympics.

Bird, who was a Hall of Fame player with the Boston Celtics, was known for his tireless workouts. He called Turner a relentless worker. Bird is eager to see how much Turner improves in terms of his strength and understanding of how to be an elite rebounder.

But with Turner’s ability to shoot, block shots and play aggressive defense, Bird is already appreciative how much he has marveled at his sophomore center.

“For what we did, to just throw him in there and say good luck, he’s done remarkable,” Bird said. He later added: “He got his feet wet last year and this year just throw him in there and go get them. He’s done pretty good. He’s 20 years old. I couldn’t imagine doing that at 20 years old in this league.”

Call IndyStar reporter Nate Taylor at (317) 444-6484. Follow him on Twitter:@ByNateTaylor.

Get insight on the Pacers by downloading our app: http://bit.ly/1BR4fDs

Pacers at Lakers, 10:30 p.m. Friday, Fox Sports Indiana & ESPN