Turner_iggy

This is just the latest installment in our series, Andre Iguodala: Portrait of a Leader. But this is the first time we're not being sarcastic.

It looks like Iggy and Beaker are starting to bond. We all remember the time Iguodala shoved Evan Turner on the court. Or the time he pouted over ET getting the final shot. But now comes this, courtesy of our man Gordie Jones at Philly Sports Daily:

They have been spending more time together lately, starting when Turner gave Iguodala a ride home before the playoffs. It was an eye-opening experience, the rookie recalled.

“All he was saying was, ‘I think we can get these guys,’ ” Turner said, referring to the Heat. “Every time we had a pause in the car, [he said,] ‘I think we can beat them.’ That’s all he talked about. To see a leader like that, you definitely want to play and win for him. … I was like, ‘This dude’s a winner. All he cares about is winning.’ Every single second in the car — it might have been a 15-minute ride home — he might have mentioned beating the Heat about 100 times.”

Then, while the team was in Miami for the first two games of this series, the two of them sat down for dinner. It is not something Iguodala usually does. Normally he keeps to himself on the road.

 

Whoa. Whoa. Whoa (not a Joey Lawrence reference, you can find that here). Is that… leading? Is that Andre Iguodala taking the young puck-helmet wearing, Muppet speaking Turner under his proverbial wing and imparting him with luscious wisdom from the teat of heightened mediocrity Yes. Yes it is.

After practice on Saturday, the two even played one-on-one against each other, which is something they apparently don’t often do.

Sunday’s result? Victory, with Turner scoring 17 points and, more importantly, easing the pressure on Iguodala at the end of the game.

Of course, the Sixers lost the first three games after the car ride and are still trailing the Heat, 3-1. Sooooooo….. there’s that.