LOS ANGELES -- Evan Turner had one goal coming into his third NBA season: he wanted to be consistent.
This season, Turner had a stretch of 17 games where he averaged double-figure scoring, but in three of his last six games his scoring has dipped into single digits.
In those three games, Turner is a combined 5 of 18 from the field. Considering Turner is averaging a career-high 13 field goal attempts per game this season, he's clearly not being as aggressive offensively as he was earlier in the season.
"That is how the game goes," Turner said. "The most important thing is putting the team first. I am trying to figure it out, to tell you the truth. If I knew the answer it would be a little different. Maybe I have to run in transition a little more. One thing I do try and keep doing is rebound and kind of push it from there, but the key thing right now is to try and let the game come to me."
Turner does not want to credit the opposition for putting top defenders on him like Memphis' Tony Allen and Portland's Nicolas Batum.
"I don't worry about defenders -- I can get my shot off any time I want," Turner said. "I can score on anybody. In certain situations I have to find opportunities to get going. It doesn't matter the defender. I am too old to be worried about defenders."
Jrue Holiday takes some responsibility for Turner's dip in field goal attempts. Holiday is coming off a 29-point performance against the Trail Blazers, in which he took 23 shots to get there. In the win against the Grizzlies when Turner was 0 for 4 from the field, Holiday was 5 of 16.
NBA
"I think I took Evan's shots the last two games," Holiday said. "Really, I just need to get Evan shots where he likes them. He likes them in the post, he can get them in transition. When he gets the ball off the board, instead of me running to go get it, I should run the sideline and let Evan handle the ball in transition and hopefully he gets off from there."
Turner is a known perfectionist who wants the ball in his hands. It makes sense that if he's not scoring, he would therefore consider himself in a slump -- that is the mentality of anyone who considers themselves a scorer, first and foremost.
"I try and help the team out the best way I can," Turner said. "Whatever comes out in each situation I just try to help the team. I think of myself as a basketball player in general. I am confident I can do a lot on the court. I have confidence I can play at a high level -- the top level -- so I just have to keep rolling and keep a consistency."
E-mail Dei Lynam at dlynam@comcastsportsnet.com