Sixers vs. Celtics: Evan Turner Cracks the Starting Lineup

According to a tweet from Michael Preston, Director of Public Relations for the Philadelphia 76ers, Evan Turner and rookie Nikola Vucevic will both start their second game in a row on Wednesday in a critical matchup with the Boston Celtics. 

Turner, the second year man out of Ohio State, started his first game of the season on Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks, and to the disappointment of Sixer fans, he failed to impress yet again.

Turner's struggles have been well documented, leading many to second guess the former All-American, even provoking thoughts of a possible trade .

On Monday evening Turner was a ghastly 1-of-12 shooting from the field, scoring only two points in 32 minutes of work. Given the boost in minutes, many figured Turner would seize the moment. He couldn't capitalize. 

However, tonight presents a shot at redemption. The Sixers will face off against the Boston Celtics at the Wells Fargo Center, a game that could factor into the playoff picture in just a few short weeks .

The Sixers hold a slim one-game lead over the Celtics, and a Boston victory tonight would complete a changing of the guard atop the Atlantic that has been in the works since before the NBA All-Star Break.

His shooting aside, Turner was an efficient team player Monday night, grabbing 12 rebounds and handing out four assists.

While it's easy to point to Turner's poor shooting numbers on Monday night, the lineup changes that coach Doug Collins employed were actually quite effective.

Jodie Meeks, the team's usual starting shooting guard, came off of the bench to the tune of 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting, busting a slump that dated back to the dog days of February.

Meeks bolsters the NBA's strongest bench, and he no longer has to carry around the burden of guarding opposing shooting guards.

Turner is a much more efficient defender, and the Sixers will need everything he has on Wednesday night as he's sure to see plenty of Paul Pierce.