Did Andre Iguodala Elbow Evan Turner?

A video has made the rounds the last few days of the Sixers’ Andre Iguodala elbowing Evan Turner in the chest in the fourth quarter of last Friday’s victory over Milwaukee, but Iguodala informed reporters Monday things are not always as they appear – that far from showing up the rookie, he was trying to encourage him.

The incident occurred with seven minutes left in a game the Sixers would go on to win 95-94. Turner caught the ball in the left corner, then lost it out of bounds. As he was walking back toward the middle of the court, he was talking with center Spencer Hawes, who was out near the top of the circle. And Hawes made a shooting motion with his right hand, as if to say that Turner should have fired away.

It was just about then that Turner crossed paths with Iguodala, who gave him a shot in the chest – something Turner dismissed as a “misunderstanding.”

“Spencer wanted him to take the shot, and he didn’t,” Iguodala said after Monday’s 96-92 victory over Charlotte. “Both of them were frustrated with each other. I let Evan know to have confidence in himself. I don’t care if he shoots it or not.

“Evan kind of reacted (to Hawes). I was letting him know that you can’t react. You’ve got to stay even keel throughout the game. I was only upset because of how he reacted.”