Lance Stephenson was back home for his first full season since 2013-14. It did not disappoint Pacers fans.
Indiana Lance Stephenson is back and in full effect. Once again embraced by the state of Indiana like few are, Lance brought his energy, among other things, back to the Hoosier state. He was good Lance and he was bad Lance, but most of all he was a key cog in the most fun season I’ve ever been a part of as an observer.
Lance is who he is because he brings more than just stats. When he’s focused, he brings an infectious energy and confidence that flows through the whole team. When Stephenson is in Bankers Life Fieldhouse he has the ability to rile up the home fans like only he knows how.
While good Lance is a part of the whole experience, bad Lance is as well. He’s never been one to hit threes at a high clip and sometimes his energy is more hurtful than helpful. Stephenson struggled in the first month of the season, shooting just shy of 27% from the field. He started slow with a 6-19 effort against the Nets and took some time to find a rhythm with this new Pacers squad.
Despite the rough start, Lance Stephenson found his footing as the 8th man. He bounced back with his best shooting month of the season and never really looked back. His energy and toughness was invaluable to this young Pacers team and should play a big role moving forward.
Good Lance: By the numbers
22.6 minutes per game while playing all 82 games
Possibly the most important trait in all of professional sports: availability. By far the most minutes Stephenson has played since his first stint with Indiana, Lance showed up ready to work. He had his ups and his downs, but he was on the court in every game and that should mean something.
5.2 rebounds per game
Stephenson is one of the best rebounding guards in the league. He’s relentless on the glass at times and wants to grab every ball that comes off the rim. His size and athleticism allow him to battle inside with bigger players and we know he doesn’t shy away from contact.
Yes, sometimes it can be to a fault, but too aggressive is much better than not aggressive enough.
9.2 points per game in the regular season, 10.4 points per game in the playoffs
Neither one of these numbers is incredibly impressive at first glance. But Stephenson was the second leading scorer off a bench that desperately needed scoring. His per-36 scoring numbers were actually up from his 12.9 career average to 14.7 this year.
Also, Lance seems to take his game to the next level in the playoffs. He was in attack mode from the jump against Cleveland and was a huge lift for a bench that struggled for most of the series. When Lance Stephenson is good, he’s really good.
Bad Lance: By the numbers
42.7 percent shooting from the field
The one aspect of Stephenson’s game that he has yet to find is his shooting. His form is fine, but it’s often inconsistent and his footwork is lazy. Lance is solid off the bounce and can get to the rim consistently, but that makes him so frustrating at other times. After a made basket, Stephenson has the tendency to take a bad heat-check when he could get to the rim instead.
He needs to learn to play to his strengths more often and to attack instead of settle. That being said, 43% is a workable number. If Lance can find a way to master his mid-range while taking more shots at the rim I would expect a more efficient 2018-19 season.
28.9 percent shooting from three-point range
This is the most alarming number of all. Not only does Stephenson shoot under 30% from deep, he took almost 3 triples per game; his most in a season since 2013-14 when he shot a much better percentage at 35 percent. Once again his inconsistent footwork and shot selection make him hard to play at times.
The problem is not so much his poor shooting percentage, but the fact that he shoots so many. Lance shot more threes per game than 3 point specialists Jodie Meeks and Jabari Parker while playing fewer minutes than both.
The bright side from his poor shooting from deep is that he can be a good player without it. His ability to attack and do other things well keeps him on the court. Shooting fewer threes or upping his percentage just a tad for 2018-19 may lead to one of his best seasons yet.
One gif to describe Lance Stephenson’s season and perhaps his career?
Energy, toughness and a little bit of crazy (or a lot depending on who you ask).
And we cannot forget this one? The air guitar was one of the best moments of the season:
Lance’s infectious energy and gif creating moments will always be unrivaled. There are no stats needed to prove this. He is the best entertainer in the league.
Whats Next, Lance?
So, with a solid first full season back home with the Pacers where does Lance Stephenson go from here? As beloved a role player as you’ll ever find, Lance figures to be around for a while. He’s still relatively young at 27 and skilled enough to contribute in a big way off the bench. He may never be pre-Charlotte Lance when he was a near all-star, but he doesn’t need to be.
More importantly, he knows the grass isn’t greener because he’s been there. With a team option for just over $4 million, Lance is likely to be back in the blue and gold. Even if Kevin Pritchard and co. wanted to restructure the deal it’s hard to imagine Stephenson wouldn’t take pennies on the dollar to return to the place he calls home.
That being said, it is still likely to be a contract year for Lance. This is part of the reason I think this coming season could be his best since he left almost 4 years ago. He can be a versatile weapon off the bench playing both wings spots, and he can play lead guard in a pinch.
Lance was a solid contributor this year even though he never really found the touch from the outside. On paper, he fits well with projected backup point Cory Joseph. The fit relies mostly on how aggressive Stephenson plays. Cojo is a defensive menace, but not much of a playmaker. Lance can be that playmaker/scorer, he just needs to bring more consistency.
With a year under his belt with this new team and not much roster turnover expected, his consistency figures to rise.
Next: For the first time in 15 years, Indianapolis is a basketball city
Through good Lance and through bad Lance, he’s Indiana’s Lance and I don’t expect that to change anytime soon. He always has a place here, and he was exactly what he needed to be this past season.