When Lance Stephenson landed on the Liaoning men's basketball foreign aid contract in August 2019, it was almost certain that Stephenson would no longer belong to the NBA. 2 years later, the league once again had a large area of "employment shortage" due to the outbreak of the new crown, thanks to difficult exceptions, and the 31-year-old Stephenson miraculously returned to the NBA.
On Jan. 1, Stephenson signed a 10-day contract with the parent team that he could never avoid because several players in the Indiana Pacers triggered the NBA health and safety agreement. This is the third time Stephenson has put on the Pacers jersey, and you think he's already familiar with it and his heart won't fluctuate again? Of course not. Instead of coming here as a visitor, he bypassed the corridor inside, where a huge poster hung on the navy wall opposite the entrance with a picture of Stephenson wearing a golden Pacers uniform.
It read: "Welcome back, Lance Stephenson." "Below is his years with the Pacers.
In fact, it's been almost three years since he last appeared on the NBA roster, but as he's done in his ups and downs Of Pacers career, he always has a magical play every time he comes back here. He has performed unprecedented performances in the past two home games, as if stepping back in time.
In the Pacers' game against the Nets on Jan. 6, he came off the bench in the first quarter and scored 20 points in six minutes, the first time in NBA history. He shot 12-of-19 and had 30 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists. Kyrie Owen said to him during the game, I've never seen you score 20 points in a single quarter.
After a second-highest personal score, Stephenson played 28 minutes against the Utah Jazz on Jan. 9, contributing 16 points, 14 assists, six rebounds and four steals to help the team beat the Jazz 125-113. 14 assists in a single game is a new career high. Teammate Domintas Sabonis shot 18-of-22 and scored a career-high 42 points. The data the two played together is jaw-dropping.
Before signing the Pacers, he signed a 10-day short contract with the Atlanta Hawks, and in six games for the Hawks, Stephenson averaged 11.7 minutes per game, contributing 1.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists, shooting less than 40% from the field. I believe that when Stephenson was signed at that time, the Pacers' management did not expect him to make much contribution, perhaps just wanted to increase the number of people on the roster and avoid the postponement of the game due to insufficient number of players.
Fans ignored all this and warmly welcomed Stephenson back. Because he was an idol of Indianapolis, or in a way a family member. Stephenson has said more than once: "It's like playing in front of your family." Whether the arena is called Bankers Life Arena or Gainbridge Arena, when it's Stephenson's turn to play, "it's incredible that the whole arena is full of energy and adrenaline." ”
The win ended the Pacers' six-game losing streak and brought a breath of fresh air to a team that has struggled all season and is ready to rebuild. The Pacers still face a serious understaffing, with eight more players sidelined Saturday night due to health and safety protocols or injuries.
"Little Sabonis was fantastic and so was Lance. Lance gives us a different atmosphere. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said, "His personality, he brings sparks." Of course, everyone who has been here knows all this. Our team has changed, there have been changes in personality, changes in body language, changes in mood. ”
Fans in the stadium enjoy Stephenson's wonderful guitar playing all night. Stephenson was a great conductor against jazz, and Domintus Sabonis was his lead musician. Their blocking and matching was perfect, and they took advantage of the Jazz's defensive holes due to the lack of Rudy Gobert, while substitute center Hassan Whiteside was in foul trouble.
With 6:55 left in the fourth quarter, the Jazz managed to chase the 16-point deficit to just four points in the middle of the final quarter. Next, Stephenson made a false cross to break past his former Pacers teammate Bojan Bogdanovic, and when Whiteside side-handedly blocked his pass, Stephenson single-handedly passed the ball from his chest directly to Sabonis in the air, who ended the round with a thunderous left-handed split. The Jazz immediately called a timeout. After the dunk, the Pacers' 13,160 home fans screamed as the entire Stephenson building shook. Carlisle noted that he hasn't seen the Pacers' bench as committed as he has been at home this season.
Carlisle added: "Sabonis was able to get a career-high 42 points today, which has a lot to do with Stephenson, Who is selfless. Indeed, as the head coach said, 21 of Sabonis' 42 points came from assists from his teammate, whom he considers a "legend."
"We got it back because you know, the second time I came back here, I was two in the second lineup with Sam, and I used to play block and tear with him, and it was a performance moment." Stephenson said, "So I felt like this moment was like flashback, 'Oh, dude! I knew he would be in this position! I added a little trick to this (passing). ”
In addition, the little Sabonis, who has always been unsmiling, imitated Stephenson's signature celebration on the field. He scored 12 points in the final quarter and his teammates were equally smiling.
"He has a charm and everyone wants to be a part of it." Sabonis said. Currently, Sabonis is one of only two players left in Stevenson's last time playing for the Pacers, the other being Miles Turner. They haven't played in a long time, and they haven't forgotten the habit of playing with each other.
After the game, Stephenson said in an interview on the sidelines: "I know the guy so well. He raised his hand and continued, "Every time he cooperates, he always knows what to do." The ball is in his hands and he won't let you down. ”
After playing in the CBA for a year, Stephenson entered the Development League draft to play for the Denver Nuggets' Grand Rapids Gold Team. He believes he still has at least five or six years of his career left in his still well-defined body, and he still believes he can be a backup for an NBA team. Stephenson has a reputation, and he averaged 19.5 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists in eight games in the development league, and it is impossible that no manager will notice him.
Although Indianapolis still loves him, he is largely seen as a wild card player throughout the league. Even years later, people think of him as he blows in LeBron James' ear, or does it on the bench when James takes free throws, provoking James. And his fake falls and some antics.
That's why Carlisle said, "When we made that decision, [Operations President Kevin Pritchard] told me, 'We need some personality.'" We need some energy. Many people will definitely roll their eyes when they see this decision. "I said, 'I'm not going to roll my eyes. I just want to get to know this guy as best I can so we can free up his nature and let him play the game that belongs to him. ’”
Carlisle is an enlightened coach, and Stephenson has cherished every opportunity to play after developing the league's hammering. Before being signed by the Hawks, he told The Athletic reporter, "I want to go back to the NBA with all my heart, and I feel like I belong there." And I will never give up trying. ”
Now that he has done it, I wish him fun and enjoy it all again.