Indiana Pacers Starters Mid-Season Grades
By Evan Reller
Lance Stephenson
14 PPG – 7.3 RPG – 5 APG
Grade: A
Stephenson is running away with the Most Improved Player award this season. Four triple-doubles leads the league, and yet he still didn’t make the All-Star game. In honesty, it might be better that he was snubbed as he tends to play better with a chip on his shoulder.
The Pacers are 1-1 without him on the court. At Atlanta (second game of a back-to-back) the Pacers lacked the energy that he usually provides. When hosting the Blazers, the Pacers needed late game heroics to pull off the win.
He is the definition of a creator. Sometimes he dribbles too much or makes an errant pass, but his assist-to-turnover rate is 1.8. Its easy to forgive his mistakes when he makes an unreal dive to the basket or a no-look pass.
Stephenson gives a big boost to the second unit, often running with them through the first and third quarters. No one matches his energy, and the idea that the return of Granger would push him to the bench was ridiculous.
The problem will be resigning him at the end of the season. He has become the kind of player that some awful team will pay a lot of money to have. Its clear he loves his teammates, management, and being in Indianapolis so maybe that will be enough for him to not seek a gaudy pay raise.