Lance “makes ’em dance” in his Indy return
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — Not too many trilogy’s live up to the hype. But Lance Stephenson might be in a class of his own. It’s no secret that “Born Ready” is just different when he’s wearing a Pacers uniform. And on Wednesday night, he proved it once again.
Stephenson is on a 10-day contract, and only here because of health and safety protocols. He’s coming off the bench. So what does he do in his return to the Fieldhouse? He scores 20 straight points in the 1st quarter, busting out his vintage Air-Guitar, and bringing Indy fans to their feet multiple times. It was the most points scored in the 1st quarter in Pacers history, and the most points scored off the bench in the 1st quarter… ever.
The Pacers went on to lose the game to the Brooklyn Nets, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, if you’re on team tank. And despite the loss, Lance still made ’em dance and stole the show.
“I couldn’t even sleep last night,” Stephenson said. “I just knew the fans were gonna come out and make me feel welcome. I had to go out there and show out. This is home. This is like playing in front of my family. I just feel comfortable here. I wanted to be more aggressive tonight and when you see that first shot go in, the basket gets bigger.”
Domantas Sabonis has played with Stephenson before, and he is happy to have his old teammate back. “He’s been through a lot and to come back home and have this kind of game, means a lot. That’s my guy. He’s a legend here and everybody loves him. It’s really fun to have him back.”
Pacers Head Coach Rick Carlisle also had high praise for Lance: “When I talked to Kevin Pritchard about Lance Stephenson coming on board, I asked if there’s some things we should know about him. He said he’s got a real connection and real magical thing with our fans. He was tremendous tonight, and I’m really happy for him.”
If it wasn’t obvious before, it should be obvious now: The Pacers need to keep Lance Stephenson around. If they’re trying to compete? Keep Lance. If they’re ready to rebuild? Keep Lance. It’s easier said than done, and I’m not sure who would be moved to make it work. Even so… Keep Lance.
The first time around, it was Stephenson who deserved the blame for leaving. The second time around, I blame the Pacers for not choosing to pick up a very affordable player option. This time? Both sides need each other. Lance will have a hard time sticking anywhere else, and the Pacers are dead last in fan attendance. It’s a match made in heaven, and it shouldn’t cost the Pacers much.
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