Indiana Pacers: 2017-18 player grades for Lance Stephenson

Highlights

It’s no secret that Lance Stephenson can turn heads with his handles, dazzling dimes and at times acrobatic finishes at the rim. It’s probably why he got so many second chances after failing to recreate the magic he once displayed in Indiana.

A great example of him displaying that flash came in December, when he put New York Knicks rookie Frank Ntilikina on skates, as he continued his revenge campaign on all the teams that passed on him from 2015 and 2016.

Later in the season, Lance threw down perhaps him most emphatic jam of the season in a meaningful matchup against the Toronto Raptors. Unfortunately, as fun as Lance’s highlights are to watch, this game did not end in a win for the Pacers.

Finally, it is hard not to love when Stephenson tries to climb into the head of LeBron James. It is perhaps the definitive reason he is still in the NBA. Moments such as him blowing in LeBron’s ear during key playoff moments display that Lance has never been scared to openly challenge the King.

Having done such a competent job at that, this stare-down during this moment in their playoff matchup became all the more meaningful: