Lance's Latest Pacers Reunion Exceeding Wildest Dreams

Weeks like these are reminders of why we watch sports. Why are we with the loss, the heartache, the frustration of devoting so many hours to watching and cheering on teams that are almost always going to fall short of the end goal.

The joy in the game is in the journey. We saw this week from Kiefer Sykes, who finally earned a guaranteed NBA contract at age 28, after playing six seasons professionally on four continents, never giving up on his dream of making it to the NBA.

Watch this video of Sikes talking about the sacrifices his mom made to allow him to pursue his dream (warning: you'll need tissues nearby).

And we also saw it with the Pacers with Lance Stephenson's second third act.

When you're watching sports, you never know when you're going to see greatness. Often, it comes when you least expect it.

This was certainly the case with Stephenson, who was dropped from last on the NBA roster at age 31 and at age three, turning back time with two incredible performances.

Signed on January 1 to bolster the roster, a 10-day hardship contract as several pacers went by the NBA's health and safety protocols, Stephenson solidified by averaging 5.5 points and 2.5 in a pair of road games in Cleveland and New York. Were. Assists in 15 minutes per game.

But as he has during his stop-and-start Pacers career, Stephenson unearthed some rare elixir when he returned to Gainbridge Fieldhouse this week, putting on an all-time performance at Indiana's two-game homestand. With fans admitting that the family gives him a standing ovation every time he walks to the scorer's table, touches the ball, or even takes a breath, Stephenson arguably has his own NBA Put together a career-best two-game stretch.

Wednesday's 20-point outburst in the first quarter against Brooklyn was an outstanding moment, a singularly great stretch in both franchise and NBA history. But as brilliant as he played those six minutes, he played an even better overall game on Saturday.

Three nights after scoring the most points ever in more than 300 career games with Blue and Gold, Stephenson set a new career best with 14 assists in a 125–113 win over Utah. Ten of them went to Domantas Sabonis, who scored a career-high 42 points on eye-popping numbers, shooting 18-for-22.

The win broke a six-game skid and breathed fresh air into a Pacers team that has struggled all season and still falls short, with eight players on Saturday following either injuries or the NBA's health and safety protocols. got out because of

"Lance has given us a different atmosphere as a team," said Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle. "The spark he has provided, the personality. Of course, everyone who is here knows everything about it... Our team has changed. Change in temperament, body language, enthusiasm. It's great to see . . . "

Fans were treated to a night at the symphony at the fieldhouse. Stephenson was a great conductor against jazz and Sabonis was his virtuoso cellist. His work at pick-and-roll was proficient, exploiting a Jazz defense that was missing three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert due to health and safety protocols and much of the night with backup center Hasan Whiteside. was playing less. ,

The whole building was shaking, as Stephenson pretended to be. Carlisle mentioned that he didn't see the pacers' bench as an investment throughout the season as they have been on this homestand.

"They have a swag that swirls around that everyone wants to be a part of," Sabonis said.

The most memorable moment of the night came when 6:50 was left in the fourth quarter. The Jazz were building a charge and once trimmed the 16-point pacers to take them only four midway through the final frame.

ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!?@StephensonLance 🤝 @Dsabonis11 #NBAAllStar | #GoldBlooded pic.twitter.com/ak54pyLdvQ

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) January 9, 2022

Stephenson brought the ball to the right, passed his former Indiana teammate Bojan Bogdanovic, drove and dropped Sabonis, biting a no-look pass with his right hand. Stephenson left his right hand in the air and began to jump over the baseline as Sabonis threw a forceful slam, leading to a Utah timeout.

It was a prime example of the showmanship that makes Stephenson a fan-favorite, as well as rekindling his old relationship with Sabonis, one of just two pacers still on the roster from Stephenson's last stint with the franchise. (the other is Miles Turner) )

"We took it back," Stephenson said. "Me and Domas, we were in the second unit (last time) when I came back here. Me and he used to pick-and-roll, it used to be like 'Showtime.' I felt like it was a flashback, like Like, 'Oh man, he's gonna be there' and I had to put my own little twist in it."

The more reserved Sabonis was amazed by the entire sequence.

"That's all that," quipped Sabonis. "I just have to be ready to catch and finish it because if not, he's in trouble."

A lot has happened since Stephenson and Sabonis last played together. Sabonis moved into an opening role and blossomed into an All-Star over the past two seasons. But even after all of their time away, Stephenson and Sabonis have picked up on where they left off this week.

It was Stephenson who did a postgame "walk-off" interview with Jeremiah Johnson of Bally Sports Indiana after the win. He quipped that he knew Sabonis "like the back of my hand", did his trademark "woooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"" arounding is at the end of the interview, then tunnelled into the Pacers locker room, ensuring each fan high-fives. . To greet him in the hallway.

"I'm just excited, man," Stephenson said. "We got our first win. It's all about winning for real. You can have all the points, but if you don't win, it doesn't matter. I was just so excited that we got the win tonight." And I have to include the fans because you know it's like family."

Lance Stephenson says he felt great chemistry with Domantas Sabonis in Saturday's win over Utah. "I know that guy like the back of my hand."#GoldBlooded #Pacers pic.twitter.com/Nvqn3Cl31Q

— Bally Sports Indiana (@BallySportsIN) January 9, 2022

Not only did Stephenson score a career-best 14 assists on Saturday, but he also had a points-assist double-double for the first time in nearly eight years. His last match came when he recorded a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists and won over an Oklahoma City team featuring Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on April 13, 2014.

It should not happen. Life is short and time is fleeting, especially in the NBA. The roster is repaired year after year. Players change teams and cities several times over a short period of time, then mostly drop out of the league by age 30.

It felt impossible for the Lance and Pacers to just have a magical reunion. For a second, four years later? It must be impossible.

But for whatever reason, when Lance Stephenson wears the Pacers' uniform and takes court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the impossible happens.

Stephenson said he could not sleep before his first home match on Wednesday night. Even if he could, what unfolded this week might have seemed pretty absurd if he had dreamed of it.

Stephenson was an All-Star in his fourth NBA season in 2013–14, when he led the league in triple-doubles and helped the Pacers reach their second straight Eastern Conference Finals.

But he left that summer in free agency, opting to sign with Charlotte, and struggled. After only one season he was traded to the Clippers and played for five teams over three seasons before eventually making his first return to Indiana for the final six games of the 2016–17 regular season.

He provided a spark at the time, helping that team enter the playoffs. He was a key member of the roster the following season, when the team brought in Sabonis and Victor Oladipo in the Paul George trade and stunned the league by winning 48 games and taking out LeBron James and eventual Eastern Conference champion Cavs in seven games. First round of playoffs.

But the Pacers chose not to substitute Stephenson that summer and he signed with the Lakers, reuniting with former Pacers coach Frank Vogel for the 2018–19 season. Without an NBA offer, Stephenson played in China and was considering an attempt to return to the NBA when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

He could not secure a deal for the 2020–21 campaign, but was selected to head to the G League this season, playing for Grand Rapids Gold (Denver affiliates) in the hopes that he would get another chance in the NBA. Can impress teams enough to earn. ,

He could not secure a deal for the 2020–21 campaign, but was selected to head to the G League this season, playing for Grand Rapids Gold (Denver affiliates) in the hopes that he would get another chance in the NBA. Can impress teams enough to earn. ,

As the Omicron version ran through the NBA rosters in December, Stephenson's opportunity arrived. He signed a 10-day hardship contract with Atlanta and former coach Nate McMillan on December 22 and played six games with the Hawks, then signed a 10-day contract with the Pacers shortly after his contract with Atlanta expired.

His Pacers contract expires after Monday's game in Boston, but it's hard to imagine him going anywhere. Assuming Indiana still had players in protocol (five were as of Saturday), he could have signed a second 10-day deal. The pacers also have an open roster spot after the dismissal of Kellan Martin on Thursday.

Stephenson's fight to return to the league has resonated with Carlisle, who has not coached him before, but heard reviews from Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard when the organization decided to sign him last week.

Carlisle revealed this week that he had several conversations with Stephenson in the summer of 2014 when the Mavericks were offering him free agency. Carlisle on Saturday marveled at how much Stephenson has done in the years to come.

"His journey since then has brought him to a place where I feel a genuine level of appreciation and gratitude for what it means to wear an NBA uniform," Carlisle said. "He has impressed me as a humble person who appreciates everything. He has been great around the team."

How long this latest reunion between Stephenson and the Pacers will last remains to be seen, but one thing is certain - all parties involved will cherish every last second of it. Because weeks like this are why we love sports.