Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford is, by nature, candid. But Friday evening before the Boston Celtics game was the most direct I’ve heard him on the subject of Lance Stephenson.
Circled by media from Boston and some national outlets, Clifford said the first problem was totally unrealistic expectations from fans and media when Stephenson signed with the Hornets.
“A lot of this is totally off-base among basketball people,” Clifford said of the hype that Stephenson was on the verge of stardom. “He’s 23 years old. He’d played for one coach in one offense.”
As Clifford noted, Stephenson averaged 8.8 points two seasons ago and 13.8 points last season. So it was a much more realistic expectation he’d play in the vicinity of this season’s numbers (8.9 per game) than that he’d suddenly emerge as a 20 ppg., guy with a new team.
As Clifford described, Stephenson was the third or fourth option for the Indiana Pacers and it was much easier for him to get high-quality shots playing off the likes of Paul George and David West than it’s been with the offensively-challenged Hornets.
“The biggest problem for him is having to make more pull-ups this year than layups last year,” Clifford said, describing how Stephenson could get the ball to West, cut to the rim and get two or three cheap baskets a game.
Instead, Stephenson is shooting 37 percent from the field this season and 15 percent from 3-point range.
Clifford contrasted point guard Mo Williams’ quick transition to the Hornets with Stephenson’s more rocky experience. He said that’s not Stephenson’s fault; rather it illustrates the difference in their experiences.
Williams has played for seven other NBA franchises. He has seen everything the league can throw at him.
“Mo Williams in two days knew everything,” Clifford said.
Stephenson had no similar experiences on which he could rely when he signed with the Hornets in July.
“This is Lance’s first time playing with new guys,” Clifford said, adding it’s a fallacy Stephenson isn’t doing his part to make this work,
“His attitude has been fine,” Clifford said. “He hasn’t been kicked out of practice, or any of that.”
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