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Lance Stephenson: Three things he must fix immediately

By Evan Massey

Jan 17, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) stands on the court during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets defeated the Pacers 80-71. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 17, 2015; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) stands on the court during the second half against the Indiana Pacers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets defeated the Pacers 80-71. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Take Quality Shots

Nov 5, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) after getting a foul called on him during the second half of the game against the Miami Heat at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 96-89. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Lance Stephenson (1) after getting a foul called on him during the second half of the game against the Miami Heat at Time Warner Cable Arena. Hornets win 96-89. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY Sports /

Another one of Lance Stephenson’s biggest issues is his shot selection. Even down the stretch of the regular season last year he began jacking up poor shots, and that has continued into this season in Charlotte with the Hornets.

So far this season with the Hornets, Stephenson has shot just 38.4 percent overall from the field and 15.8 percent from behind the three-point arc. Last season with Indiana, Stephenson’s shooting percentages were 49.1 percent from the floor and 35.2 percent from behind the arc. What is the difference in those numbers? Quite simply, the quality of the shots that he is taking.

Frank Vogel’s system gave Stephenson the ability to get to the rim, and that is where Indiana liked him to shoot. He would get wide open three-point looks off of passes from David West and Roy Hibbert in the post, but outside of those shots he was normally in the paint. There were times where he’d take the mid-range or step back look, but it wasn’t all that often.

In Charlotte, Stephenson is settling for those contested jumpers at an alarming rate. He doesn’t go aggressively to the rim like he used to, and the three-point shots that he takes are usually off of the dribble or contested. His shot selection is going to need to change soon if he wants to turn this season around.

Next: Be More Aggressive And Energized

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