Fansided

The Lance Stephenson 10-day contract: Day 1

By Ian Levy

Mar 12, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Lance Stephenson (1) on the bench against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Grizzlies 95-83. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 12, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Lance Stephenson (1) on the bench against the Atlanta Hawks in the fourth quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks defeated the Grizzlies 95-83. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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Lance Stephenson is back in the NBA, proud owner of a 10-day contract from the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, this is a tenuous toehold. In two weeks, he could be on the road to redemption or he could be on a plane to China. Since we don’t know how many more days of NBA Lance Stephenson we have, each must be treated as a precious snowflake. 

Day One: Stephenson officially inked his contract and started the clock. The Toronto Raptors happened to be in town and Lance was hungry. You could see it in his loping strides, long and feral, and his aptly wolf-like focus and intensity.

Stephenson entered the game at the beginning of the second quarter, bouncing from heel to toe with the pent up energy of a basketball player kept off the court for months. He did not shoot the ball the first time he touched it, but he did get the ball back on that first offensive possession, drilling a pull-up two-pointer. Stephenson defended Kyle Lowry, careening through screens with abandon. He collected a defensive rebound and led the break with a high dribble, spinning in the lane and turning the ball over while attempting an ambitious pass.

In short, he was very much Lance Stephenson.

Lance played most of the second quarter and all of the fourth quarter, including the final few minutes as the Timberwolves put the finishing touches on their comeback victory. Minnesota was +5 when he was on the floor and Lance finished with 6 points on 3-of-7 shooting, with 4 rebounds and an assist and a turnover. He was good at times, not good at others.

In short, he was very much Lance Stephenson.

Next: Jeff Teague is feeling at home

The biggest takeaway from day one of the Lance Stephenson 10-day contract was how his energy, physical and emotional, seemed to blend with the team. Stephenson is a perpetual Alpha, ever in search of a wolfpack. And the Timberwolves, for all their talent, don’t seem to have an alpha personality. Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, LaVine pre-injury, they all lead with talent and athleticism. Ferocity is an afterthought. No one on the team this season seemed prepared or inclined to circle the pack around some wounded prey, to initiate the pile-on, rip at (basketball) entrails and throats, and lead a group howl at the moon, muzzles wet with blood.

Lance Stephenson is a wolf, through-and-through.

Nine more days to find out if he’s their wolf.

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