Paul George calls out Lance Stephenson after Game 2 loss (Video)
Following the Indiana Pacers loss in Game 2 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Paul George was critical of teammate Lance Stephenson’s demeanor
What the Indiana Pacers were able to do in Game 1 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in their first round series in the NBA Playoffs was admirable. It came down to the final shot of the game — a miss by C.J. Miles. After that loss and miss, Pacers star Paul George was critical of the final play call, saying that he needed to get the last shot.
On Monday night, the Pacers again took the floor in Quicken Loans Arena. The score wasn’t ultimately as close as in the series-opener and, honestly, the game wasn’t as close as the score would indicate. However, the tone of George most certainly hadn’t changed following the loss.
In the Game 1 loss, midseason addition Lance Stephenson was a catalyst for the Pacers. He was fine as a he produced 13 points in 26 minutes off the bench in Game 2, but he wasn’t the same fiery presence on the floor that he was on Saturday. And George let him hear about it. Well, perhaps he just wasn’t the right type of fiery presence.
When talking to the media following the game and going down 0-2 in the series, George called out Stephenson for his demeanor, saying that he needs to “control himself” and “improve his body language” moving forward:
It’s easy to agree with George in that assessment. The inconsistency in Stephenson’s attitude is one of the reasons why his career to this point has been so tumultuous. However, that’s not all that’s in play here.
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When you consider the rumors of George leaving for Los Angeles this offseason and then factor in his own demeanor, it’s hard not to think that maybe he deserves to be taken down a notch as well. After all, he’s 2-for-2 in placing blame after a loss in this series. That’s not a good look for him or for the Pacers. So yes, Stephenson needs to be a veteran and a leader. But maybe George should also heed his own advice a bit too, especially post-game.