With the NBA announcing the reserves for this year's All-Star game, Indiana Pacers guard Lance Stephenson has expressed disapppointment that he was not voted in by the head coaches arguing that he is having a breakout year and helped his team achieve the best win-loss record in the league.
"I'm mad," Stephenson told IndyStar.com. "I feel like I had my breakout year last year. I showed I can play with anyone on the floor and I felt like this year, I brought a little bit more to my game."
The Indiana Pacers own the best record in the league with a 35-10 record as of Friday, which is three games ahead of the defending two-time champion Miami Heat. Yet the Heat have three All-Stars in their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. The two were voted by fans as starters while Bosh was named a reserve by the head coaches.
Stephenson's game has blossomed this year as he is averaging 14 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. He has complemented superstar Paul George and center Roy Hibbert well, and even outshining veteran Danny Granger in the Pacers line-up.
Stephenson has found an ally in Hall of Famer and TNT analyst Charles Barkley, who reportedly criticized the bypassing of the Indiana Pacers spitfire guard by saying: "That's a joke. I see why they've got so many crappy teams in the East because the coaches don't know what they're doing."
Says teammate George on Stephenson: "We all feel for him. We're all upset for him."
Still, Stephenson vows not to sulk and instead improve his game even further.
"But other people saw it differently. I'm just going to keep working hard and prove everyone wrong."
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