Kravitz: Stephenson's All-Star omission is small snub

From the beginning, Lance Stephenson was a 50-50 proposition to make the All-Star team, so that said, it's not exactly the crime of the century that he got passed over for a berth Thursday night. There are arguments that he should have made it, and there are arguments that he shouldn't, so there will not be any foaming at the mouth over his exclusion.

Just this one observation:

Stephenson might have done this to himself.

Stephenson might have done this to himself with his incessant trash talk, his hip gyrations after a three-point play, his penchant for flopping and his junior high-school celebrations.

Even before word came down, more than an hour and a half before the Indiana Pacers took on the Phoenix Suns at the fieldhouse, Pacers coach Frank Vogel wondered whether Stephenson's antics might adversely affect his guard's ability to earn the votes of Eastern Conference coaches.

"Yes, and I've talked to him at length about that,'' Vogel said.

Does it resonate with Stephenson?

He smiled.

"I don't know … One of the things we talked about in terms of his 'dignified' celebrations is, do any of the elite players behave that way? That's one of the things as he grows and develops his game to let his game do the talking.''

Stephenson is surely disappointed, but in some ways, this is the best thing that could have happened to him. This will help keep him hungry, grow that ever-present chip on his shoulder. Want to prove you should have made the All-Star team? Play, or continue to play, like an All-Star.

And, most important, act like an All-Star.

If nothing else, this should reinforce what Vogel has been telling Stephenson all along: Quit the showmanship and the trash talk and play the game.

He is undeniably fun and inspiring to watch; he gives the Pacers a gritty, explosive edge. He's a fan favorite here, and for a very good reason.

But it's one thing to play with an edge; it's another to be unprofessional and Stephenson often dances on that fine line. Pacers fans love him unconditionally, but let's be honest: If he played for somebody else, you'd hate his guts and dismiss him as a showboat.

Which is too bad, because the extracurricular stuff shouldn't obscure the fact he's having a marvelous season, second on the Pacers in points, second in rebounds and first in assists. And wouldn't it have been fun to watch Stephenson in the All-Star Game, which is a glorified Rucker Park affair?

Some folks felt stronger about Stephenson's snub.

Like TNT's Charles Barkley.

"That's a joke,'' Barkley said of Stephenson's exclusion. "Now I know why we have so many crappy teams in the East because the coaches don't know what they're doing. There's no way Lance Stephenson can't be an All-Star.''

He continued. "Lance is a lightning rod. But he's matured. Does he need to grow as a player? He does. But the Pacers have the best record in the NBA and he leads the NBA in triple-doubles.''

Should he have made it in front of New Jersey's Joe Johnson? The argument can be made. And so can a counter-argument. Johnson is a better scorer, Stephenson a better all-around player.

Again, it's not the crime of the century, or the Snub to End All Snubs. How do you think they feel in Toronto, where Kyle Lowry failed to make it … or San Antonio, where Tim Duncan got bypassed … or Phoenix, where Goran Dragic, who tortured the Pacers on Thursday night, got the cold shoulder?

The truth is, players don't usually get All-Star recognition until one year after they've popped onto the scene.

"An All-Star appearance would have been great and would have been a nice accomplishment, but his primary goal is and will continue to be helping his team win it all this year,'' his agent, Alberto Ebanks, told The Star's Candace Buckner.

How did Stephenson handle the bad news?

By playing like Sir Lancelot, by playing the way he's been playing all season, producing his fourth triple-double (14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists).

Stephenson learned of his exclusion shortly before tipoff of Thursday night's 102-94 loss, just the Pacers' second home loss all season.

"I'm disappointed but it's just an All-Star Game,'' he said quietly. "We want to win a championship; that's what's important … I always play with (a chip) on my shoulder. This will just make me madder.''

After the game, Stephenson tried to downplay the importance of the All-Star Game, but he wanted it and he wanted it badly. Why wouldn't he? It's the ultimate validation for an up-and-coming player. If it wasn't a big deal, why roll out the Sir Lancelot All-Star video?

"You only get two All-Stars until you win a championship like the Detroit Pistons,'' Vogel said after the game. "We're a balanced team. Not a big two or big three type of team. Detroit got one or two every year, then they won a championship and fot four. I think we had four (Paul George, Roy Hibbert, David West and Stephenson) but we're not going to get that kind of recognition.''

If Stephenson stays grounded, though, he will be an All-Star.

It's just a matter of time.

Bob Kravitz is a columnist for The Indianapolis Star. Call him at (317) 444-6643 or email bob.kravitz@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter: @BKravitz.