Pacers lose to Knicks as Stephenson earns place on bench

Coach Vogel announced Saturday that Stephenson would be the fourth point guard for the rest of the regular season and during the playoffs. The only way he will play is if there's an injury to any of the point guards in front of him -- Darren Collison, A.J. Price and Ford.

"I'm just learning from the mistake and going to keep playing hard and encourage my teammates and try to get back to the third point guard," Stephenson said.

Stephenson, who didn't say what caused his demotion, knows he only has himself to blame and must grow out of his label as an offensively talented but immature person.

"I'm not perfect," Stephenson said. "Once the mistakes happen, I have to learn from them. I have to work hard and show everybody I'm learning and getting back on the floor."

The Pacers feel Stephenson's on-the-court talent will overshadow his immaturity down the road. That's why they took a risk in giving him a two-year guaranteed contract with a team option the third and fourth years.

But Stephenson, who would only be a sophomore in college, has been testing the patience of many in the organization with his standoffish attitude. He has had run-ins with several teammates.

"It's a negative light and I'll learn from it," Stephenson said. "I'm not going to let anybody bring me down. I'm going to work hard regardless."

The Pacers didn't allow Stephenson to work out for a period of time at the fieldhouse and had him get counseling after he was accused of pushing his girlfriend down some stairs in New York last summer. The case was dismissed.

Stephenson's latest mishap was extreme enough for the Pacers to move Ford in front him.

"We want to hold guys accountable," Vogel said of Stephenson. "We have a standard of professionalism here that whether you're a rookie or a veteran player that you carry yourself like a true pro, like a winner, and contribute to positive chemistry on this basketball team. That's what we're asking of all of our guys."

Stephenson will make $810,000 next season, but the Pacers could release him and swallow his contract.

"I tried to tell him to just take advantage of the opportunity presented to you, because every year there are 60 new guys coming in ready to take your spot, and you don't want to be on the outside looking in," center Roy Hibbert said.