There are many different theories about how to win in the NBA, but everyone would agree that consistency is a critical key to success.

Success for the Indiana Pacers seems to be more specific, especially in their series against the Miami Heat. The difference has been Lance Stephenson; they win when he plays well and lose when he doesn’t. It’s been this way the throughout the playoffs where Stephenson has shown the world he has potential to be a really good player. Stephenson has a PER of 16.4 in Pacers' wins during the playoffs and 4.3 in losses.

Stephenson is big, quick, confident and skilled. He’s also the definition of inconsistent and that’s not something the Pacers can afford as Stephenson has become a very important piece of the team.

If the Pacers have any chance to beat the Head and advance to the NBA Finals, Stephenson is going to need to find a way to play consistent basketball. It’s something Frank Vogel spoke about after their Game 4 victory in which Stephenson had his best game of the series.

"When he's bad, we typically struggle. When he's good, we're pretty darn good,” Vogel said. “I mean, that's the simplest way to put it, and it's very accurate. He's the barometer.”

The problem with the Pacers’ barometer is that when Stephenson is bad, well, he’s terrible. He’s terrible and talkative and nether is helping the team. It worked against the team in Game 5, as LeBron James used Stephenson’s struggles, chatter and his team’s slow half to get himself going and lead the Heat to the win.

"As a competitor, you love challenges, and Lance is one of those guys who likes to talk some," James said. "And I'm for it, too. I really don't start it, but if it gets started, then I love to do it. It's cool."

But the Pacers are a confident team and Stephenson’s confidence is part of what makes them who they are. He just needs to find a way to make sure his performance is matching up with his talking, or his words don’t mean anything. In fact, they’ll come to define his game in the eyes of fans and analysis that don’t understand why a guy that’s playing so bad has so much to say.

It’s something many young players go through, especially those second-tier guys that do have enough talent to impact a game. This is what Stephenson must learn, and he must learn it quick. His ability to rebound from a bad game, and follow up on a good one, will be the key to the Pacers extending the series to a Game 7.