HOOPSWORLD's Joel Brigham: "Stuckey's Still No Point Guard"
by Mike Payne on Nov 1, 2010 1:57 PM EDT
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PrintThe top story on HOOPSWORLD this afternoon is one suggesting that Rodney Stuckey is "still no point guard".
Almost exactly two years ago, Chauncey Billups was traded from the Detroit Pistons to the Denver Nuggets because Pistons President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars felt that young scorer Rodney Stuckey could fill Billups's role on the team for a whole lot less money.
Two years later Stuckey has solidified himself as one of the team's top scorers, but continues to be criticized for not playing a true point guard's game.
Personally, I've been vocally critical of Stuckey's game and the numbers he put up last year, which put him amongst the league's worst point guards in terms of point play and scoring efficiency. So far this season, however, the only complaint one could really levy at Stuckey is that he's the unfortunate player that Kuester designs last-minute x's and o's around in the clutch.
November 1st, 2010 is not a wise time to publish an article critical of Stuckey's point play, suggesting that he's "still no point guard". Why?
Stuckey currently leads the league in assist to turnover ratio with 5.9:1. He's putting up better point purity numbers than even Steve Nash, with 7.7 assists to 13.7 field goal attempts. So far this season, only three players are recording more assists than field goal attempts (Rajon Rondo, Jason Kidd and Jose Calderon), leaving Stuckey in comfortable territory with players like Nash, John Wall, Russel Westbrook and Tony Parker.
In three games, Stuck is recording 18.7 points per game on 46% shooting, 7.7 assists and only 1.3 turnovers. Three games provides for a tiny sample that can't be suggestive of an 82 game performance. But the timing of this article couldn't be worse. It's equivalent to publishing an article today suggesting that "Joakim Noah is really struggling to rebound", or "Danny Granger really needs to work on his three pointer". Had this article been published this summer, it would be hard to disagree.
In the first three games of this season, Stuckey has shown zero reason for critique. The only thing that fans and the media should be giving him right now are respect for these numbers and encouragement for more.
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re: Steve Nash and the new Suns
I just re-read my Rodney Stuckey Player Preview from last month, and thought this was interesting in light of Nash’s play in Phoenix thus far:
Detroit’s frontcourt offense was based almost exclusively on cuts to the basket and clean-up… and an injured Charlie Villanueva. As discussed above, its backcourt was largely injured, with players averaging career worst seasons alongside Stuck. Additionally, the team’s 3-point shots just weren’t falling. This left Stuckey with terrible options for the receipt of assists— he could pass, but where would the ball end up?
Field a healthy team and add one more natural scorer to the frontcourt, and Stuckey could prove to be a better distributor. We’re not talking Steve Nash here, but one could expect a significant improvement in assist numbers. If you make those changes, you field a healthy team and add another offensive-minded frontcourt player, don’t be surprised if Rodney hits 6, even 7 assists per game on the year.
Meanwhile, Nash’s passing numbers have cooled off since his frontcourt now looks a lot like ours did last year. I’m not suggesting that this is conclusive, only pointing out that it’s interesting to note how this happened in the first three games.
For Jonas!!
By season end, you're gonna wish you had drafted Stuck.
And to add to your point, its not like Stuck played against crap PGs in the first 3 games. Devin Harris, Russell Westbrook, and Derrick Rose represent 3 very good PGs in this league although I’m not sure any of them are classified as great defending point guards…Tuesday will be interesting to see how Stuck performs against Rondo.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
I hope he beats Rondo up a little bit. He has the size.
by garrettelliott on Nov 1, 2010 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions
he did last year
http://espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=300120008
Had he not missed a few layups, he would have easily had 30, if not 35
I have decided to start a career in rap under the presumptuous name of Dextrorotatory Glucose. However, you may call me "D-Sugar" for short
by bearded thundar on Nov 1, 2010 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions
I said this elsewhere, too
But he looks like a different player this season. I’m sincerely hoping he’s turned the corner and that the Stuckey we’ve seen so far is the Stuckey we’ll have all season (and beyond).
*crosses fingers*
In regards to the article, timing is indeed everything.
Jonas, jag älskar dig! Du är vacker.
has it blown anyone else's mind
that Rondo is averaging nearly 17 assists per game so far?
http://espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3026
I have decided to start a career in rap under the presumptuous name of Dextrorotatory Glucose. However, you may call me "D-Sugar" for short
Yeah its come to my attention because he's on my fantasy roster :-)
He got me 50 assists in week 1…almost double what any of my other guards got me…
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Rondo is rippin' shit in half this season.
Dude is out cold
I don’t want add player does not have blue collar mentality,
even if he is great player. Piston should not quit your job. - OK from J
do doubt rondo is in the zone
and i cant for a minute compare him to stuckey, but when has rodney, if he could, EVER had anywhere near the options rondo has? i am a pistons fan but what does stuckey have to work with compared to pierce, allen, garnette, plus arguably robinson, davis, 2 oneals? we are lucky to have one third of that offensive firepower
I smell a troll
and another thing
players being pushed to be the next best thing rarely work…they are either ready or not. look at our boy amir…whenver he had a chance here he faultered. in toronto with a shit contract he did well, now he sucks, just as he did when he got a starting job in detroit under curry. or then, unfortunately, you get an arron afflalo who was predicted to be be a wash out and turns out to be the joe dumars clone rodney stuckey never was or will be.
I smell a troll
I’ll never understand how Afflalo was undervalued.
To experience the consequences of my own choices. This is why I live
He asked to be traded to Denver
Though I don’t see why we didn’t at least get a first for him
I have decided to start a career in rap under the presumptuous name of Dextrorotatory Glucose. However, you may call me "D-Sugar" for short
by bearded thundar on Nov 5, 2010 10:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Walter Sharp had negative value
There's no justice like angry mob justice!
by bugman222 on Nov 6, 2010 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
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