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Rodney Stuckey Finds His Lane as Pacers Find Their Way

By Jon Washburn

Feb 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey (2) and forward David West (21) react after a foul call against their team during the second quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 20, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Rodney Stuckey (2) and forward David West (21) react after a foul call against their team during the second quarter of a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Rodney Stuckey has always been an imperfect basketball player. After getting drafted in the middle of the first round in 2007, the combo guard showed flashes of brilliance for a loaded veteran team over the next two postseasons.

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In the 2008 playoffs, Stuckey was a key cog in the Pistons’ bench and routinely carried bench units as the Pistons advanced to the conference finals. Stuckey had a little bit of a coming out party in his sophomore campaign against the Cleveland Cavaliers when he averaged 15 points and 5 assists, albeit in a four-game sweep to LeBron and company.

He won two “Player of the Week” awards in the 2009 calendar year, and the NBA, by and large, was intrigued by his size, strength, and quickness that he brought to the point guard position. He would consistently bully his way by smaller point guards and through helping big men all the way to the rim.

But oh, that jump shot man. That thing was just broke.

In an ideal world, Rodney Stuckey would have found a role for a playoff team that was able to maximize his skill set. In the real world, Stuckey signed a semi-lucrative contract for those same Pistons as they entered into a rebuild. After playing 21 playoff games in his first two seasons, Stuckey has languished on bad teams ever since.

“The key to being a professional athlete is to know exactly who you are.” – David West.

Stuckey didn’t exactly turn out to be a bust for the Pistons.

His per-36 minute numbers improved incrementally in each of the next three seasons as he continued to attack the rim with the ferocity that teams around the NBA feared. In 2012, he earned 7 free-throw attempts per 36, a number that placed him tenth in the league among rotation players and third among guards behind only Kobe Bryant and Jeremy Lin.

But man, that jumper.

Rodney Stuckey’s Numbers

For his career, Stuckey has shot an atrocious 29% from downtown. Though this is much improved from the 19% number that he posted as a rookie, it’s still a glaring weakness in a game that has become so heavily reliant on spacing. When Stuckey signed for the veteran’s minimum in Indiana this past summer, reviews were mixed. Stuckey brought obvious skills and assets to the Pacers, but could they ever be maximized as long as that jumper was, well, you know?

If that wasn’t enough, Rodney Stuckey also had the undesirable role of replacing Lance Stephenson. The mercurial Stephenson had led the team in assists, carried bench units, and gone toe-to-toe with LeBron in the previous postseason, all while shooting a career best 35% from downtown. While the two players appeared to share some of the same bully-ball traits, it seemed that Stuckey was just an inferior player in nearly every other aspect.

Through 56 games, this hasn’t been true.

Stuckey has thoroughly outplayed Stephenson this year, as the Eighth Grader has struggled to find a new home in Charlotte. But incredibly, Stuckey has been able to play near — and in some cases outperform — Stephenson’s offensive play with the Pacers from last season.

Below are the per-36 minute numbers for both players:

  • Stephenson (2013-14): 14.1 pts, 7.3 reb, 4.7 ast, 2.7 tov; 49/35/71 shooting; 106 ORtg
  • Stuckey (2014-15): 17.1 pts, 4.8 reb, 4.2 ast, 2.2 tov; 45/36/83 shooting; 106 ORtg

Stuckey was never going to replace Stephenson’s rebounding presence (even though 4.8 per-36 isn’t exactly terrible), but overall, he’] has been just as good statistically for the Pacers on the offensive side of the ball as Lance Stephenson was for them last year. He’s also done this for a team that has been plagued with injuries, not just to Paul George, but every other starter from last season.

And that jumper. Look at it, sitting there staring us all in the face. It’s … Well, it’s all of the sudden average.

Finding a Jumper, Finding a Role

For Rodney Stuckey, simply being an average jump shooter turns him into an above-average NBA guard. Perhaps more important than all of that, though, is that Stuckey has apparently found his place on this team.

David West recently summed up on of the best lessons any NBA player can learn in this league.”The key to being a professional athlete is to know exactly who you are,” said West.

According to Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star, Rodney Stuckey decided a few weeks ago that he would be best used off the bench for the Indiana Pacers. Vogel asked him to start a few more games to help second-year player Solomon Hill get his legs after hitting a bit of a midseason wall, but in New Orleans before the All-Star break, Vogel was finally able to accommodate Stuckey’s request.

Returns were instant and lucrative.

After scoring 16 points in only 13 minutes against the Pelicans, Stuckey exploded for back-to-back 30 point games off the bench against the 76ers and Warriors. Stuckey’s bench outburst was literally unmatched in Pacers history, as he became the first substitute to score 30 points in consecutive games.

Stuckey has scored 76 points in 66 minutes since he’s been able to embrace his bench role, all while shooting a blistering 65% from the floor and 55% from deep.

But it’s been about so much more than the sheer numbers.

The way that Stuckey has carried himself has been more important. He knows he is suited for a sixth-man role on this team, and Rodney Stuckey now has an identity with these Pacers — one that is not so unlike the role he relished and excelled in early in his career.

Rodney Stuckey now has an identity with these Pacers — one that is not so unlike the role he relished and excelled in early in his career.

Could this all just be a random 3-game blip on the long season’s radar? It’s possible, but Stuckey has been excelling with the bench unit all year, and he knows this.

“I can do a lot more things out there [with the second unit],” said Stuckey. “When I’m aggressive out there on the court, I’m at my best.”

Some of his starter/bench splits make sense.

Stuckey has been more active in the passing lanes, more aggressive getting to the rim, and more decisive in his playmaking. As one might expect, Stuckey has shot the ball better off the bench than he has a starter this year. Stuckey has performed better against poorer defending bench units. But his efficiency numbers aren’t the only metrics that improve when he comes off the bench.

Even though Stuckey has played nearly seven fewer minutes per game as a backup, he’s actually scoring more points, drawing more fouls, and swiping more steals during these limited roles. Those aren’t per-36 minute numbers. Those are accumulated stats. Perhaps even crazier is the fact that even though Stuckey’s usage rate with the Indiana bench skyrockets from 21% to 29%, his turnover rate actually drops 2 percentage points.

The results have been clear.

Rodney Stuckey has been able to be more aggressive in nearly every part of his game when he comes off the bench, and the Pacers as a team have benefited. If the key to being a professional athlete really is knowing who you are, than Rodney Stuckey is the consummate pro.

And the Pacers will be much better off because of it.

Next: The George Hill/David West Pick and Roll Is Back

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