Jan 3rd 2009 8:46AM by Tom Ziller (author feed)
Filed under: Jazz, Kings, Knicks, Pistons, NBA Last Night

In the days following the 2007 draft, you’d be looked at as a joker if you insisted they’d someday chant Rodney Stuckey’s name in Detroit. You’d look like even more of a nutter if you said it’d happen two months into his sophomore season. But here he is, racking up 38 points and seven assists to lead the Pistons in a tough win over Sacramento to the spirited chants of “STUCK-EY! STUCK-EY!.” (However, the appearance of the wave at the Palace in the fourth makes me also question the Detroit crowd’s judgment.)

Particularly awesome is how thoroughly Stuckey wasted Kings point guard Beno Udrih, who not only could not dream of stopping Stuckey’s penetration but also couldn’t get a decent shot off against the kid’s physical pressure. Udrih finished with two points, three assists and two turnovers in 20 minutes.

Paul Millsap wasn’t gone long, and thank goodness. Millsap brought his lunch pail to L.A., and though the Jazz fell to the Lakers by a baker’s dozen, Millsap turned out a stellar game: 16 points, 17 rebounds, three assists, two steals, two steals and zero turnovers. Every night like this pushes Carlos Boozer closer to the edge of the world.

Knicks games typically create nutty lines … but not like this: Jared Jeffries had only one point for the ‘Bockers in 29 minutes, but racked up five rebounds and blocks. Someone needs to get Jeffries a copy of or a 2004-05 Phoenix game tape.