Lineup change had as much to do with defense

Even coaches who save their X-and-O doodling time for offense understand this much: When your defense is stifling, points come easier at the other end. Flip Saunders was regarded as one of the NBA's most clever offensive coaches, but he consistently maintained that the offense functioned more efficiently if you weren't always reduced to taking the ball out of the net on the other end.

Michael Curry made his chops as an NBA player at the defensive end, so you don't have to guess how he feels about the relationship's balance.

And it was with defense in mind as much as offense that led Curry to reshuffle his starting lineup and insert Rodney Stuckey at point guard, despite the analysis that has focused on Stuckey's influence as a point guard helping Allen Iverson and Rip Hamilton find a common ground to launch their individual successes within the team framework.

"I thought Rodney would be great in the starting lineup, first of all from a defensive standpoint," Curry said. "He's our best defender on the ball and to be a really good defensive team, you have to be really good at defending the ball. ... We're starting to turn the corner and become a better defensive team."

The Pistons have some alarming defensive stats on their resume through the first quarter of the season - they rank 22nd in field-goal percentage defense - but Curry has been encouraged by what he's seen since the lineup change. And part of the motivation for the amped-up defensive intensity might be the impact players see it can have on their impact to get easy points the other way.

"Guys are starting to realize as long as we defend really well, offensively we're going to be fine," Curry said. "If we defend, we're going to score. What happens is when you're not defending well and you get into all half-court sets, everybody is trying to see if it's their turn to score. When we get into defending, we get out in transition, we get more possessions in the game and having Stuckey out there has opened it up for Allen and Rip to get going offensively. When we get more possessions, when we get stops and get out and run, all the guys are getting their reps and touches."

The ascencion of Stuckey to starter was motivated by what he would mean to that unit's and the team's success, but it's also been a boon to Stuckey's play. That hasn't surprised Curry for any number of reasons:

• He saw the success Stuckey had as a starter in the playoffs last year for an injured Chauncey Billups and again in the two games early this season when the Iverson-Billups trade left the Pistons without either one.

"I just think he's comfortable starting," Curry said. "I've always thought that. Maybe he never came off the bench before he came here, but he's always appeared to me to be very comfortable when he's started."

"When Chaunce first got traded," Hamilton said, "the two games he started, he was awesome. He played great both games and we got two wins. Nothing he does right now surprises me. I expect that of him. I don't expect him to come out and play like a second-year player."

• Playing with four bona fide scoring threats has spread the floor for Stuckey and put his penetration skills back in play.

"I don't think he felt any pressure to score even when he was coming off of the bench," Curry said. "I just think the game opens up for him. When you didn't have (Antonio McDyess) out there with that second group when he was coming off the bench, the floor just shrunk for him and he was forced to shoot all jumpers. No one wants to make a living shooting all Js. We've been confident in his jump shot and we love his ability to get to the basket. So now he can pick and choose a lot better."

• It fits Stuckey's aggressive nature to be out there to start games and appears to be accelerating his emergence as a take-charge leader.

"I think his demeanor is what helps separate him from a lot of players and a big part of why he's going to become a great player in this league," Curry said. "His demeanor fits right along with his ability and desire to work hard and be great."

Curry knew some things might suffer at first, the record included, as he went about implementing any number of changes this season, everything from the inclusion of more young players in the rotation to altering the playbook to demanding more in the way of physical conditioning early in the season. He wasn't figuring on a dramatic early-season trade compounding the magnitude of change. But the payoff, he believes, will be a more resilient and deeper team over time. Rodney Stuckey is helping him shrink the time frame.

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