[Stardust]

OKLAHOMA CITY -- It's fairly well known how NBA teams are going to attack offensively.

The point guard runs a lot of high pick-and-rolls with the big men.

Two-guards come off baseline screens with small forwards doing a little post-up and running off screens as well.

So there's a premium on having players who can attack in transition, come off screens, play pick-and-roll and beat defenders off the dribble.

That's part of the benefits of having a starting backcourt of Rodney Stuckey and Brandon Knight.

They were the starting guards for the second straight game Monday night against the Thunder, and their contrasting styles make the Pistons tougher to defend. Coach Lawrence Frank cited the Thunder's trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden as an example of what happens when teams have multiple options of attack.

"When you have a diversified attack, and we're in the infancy stage of it, it just makes it so you're coming at them from both directions," Frank said.

At 6-feet-5 and 205 pounds, Stuckey can post smaller defenders in the paint. Knight is smaller (6-3, 189) but quicker.

""Brandon has decent size for his position, but he's not going to be stronger than most guys a night," Frank said. "Rodney has a definitive advantage with the way he plays. So when you have Brandon's speed and Rodney's strength, it's a good combination."

http://www.freep.com/article/20120124/SP...ey-Stuckey