The Stackhouse Sensation: Jerry success no surprise to King ... or him

Billy King told reporters Thursday that while Jerry Stackhouse saw this season as a transition from playing to coaching, he came prepared to do more playing than coaching.

"Jerry was brought in, number one, for his veteran leadership… But he worked out twice a day in September getting himself ready for the season… When bringing these guys in, you never know what you’re gonna get until they start practicing… The rotation tends to develop once you start to play games… Jerry has given us more than we expected, but he prepared himself."

Indeed. As Sean Deveney of The Sporting News reports, Of the 42 shots Stackhouse has taken this season, 28 have been from the 3-point line. Of those 28 shots, 15 have come from the corners—he has made 4-of-9 from the left corner and 5-for-6 from the right corner. He is, in fact, the third leading three point shooter in the NBA, behind only Matt Bonner and Rashard Lewis ... and ahead of Ray Allen. That's pretty good company.

Stackhouse said he knew his coach wouldn't stereotype him, that Avery Johnson knew what he could do. "I know how that is," he said of stereotypes of older players. "But I knew coming in with Avery Johnson, I know him and he was a good player late in his career. I knew he’d be open-minded. I knew I still had something to give on the court."

• Nets' Jerry Stackhouse surprises with hot start - Sean Deveney - The Sporting News
• Air Stack continues to take off - Tim Bontemps - New York Post