Can this team be a contender?
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Stewart is a great athlete but if he were to start getting say 20 minutes, it would be counter productive as often as productive.
Right now, athleticism is he all he offers to be honest.
Right now, athleticism is he all he offers to be honest.
The core of Roach, McCain, Proctor, Flip and Mitchell, and possibly Foster, HAVE to lead Duke.
The chatter of Young needing to sit in place of Stewart, or Power getting minutes is 100% irrelevant at this point.
The chatter of Young needing to sit in place of Stewart, or Power getting minutes is 100% irrelevant at this point.
I think Duke is past the improvement part now it is simply about heart and determination.
This team is what it is with March three weeks away . Not going to try to determine who stays and who goes after the season . This team can not seem to put together a complete game as a unit from all the starters .
This team is what it is with March three weeks away . Not going to try to determine who stays and who goes after the season . This team can not seem to put together a complete game as a unit from all the starters .
We can still improve. But it is doubtful all the freshman will play well at once. Flip is spinning way too much. He looked like the Tazmanian Devil.
Deep down, everyone knows Stewart gives the team a much higher ceiling than Young. Stewart will make mistakes and will be undisciplined, but he gives an element on defense and on the boards this team needs.
I feel like that is the biggest problem with this team.
They just don’t play hard enough of the time.
I feel like they think they can turn it on when they need to but they can’t. To be a champion you have to do championship quality things routinely.
This team lacks effort to much of the time. It feels like they go through the motions to much.
We don’t win in 2015 with Grayson, who was 8th on the depth chart. We don’t win in 2010 without Dawkins, who was 8th on the depth chart. I don’t think our top 6 or 7 is enough, mainly because they are too small. Bacot destroyed us. The reason Ingram got so many wide open three’s is we had to help inside because we are too small and soft.
I’m not saying it’ll work but I do believe playing Stewart more gives this team a chance to compete inside. Houston, Purdue, UNC, and Kansas got some big boys.
I’m not saying it’ll work but I do believe playing Stewart more gives this team a chance to compete inside. Houston, Purdue, UNC, and Kansas got some big boys.
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Compare our past title teams core guys to this team’s core guys. You’re kidding yourself if you think this bunch plays as well together as those teams did.
That is our bigger problem. Unless that changes, Duke has no chance.
That is our bigger problem. Unless that changes, Duke has no chance.
You have to start Stewart. Let him make mistakes. The only chance we have is if he grows close to his potential this season and he won’t grow on the bench.
McCain as an example, is starting to emerge but he was given a chance. Many here questioned him during stretches this season.
You have to give Stewart a chance to see if he can grow into a specialized role of defense, including blocking shots, steals, put backs, game changing dunks, protecting Flip, etc….
Deep down I think we all know, unless he grows before our eyes, this team is more vulnerable than what we like.
I think we were hoping this team could be like some of the Villanova teams of the past, guard oriented, playing fast, shooting threes, but those Villanova teams didn’t lack for toughness despite being undersized. Their guards were rugged.
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McCain as an example, is starting to emerge but he was given a chance. Many here questioned him during stretches this season.
You have to give Stewart a chance to see if he can grow into a specialized role of defense, including blocking shots, steals, put backs, game changing dunks, protecting Flip, etc….
Deep down I think we all know, unless he grows before our eyes, this team is more vulnerable than what we like.
I think we were hoping this team could be like some of the Villanova teams of the past, guard oriented, playing fast, shooting threes, but those Villanova teams didn’t lack for toughness despite being undersized. Their guards were rugged.
Sean Stewart could help Duke men's basketball reach its potential
Sean Stewart didn’t receive a ton of minutes on Wednesday, but he made the most of them. Could he be an x-factor down the stretch for Duke?
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That’s an issue as well. This team can not play uptempo. They don’t play fast and the defense has disappeared to much at times.
Ingram should have been guarded way harder and by a taller player.
Stewart could help but so could Power I just don’t think the trust is there from the coaches .
Ingram should have been guarded way harder and by a taller player.
Stewart could help but so could Power I just don’t think the trust is there from the coaches .
Shey- the tempo has been the biggest issue with this team in my opinion. Alot of folks say the toughness, and I agree we are not tough but we play so slow for a team that runs out a three guard lineup, and our best player off the bench is a guard. We heard all off season we would play fast, and that hasn't happened.
Are we not tough because for the most part we are small ball oriented or is it because our big guy whines and appears flustered over all the contact he absorbs whether it hard or very little?
He is our presumed leader…
He is our presumed leader…
trying to change who we are now isnt possible...this team is what it is....the time to build the team was at the beginning of the season when you could blood all the freshman against lower opponents and non conference games...thats where you build...not in February...it seems we want to win those meaningless games by 20+ vs getting all the new incoming players the time they need to adapt to college ball. Our promising but inexperienced players have a history of disappearing to the bench come conference play. Winning and building the best team takes a fine balance and hard to get right but the current approach seems to be missing the mark each season vs other teams I've watched. So we end up debating the merits of a bench player getting more mins in February.....every year.
The big guy isn't a center and is being forced to play center. He's done a damn good job playing a position he won't play at the next level, and he's been a warrior down low. The flack the kid gets is nauseating. You would never know he's averaging 17 and 9 a game.
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I don’t think Flip is playing out of position on O - he has no outside shot, or even a 15’ shot. Where on the court should he be if not inside? And his spin move is almost comical - everyone knows it’s coming, and our opponents are waiting for it. When he doesn’t have it stolen or doesn’t bounce it off his thigh, he frequently has no touch to the shot. His rebounding is very good, and that stat is legit. But his PPG number is terribly misleading. I hate to be critical of our own guy, but he really hasn’t come close to living up to the hype. And I think he knows it, judging by his demeanor.
The guys that play the bulk of the minutes HAVE to carry the load. We can debate Stewart playing more all we want, and sitting Young in favor of him. Do some of you guys think that's the pressing concern though? We do need a solid bench, but it means very little when Proctor scores 2 points (1st half) against the holes, or has dished out a grand total of 4 assists the last two games. That is unacceptable for a guy that came into this season very hyped, and is counted on to play most of the game.
You're not being honest if you are satisfied with the overall play out of our main guys.
You're not being honest if you are satisfied with the overall play out of our main guys.
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Yep. Our lofty preseason ranking assumed the returning freshmen starters would make a significant sophomore leap. Never thought we'd be 0-3 in that regard. Still hoping, though.
I agree with your last post Jimbo. Flip will not play Center in the NBA, he will play the 4. Kelly Olynk and Meyers Leonard made it to the NBA playing a 4. Flip has better statistics than both of those guys had in college. Yes, we definitely need more from Flip!
For context, the 09-10 team made that tweak of giving Zoubek more minutes in that home game against Maryland (that game was in February), that’s when the team developed into the Championship Team it became. The 3 S’s (Scheyer, Smith, and Singler) controlled the offense, everyone else contributed in different ways (Thomas, Zoubek, MP1, MP2, and Dawkins).
Which makes me ask all of you for your opinions. What are your thoughts of the coaching staff trying the same blue print the 09-10 team played when Zoubek emerged? Having the offense run through the 3 guards? Scoring wise Roach & McCain are there, Proctor can still get to that level he showed it in those games between the Pitt and Unc loss and he showed it from February through the Tennessee loss last season. It would be a big ask of Flip to sacrifice being the focal point on offense, but it may end up working in both his, Mitchell, Foster, Young, Blakes, and Stewart’s favors with defenses now focusing their attention on the guards, the guards would have to keep their heads up and look for their teammates to cut to the basket. Proctor, Roach, and McCain playing the Scheyer, Smith, and Singler role, Mitchell & Flip playing the Thomas and Zoubek role, Foster & Blakes playing the Dawkins role, Young and Stewart playing the MP1 & MP2 role.
As I said earlier, it benefits a team more to have a great set of guards than it does to have a big dominant big man to make a run in the ncaa tournament. Look at the previous National Champions in recent memory:
2010: Singler, Smith, & Scheyer (Duke)
2011: Walker, Lamb, & Napier (UConn)
2012: Yes they had Anthony Davis, but the majority of their scoring came from Lamb, Teague, and Miller (Kentucky)
2013: Siva and Smith (Louisville)
2014: Napier and Boatright (UConn)
2015: Jones, Cook, and Winslow (Duke)
2016: Bridges, Hart, and Brunson (Villanova)
2017: Berry, Paige, Jackson (Unc)
2018: Brunson, Divincenzo, Bridges (Villanova)
2019: Guy, Jerome, and Hunter (Virginia)
2020: Covid
2021: Mitchell, forgot the name of Baylor’s 2 other guards who made the All Final 4 Team (Baylor)
2022: Harris Jr, Braun, and Agbachi (Kansas)
2023: The current PG for UConn, Jackson, and the young stud who was drafted by New Orleans (UConn)
It’s not a coincidence the majority of these recent national champions came from their backcourts doing the majority of the scoring.
I think it will be interesting to see if Coach Scheyer and his staff will try running their offense through their great group of guards as opposed to running the offense through Flip.
For context, the 09-10 team made that tweak of giving Zoubek more minutes in that home game against Maryland (that game was in February), that’s when the team developed into the Championship Team it became. The 3 S’s (Scheyer, Smith, and Singler) controlled the offense, everyone else contributed in different ways (Thomas, Zoubek, MP1, MP2, and Dawkins).
Which makes me ask all of you for your opinions. What are your thoughts of the coaching staff trying the same blue print the 09-10 team played when Zoubek emerged? Having the offense run through the 3 guards? Scoring wise Roach & McCain are there, Proctor can still get to that level he showed it in those games between the Pitt and Unc loss and he showed it from February through the Tennessee loss last season. It would be a big ask of Flip to sacrifice being the focal point on offense, but it may end up working in both his, Mitchell, Foster, Young, Blakes, and Stewart’s favors with defenses now focusing their attention on the guards, the guards would have to keep their heads up and look for their teammates to cut to the basket. Proctor, Roach, and McCain playing the Scheyer, Smith, and Singler role, Mitchell & Flip playing the Thomas and Zoubek role, Foster & Blakes playing the Dawkins role, Young and Stewart playing the MP1 & MP2 role.
As I said earlier, it benefits a team more to have a great set of guards than it does to have a big dominant big man to make a run in the ncaa tournament. Look at the previous National Champions in recent memory:
2010: Singler, Smith, & Scheyer (Duke)
2011: Walker, Lamb, & Napier (UConn)
2012: Yes they had Anthony Davis, but the majority of their scoring came from Lamb, Teague, and Miller (Kentucky)
2013: Siva and Smith (Louisville)
2014: Napier and Boatright (UConn)
2015: Jones, Cook, and Winslow (Duke)
2016: Bridges, Hart, and Brunson (Villanova)
2017: Berry, Paige, Jackson (Unc)
2018: Brunson, Divincenzo, Bridges (Villanova)
2019: Guy, Jerome, and Hunter (Virginia)
2020: Covid
2021: Mitchell, forgot the name of Baylor’s 2 other guards who made the All Final 4 Team (Baylor)
2022: Harris Jr, Braun, and Agbachi (Kansas)
2023: The current PG for UConn, Jackson, and the young stud who was drafted by New Orleans (UConn)
It’s not a coincidence the majority of these recent national champions came from their backcourts doing the majority of the scoring.
I think it will be interesting to see if Coach Scheyer and his staff will try running their offense through their great group of guards as opposed to running the offense through Flip.
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Well thought out post Bullcity. I see what you’re saying about Flip and the 10 title team, but as of today, I think our best 3 options are Roach, McCain, and Flip. With Flip, I think the staff should get him to slow it down a little. Less would mean more. He’s a great passer, and can do what Zoubek couldn’t do, which is score.
I would have McCain continue to be more involved. He’s a beast. The problem player though is Proctor. Can he get to the level he played late last year, especially the Tennessee game, before the tournament starts?
As of right now, the answer is no. It could change, and if it does, Duke has a much better chance.
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Quality post, bullcity. Give me great guard play over a strong front court everyday. I do think it's warranted to say Proctor has been a disappointment this year and it has really hurt this team. Roach has been outstanding and I want the ball in his hands in a tied game with 20 seconds left. McCain has been by far our best freshman, and has provided the type of season Duke has been accustomed to seeing from alot of our highly rated five stars. He's a one and done so we need to enjoy him now. Foster has been solid, and I think he will be a really good sophomore.
I think Mark has been pretty good all year, just not great like we thought. And Flip, we'll we all know how I feel about him and what he means to his team. I'll continue to support him and he's had a great sophomore campaign for the most part.
I just truly think our biggest issue is the slow tempo we play with being a guard heavy team.
Great post and I strongly believe the O needs to run through the guards
Flip needs a center / rim protector to truly do his work . The issue is this team, guards especially have not brought it on both ends of the ball .
I am all for running much of the offense thru the guards. Problem is, I think our guards collectively must shoot the three ball better.
OFC
OFC
Love them or hate them...JWill and Uncle Fester nailed our issues on the halftime report...we have to play with more intensity on both ends if we are to compete for a title.
2nd half was much better today "intensity" wise. Mitchell looked like a "dawg" out there (that's for Chris Mack), and McCain ALWAYS plays with sense of urgency.
OFC
OFC
Good job den. "Uncle Fester" is great for Greenberg. I call JWill, "JBil2" because he mirrors Bilas so much in his affection for the Cheats.
OFC
It’s wide open, UConn and Purdue look really good, but Purdue still has Painter as their coach. It’s also really hard to repeat (UConn) that’s why it hasn’t been done since Florida did it back in 06 and 07
Tough schedule the rest of the way. But Duke still in it to win the ACC regular season with UNC going down. That would be another great accomplishment for Scheyer.
It's really frustrating, though, that we basically only went 6 deep vs WF (5 minutes out of the rest of the bench, smh). We need these other guys to step up. Really need Stewart and Power to show some consistency. No way this team goes anywhere this year with only 6 guys playing almost all the minutes.
And while we will have to use Young to give Flip some rest, he just isn't strong enough and has not developed his game to be of significant value at this point.
It's really frustrating, though, that we basically only went 6 deep vs WF (5 minutes out of the rest of the bench, smh). We need these other guys to step up. Really need Stewart and Power to show some consistency. No way this team goes anywhere this year with only 6 guys playing almost all the minutes.
And while we will have to use Young to give Flip some rest, he just isn't strong enough and has not developed his game to be of significant value at this point.
If we can avoid the teams with dominant bigs (Purdue for sure, UCONN for sure, UNC though we probably won’t be matched up, Kansas though they are fading and won’t be a 1 seed) than we got a chance to make a run. I just see us having no chance if we run up against an Edey type due to our lack of size/strengh.
If we aren’t gonna play super fast, and if our guards aren’t gonna force turnovers, than a dominant big can kill us.
Tournament is all about matchups. Arizona’s big is why we lost to them, Bacot killed us, GT beat us due to their big dunking everything.
If we aren’t gonna play super fast, and if our guards aren’t gonna force turnovers, than a dominant big can kill us.
Tournament is all about matchups. Arizona’s big is why we lost to them, Bacot killed us, GT beat us due to their big dunking everything.
There is no Edey type, just Edey.
Still hoping Stewart can become relevant for more than 5 minutes per game but it may not happen this season.
So Coach S has to do it with trickery like the occasional double team and other gimmicks.
Darn that admissions office.
Still hoping Stewart can become relevant for more than 5 minutes per game but it may not happen this season.
So Coach S has to do it with trickery like the occasional double team and other gimmicks.
Darn that admissions office.
Ballo (Arizona big) had 13 and 5 against us but had the 2 baskets at the end of the game to win for Arizona, posts up on Flip.
Ndongo (GT freshman big) had 21 on us.
Bacot did whatever he wanted against us, could have had 30 if we weren’t forced to double every time.
There’s only one Edey. And he would probably get an easy 30+ on our front line, but there are 5-10 bigs out there that could absolutely control the paint and send us home in March. Klingan is one of them.
I just don't get the constant griping about not having a 'true big.' The last time I checked, Flip was 7' tall, and weighing roughly 230 or so. Maybe he has a hard time stopping a really good big, but Flip has to be guarded too.
It hasn't happened yet, but if our starting five plays close to their potential, Duke can beat anyone.
It hasn't happened yet, but if our starting five plays close to their potential, Duke can beat anyone.
Yeah, we’ve beaten the hell out of that horse we should have gotten for the 5 position from the portal. Like Mac said we haven’t had our starting 5 clicking at the same time. We have no double digit losses and have been in every game at the end in all of our losses. Even vs UNC, there was a glimmer of hope near the end of the game.
It seems like once you reach the round of 32 all the teams are good. And if an underdog advances; it's usually a strong, experienced team. Of course we can be a contender. Proctor should improve, and we have Flip, Mitchell, and Roach and McCain. But we need to find another gear.
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