Desire, Toughness and Hunger...can't coach or teach it!

[jamsession3]

I love this team. I respect the talent. I appreciate the what they have. Unfortunately, there are times the 50/50 ball, the aggressiveness and cockiness does not show up for us.

VT wanted it more and there was never a moment tonight DUKE even attempted to punch them in the mouth.

Talent is not enough to win a NT. You must play with an extra gear and tell your opponent you are better. This team needs step on some necks and know each game it's theirs. Too timid.

 

[bleediteveryday30]

They had a swagger in February and I thought they might've hit their stride...then last Saturday happened. Tonight the fire wasn't there that needed to be. I also think they tightened up again just like last Saturday. It sucks. Because I think the pieces are there. We've shown we can beat anyone and lose to anyone. Doesn't help that some kid turns into Steph Curry when they play us. We lost our defensive edge in the last week. I just don't know why and I am not sure we can recover in time now.

 

[sheyduke]

I love this team. I respect the talent. I appreciate the what they have. Unfortunately, there are times the 50/50 ball, the aggressiveness and cockiness does not show up for us.

VT wanted it more and there was never a moment tonight DUKE even attempted to punch them in the mouth.

Talent is not enough to win a NT. You must play with an extra gear and tell your opponent you are better. This team needs step on some necks and know each game it's theirs. Too timid.

I agree with your post except this team ain’t got it in them ! Paolo cares I will say that but some are just along for the ride. I hope Roach returns because he played his tail off.

 

[The_Only_Blue]

I agree with your post except this team ain’t got it in them ! Paolo cares I will say that but some are just along for the ride. I hope Roach returns because he played his tail off.

Paolo definitely acts like he cares. Keels has no business going to the NBA even though he still will.

 

[Friction.]

I agree with your post except this team ain’t got it in them ! Paolo cares I will say that but some are just along for the ride. I hope Roach returns because he played his tail off.

You’re right - Very proud of Roach. He’s got a little bit of what the OP was asking for and was a big part of getting us to the title game.

 

[christophero]

Our big wins were in November. As usual.

 

[bmbritt]

Paolo definitely acts like he cares. Keels has no business going to the NBA even though he still will.

Keels has absolutely sucked over the last couple months. His outside shot has tanked and he wouldn’t play many minutes at all if we weren’t so hard up at guard. We are playing teams that have 4+ guards who can all drive the ball on Keels and play 4 guard sets which forces K to play Keels because Baker is worse at guarding anyone. I wish K would bench Keels in the opening game and use Bates Jones as Roach’s backup.

We need a really good version of Keels for teams like Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky or Villanova who have bigger guards. A team like Tennessee or Baylor with their fast guards will embarrass Keels.

 

[LetsGoDuke83]

Our big wins were in November. As usual.

Duke basketball tradition lately

 

[DBM0828]

We need a Kentucky game Keels or he needs to be out of the starting and big minutes rotation... I've said it before Roach is giving way more than Keels so play him... Coaching changes should have come 6 games ago, but now they are a must. Pick and Roll changes are a MUST or we gone first game. Teams are going to pick and roll Williams to death. Also we haven't shot the 3 ball well, which sucks because we shoot 20+ a game... be it's ALL IN, and 1 game at a time or we end the season. I hope we dig deep and grind these games out.

 

[sheyduke]

We need a Kentucky game Keels or he needs to be out of the starting and big minutes rotation... I've said it before Roach is giving way more than Keels so play him... Coaching changes should have come 6 games ago, but now they are a must. Pick and Roll changes are a MUST or we gone first game. Teams are going to pick and roll Williams to death. Also we haven't shot the 3 ball well, which sucks because we shoot 20+ a game... be it's ALL IN, and 1 game at a time or we end the season. I hope we dig deep and grind these games out.

The thing is can this team find heart and toughness? I know after Roach Flatlined aluma he was a little less physical on the floor.
this team needs a reality check headed into the tourney their defense and offense has not been there.

 

[kirby]

I think the softness you see is encouraged by a defense that switches anytime two offensive players get within 10 feet of each other. The constant switching makes the defense look like keystone cops, puts Roach defending in the post, and constantly puts Mark 20 feet from the basket guarding 3 point shooters and out of rebounding position. Our offense looks great when we push in transition and when we move the ball in the half court but to often it becomes an isolation, dribble the air out of the ball NBA lookalike. We can still get this done but I think the 4 practices this week need to be impactful.

 

[DBM0828]

The Coach K Cameron send-off should have been the reality check... i figured that would light the fire under everyone, coaches, players even the managers... seems like it didn't much imo... to me this team seems like a vehicle that keeps stalling. When you mash the accelerator it revs to high rpms, but as soon as you let off it starts to stall... we look good for quick spurts, try to get the crowd hype and use the quick energy spurt then flatline... and I'd honestly say it's too late for coach to put a entire new offense plan in. But I wish he would...

The thing is can this team find heart and toughness? I know after Roach Flatlined aluma he was a little less physical on the floor.
this team needs a reality check headed into the tourney their defense and offense has not been there.

 

[DBM0828]

Crazy the only players with any tournament experience are Baker, John, and Bates Jones... 2 years without for Moore (covid 1st and 2nd year). Williams and Roach (covid last year)... and looked like Jones played less than a minute. Little pt for Baker, John played in 2019 vs Murray state.

 

[Devilinside]

Our big wins were in November. As usual.

That is because in November/December, other teams, like us, are just putting things together. Unfortunately, we are still working on that in March.

 

[Devilinside]

I think the softness you see is encouraged by a defense that switches anytime two offensive players get within 10 feet of each other. The constant switching makes the defense look like keystone cops, puts Roach defending in the post, and constantly puts Mark 20 feet from the basket guarding 3 point shooters and out of rebounding position. Our offense looks great when we push in transition and when we move the ball in the half court but to often it becomes an isolation, dribble the air out of the ball NBA lookalike. We can still get this done but I think the 4 practices this week need to be impactful.

Totally on point regarding the negative impacts of the constant switches. What happened to closely guarding an opposing player and sticking to him like glue? We do not need Williams or Banchero hopelessly trying to guard Storm Murphy, Clark, or UNCheat's guards. OFC

 

[kirby]

Totally on point regarding the negative impacts of the constant switches. What happened to closely guarding an opposing player and sticking to him like glue? We do not need Williams or Banchero hopelessly trying to guard Storm Murphy, Clark, or UNCheat's guards. OFC

I am headed to Greenville assuming Duke is sent there. Ironically, the last game I attended in person was the Michigan St. regional final vs Zion and company and we lost that game because of a miscommunication on a switch!! Maybe it's time to go old school and guard 'our' man.

 

[Mpm277]

When I saw the VT team going freaking hype on each other in the tunnel before the game I had a gut feeling we'd lose. Our guys just don't have that.

Our teams look lost on offense in the last handful of years. I don't know if it's a lack of chemistry because of the OAD structure or staff is completely relying on talent and what's gone over in practices come game time or what. Duke is the only team I've seen that has every single coach sitting on the bench the entire game simply watching their team in between each timeout. Having said that, last night was probably the most animated and active I've seen K in a good while.

 

[christophero]

I am really hoping we get a 2 seed. A 3 seed would be a more difficult path and a potentially brutal sweet 16 match up.

 

[Alaskan_Assassin_21]

Watching Iowa vs Purdue as I stretch for the gym

Situational IQ. Yah that's often experience. When is the last time we were the sharpest team on the floor.

 

[Duke1783]

Do we even make an effort to recruit kids like the ones that play for Iowa? They can shoot the lights out

 

[christophero]

We used to

 

[Duke1783]

We used to

I remember. I miss those days. We didn’t a team loaded with NBA talent but man those kids played their hearts our for the name on the front of the jersey

 

[The_Only_Blue]

Do we even make an effort to recruit kids like the ones that play for Iowa? They can shoot the lights out

They always seem to have players and shooters around forever...Wieskamp and Garza were really good as well

 

[Mac9192]

If we’re honest, teams like Iowa and Purdue aren’t yearly contenders, and many times not even good. Duke is almost always competitive, and usually solid, but I’m not sure we are true contenders every season.
We’ve somehow got caught where we aren’t able to keep a good blend going. So, we put so much stock in the new kids each season. A lot to put on a kid, and the staff has less than a year with many of them.

Would love to be wrong, but I think the coaching aspect of the game has passed K by. He gets an A in recruiting, but player development, and team growth per season, he’s close to a failing grade.
Our last 2 losses were failures at adjusting. We allowed the other team to dictate the game, and never countered.

 

[Duke1783]

They always seem to have players and shooters around forever...Wieskamp and Garza were really good as well

Lol Garza is like 30 years old

 

[Alaskan_Assassin_21]

If we’re honest, teams like Iowa and Purdue aren’t yearly contenders, and many times not even good. Duke is almost always competitive, and usually solid, but I’m not sure we are true contenders every season.
We’ve somehow got caught where we aren’t able to keep a good blend going. So, we put so much stock in the new kids each season. A lot to put on a kid, and the staff has less than a year with many of them.

Would love to be wrong, but I think the coaching aspect of the game has passed K by. He gets an A in recruiting, but player development, and team growth per season, he’s close to a failing grade.
Our last 2 losses were failures at adjusting. We allowed the other team to dictate the game, and never countered.

Agreed. If we transition back to how we were, we're no longer yearly Title Contenders. On the flip side this so called potential also fuels the frustration. We were heart broken by 2005-06 but not feeling betrayed. We recognized their ceiling. Maybe I'm wrong.

My opinion on current Coach K is heavily Team USA and the 2015 team. We won that Title Game over Wisconsin IMO based off individual greatness. "Let the kids decide it".

Lastly it must hurt Coach to invest so much just to see the boys walk out after <1 year. Reading of how difficult he was on JJ Redick post sophomore defeat to Uconn. He helped mold him. I am a believer that this current crop/generation of players don't necessarily want it or can handle it...

 

[Mac9192]

Lastly it must hurt Coach to invest so much just to see the boys walk out after <1 year. Reading of how difficult he was on JJ Redick post sophomore defeat to Uconn. He helped mold him. I am a believer that this current crop/generation of players don't necessarily want it or can handle it...

Yes, and this part of your post is where to me, brings up my opinion that K isn’t the coach he once was. Yeah, his age is a factor, but the state of the game now has made him somewhat handcuffed. He could scold JJ, cause he knew he had another year. I think he can’t scold these kids like the K we’re used to. How he handles them might affect potential recruits.
Just my thoughts.

 

[jeffrey236]

Yes, and this part of your post is where to me, brings up my opinion that K isn’t the coach he once was. Yeah, his age is a factor, but the state of the game now has made him somewhat handcuffed. He could scold JJ, cause he knew he had another year. I think he can’t scold these kids like the K we’re used to. How he handles them might affect potential recruits.
Just my thoughts.

I agree. After some of these games, vintage K would have had their names ripped off their uniforms, maybe even removed “Duke” from them as well, and started his walk-ons the next game. Hard to do that with a bunch of OAD’s. But Jon isn’t going to have it any easier, with another largely OAD class coming in.

 

[Devilinside]

I agree. After some of these games, vintage K would have had their names ripped off their uniforms, maybe even removed “Duke” from them as well, and started his walk-ons the next game. Hard to do that with a bunch of OAD’s. But Jon isn’t going to have it any easier, with another largely OAD class coming in.

What bothers me the most is that K seems reluctant to make changes during games. Someone please explain this to me. K says we were playing bad at the end because of lack of practice time. Then he says they did not practice because he thought we were tired. Well, if practice is so important to preparation, what is worse: going into a game a little tired or being unprepared? Fact is that we have a bench which one would expect to be used to rest players. Fact is that every team in the tournament was playing under the same conditions. Fact is that it was Duke that was tired at the end, not VT. Fact is that VT was totally prepared, but not Duke. That, and only that, is why we lost.

OFC

 

[christophero]

There seems to be some stubbornness there. He is the goat, but there is also this is who we are and you need to stop us. I don't get the impression he listens much to his assistants in game, with a few exceptions.

 

[Devilinside]

In his interview in which he attempts to praise Duke's season record, he offers a a justification for it not being better the fact that we start 3 freshman, "two of which are only 18 years old". Well, if that is a problem (and Duke's record over the past few years indicates that it is), why the heavy reliance on OAD's instead of trying to build a more experienced team more capable of holding up under pressure? Maybe we can find a Storm Murphy in the transfer portal or a Hunter Catoor. OFC

 

[denverexpat]

We consistently dont have leadership at the key spot...point guard. Our great teams were all lead by great PG's...we recruit scorers not leaders, youth vs experience and it shows when the tough minutes in games dont go our way. It cant be blamed on anyone else except those in charge as its a choice. Could we take lesser rated recruits and mold them into experienced leaders? Yes..we choose scorers over leaders..and when you consistently see opponents with PG's that run teams effectively, score at will against us and have career highs in games you would think that penny would drop. There is another McCollum out there ready to surprise us in this tournament i suspect.

 

[Liftee]

Love him or not, Roach was one of the highest rated PGs coming out of high school. He has not developed into a Tyus or Tre but that couldn't be known 3 years ago.

No transfer is going to come to a team that has a 4 or 5 star PG returning and plays only 7 guys. They go somewhere that they can start and play a lot and not be overshadowed by a bunch of McDonald's AA's.

If we want to stop recruiting the best players and take 2-3 years to cultivate lower ranked players and hope they develop, in other words be happy to be Virginia, then that's a different conversation. I like being Duke, the highest profile team that everyone talks about, good or bad.

 

[AlanInNJ]

We can go on and on and on.

How can Duke, DUKE, one of the premier programs in the country for 25 years not have a bench that can complete at a D1 level? I get it, every bench player isn't going to have the pure talent of a Zion, Tatum, Banchero, etc, but shouldn't they be serviceable? Yes, some are walk-ons who are destined for the practice squad. But shouldn't the other scholarship players be able to compete? Couldn't one of them have a Cattoor type night for Duke?

I do wonder if any of this will change next year.

 

[acc hoops]

NBA teams play their bench early and often. I would rather see 4-5 subs get several minutes each early in the game and especially against cupcakes. Blakes might could have given Duke good perimeter D like Goldwire if given the chance.

 

[christophero]

Time to change the narrative these next few weeks, but we are quickly developing a reputation as a young, underacheiving all star team. The media appears to agree. I have never seen a 2 seed get so little respect. Make a run and this can change.

 

[DukeKindaGuy]

Duke basketball tradition lately

Because we don't move w/out the ball. Watch any game tape. Two guys in the corner, ball watching. One ball screen, dont beat anyone, force up bad shot and then do it all over again. That is really easy to prepare for. Like really, really easy. It's also one of the main reasons we go on dry spells on offense. It's the same thing over and over and over and we become as good as the turnovers we can create. Move, cut, screen etc...this 5 out ball watching thing is a really bad "NBA" thing and it doesnt work in college given the rule differences and talent of the ball handlers.... This run will be 100% on the shoulrders of our defensive identity. If engaged, we can be elite even with a lack of offensive cohesion....

 

[timo0402]

Because we don't move w/out the ball. Watch any game tape. Two guys in the corner, ball watching. One ball screen, dont beat anyone, force up bad shot and then do it all over again. That is really easy to prepare for. Like really, really easy. It's also one of the main reasons we go on dry spells on offense. It's the same thing over and over and over and we become as good as the turnovers we can create. Move, cut, screen etc...this 5 out ball watching thing is a really bad "NBA" thing and it doesnt work in college given the rule differences and talent of the ball handlers.... This run will be 100% on the shoulrders of our defensive identity. If engaged, we can be elite even with a lack of offensive cohesion....

Pretty accurate. As much of the offense that is simply standing around watching or resorting to one on one ball, we still score at a reasonably high clip. That’s mostly if one or two of our guys is hot or we can get a number of baskets in transitions off our defense. At least when we have good ball movement we can stomach it.

 

[Mpm277]

Because we don't move w/out the ball. Watch any game tape. Two guys in the corner, ball watching. One ball screen, dont beat anyone, force up bad shot and then do it all over again. That is really easy to prepare for. Like really, really easy. It's also one of the main reasons we go on dry spells on offense. It's the same thing over and over and over and we become as good as the turnovers we can create. Move, cut, screen etc...this 5 out ball watching thing is a really bad "NBA" thing and it doesnt work in college given the rule differences and talent of the ball handlers.... This run will be 100% on the shoulrders of our defensive identity. If engaged, we can be elite even with a lack of offensive cohesion....

This exactly. No one moves on offense, it's one pass and then everyone watches. I remember in JJ's days when the offensive motion was a thing of beauty. Now it seems we mostly just rely on our player's talent and trust they'll execute what was gone over in practice.

The best example of this was the Zion team. We never ran anything on offense other than giving RJ the ball and seeing what he can do with it; if he misses the shot, then Zion to clean up. We had a once-in-a-lifetime player in Zion Williamson and we never ran anything for him.

We don't run anything for anyone. Unless it's a fast break, everyone is required to create off the dribble, which is why we settle for so many threes.

 

[timo0402]

This exactly. No one moves on offense, it's one pass and then everyone watches. I remember in JJ's days when the offensive motion was a thing of beauty. Now it seems we mostly just rely on our player's talent and trust they'll execute what was gone over in practice.

The best example of this was the Zion team. We never ran anything on offense other than giving RJ the ball and seeing what he can do with it; if he misses the shot, then Zion to clean up. We had a once-in-a-lifetime player in Zion Williamson and we never ran anything for him.

We don't run anything for anyone. Unless it's a fast break, everyone is required to create off the dribble, which is why we settle for so many threes.

I mean we run simple ball screens, so I wouldn’t say we don’t “run” anything. But it’s still a simple high ball screen and drive with no threat of a pick and roll or pick and pop. In other words, it’s very simple to scheme against, question being, can you stop it.