Duke's Defense in 2015-16

[youngman42]

Really think this could be one of the better defensive teams in some time. Which has been one of my favorite features of K's program but hasn't been quite so great in recent years (except the tournament games in 2010 and 2015).

Thornton has long arms for his 6'1.5 frame and is very quick. He will bring some great defensive ball pressure - even in highlights you can see this. Will have some growing pains I'm sure but by late season should be really improved as a defender.

Matt Jones just locked down Wisconsin in the title game and his D continues to grow. He's a tough physical defender who can defend the 2, 3, and 4 when necessary.

Allen he really came to play in the tournament and his defensive intensity was really great. Not a tremendous defender but the fact that he picked up intensity was a big factor. With the depth we have we don't have to worry too much about foul trouble at the guard spot, imo.

Brandon Ingram is long and quick and he will play a good bit of the wing 3 position (very good outside shooter) - which means a lot of length and quickness there. Ingram has a 7'3 wingspan (per Nike Hoops Summit) and a 9'1.5 reach.

Chase Jeter is improving defensively and should be able to block some shots. He has very good length from the Jordan Measurements (In the ESPN notes, "Defensively, he is becoming a more potent shot blocker as well." Jeter also has a great wingspan and reach: 7'3 wingspan, 9'2.5 reach.

Amile Jefferson - his D in the title game was exceptional as well (his and Matt Jones D was one of the unsung heroic elements of the title game). He should be improved again there.

Plumlee - Has been a better defender than Jah was and as he gets some minutes at the 5 he'll bring quality D.

No idea how good Obi will be on D or how many minutes he'll get but he could get some quality minutes at the 5 even if Jeter gets a lot of time there to make room for the bevy of guards.

Can't wait to see some defense.

 

[OldasdirtDevil]

Great post, Youngman. Duke really played some terrific defense the later part of the season (especially in the NCAA's), but it took awhile to get there. It looks like this team (on paper anyway) could start out much better defensively. And K doesn't like many things better than good D.

OFC

 

[SwlaDukie]

Yeah this team has to potential to be better than Virginia has been on defense. Especially the way Amile is able hedge against screens and picks similar to Lance Thomas. Marshall athleticism

 

[youngman42]

Biancardi on Ingram:

What he brings: A blossoming two-way player who stands at 6-foot-9 with a 7-3 wing span, Ingram is the No. 1 small forward in the class. He blends production with his upside and versatility, making him one of the elite players in this class.

His skills and super athletic ability make him a fast break dream. When he grabs a defensive rebound his first three steps are long and quick, allowing him to bust out on the break and go coast to coast. He can also receive a pitch-ahead pass to score, as Ingram displays fantastic finishing skills. He can nail long-range shots against a set defense and drops shots over like size and smaller defenders inside. When you crowd his space, he puts the ball on the deck and gets to the rim in one long dribble.

He can guard forwards or guards on defense, as his lateral quickness and length make him hard to drive on or score against. His freakish length allows him to take away passing lanes and block shots from the weak side, and his 9-1.5 standing reach will enhance Duke's defensive field goal percentage by contesting and challenging shots. Put him in any pressing situation and he'll cover ground quickly. He shrinks the floor in zone defense, and can recover from being beaten and defend you at the rim. He has a chance to be special as he learns to play through contact.

 

[ACC Bball Fan]

Duke has a lot of the long athletic players Jim Boeheim and Leonard Hamilton like to build their defenses around.

With coach K being so much more flexible on defense thanks to his Team USA interchange with other top coaches, lots of potential to vary things on defense back and forth.

 

[Jake1985]

The D should be very solid but the 5 on the floor together will need to work as a team and communicate switches. I think Dukes second defender D should be good too.
Grayson is a decent defender but what makes him good is he is very strong for a guard and super competitive in the mold of Aaron Craft (ohio st). Kennard is also a big guard that is tough as nails and bring that mentality from his football days. He's not going to back down either.
The entire team brings something defensively even Antonio and Justin.

 

[thinkpositivePC]

I was honestly thinking of this today. Situational i would love to see a zone with Matt Jones/Grayson as the guards and Amile/Jeter/Ingram as the back line. Two pesky guards with 21.5 feet of wingspan on the back line.

 

[youngman42]

The D should be very solid but the 5 on the floor together will need to work as a team and communicate switches. I think Dukes second defender D should be good too.
Grayson is a decent defender but what makes him good is he is very strong for a guard and super competitive in the mold of Aaron Craft (ohio st). Kennard is also a big guard that is tough as nails and bring that mentality from his football days. He's not going to back down either.
The entire team brings something defensively even Antonio and Justin.

I think you are correct on communication. That has long been they key to good team D. How well they buy into that and how quickly they learn how to do that - will be a big factor. However, I love the nucleus there.

Thornton - if he works hard - will be a stud on D, imo bec he has the quickness and deceptive length for a 6'1 guard.

 

[Laettner]

With Amile & Matt as captains, this team will be excellent defensively.