I wrote this yesterday: Why Duke Will Win The National Championship.

[AxeS24]

I think Duke will have the best team in the country, and I am miffed as to why guys like Rothstein aren’t giving the Blue Devils their due. Everyone knows a little bit about the stellar freshman class, so I will save that discussion for the latter portion of this post. To start this post, I will discuss the three key cogs in the Duke machine who are returning to Durham for their chance at a national title: 20-year-old juniors Marques Bolden and Javin DeLaurier, and 19-year-old sophomore Alex O’Connell.

First, I’ll talk about the Big Texan, Marques Bolden, who is 6’11, 250 lbs. Marques put up gaudy advanced metrics last season when he received playing time. He was behind two top-10 NBA draft picks on the depth chart, so his average of 13 minutes per game is easily understood. Bolden has also experienced several injuries during his Blue Devil tenure, but he enters his junior season healthier than ever. Offensively, Bolden can score in a variety of ways, as he displayed last season. His two best games, statistically, were against Saint Francis and North Carolina. The big man netted 17 points and grabbed 10 boards in the first game and had 8 points on 4-4 shooting in the latter. He has shown the ability to score with a hook shot and by making layups and dunks. Marques shot 61% from the field last season, and he shot an amazing 76% against conference foes. Bolden’s OBPM was 3.0, and he is poised to show even more offensive firepower this season with increased minutes. Meanwhile, defense remains Bolden’s calling card and is what could see him garner an NBA contract as a rim protector one day. Bolden had a 7.4% block rate, a DRtng of 96.4, and a DPBM of 6.8. Bolden is relatively enormous for a college center, and he has spent the better part of two years working on his motor and rebounding technique, so he should be a good rebounder this season, as well. His total rebounding % last season was 15%, but you have to keep in mind he was typically in the game with a top 10 pick beside him gobbling up rebounds. Marques Bolden can be a huge difference maker in all phases of the game. If Duke is slated to play one of the few teams with good bigs like Kansas or West Virginia in the tournament, Bolden will be prepared to rise to the occasion. It is quite the coup for Coach Mike Krzyzewski to have a big man this talented for a junior season. There are a few better bigs, such as Sagaba Konate, Udoka Azubuike, and Daniel Gafford, but Bolden is at least in the discussion and with a strong showing this year, can catapult himself to the forefront of it.

Another key piece on the interior for Duke will be Javin DeLaurier. DeLaurier has put on a considerable amount of muscle since arriving in Durham, and is now listed at 6’10, 234 lbs. DeLaurier is very active on the glass, as evidenced by his 17.5% total rebounding rate. DeLaurier’s advanced statistics last season were also excellent on the defensive end. He didn’t block many shots (4.5% block rate), but his DRtng and DBPM were 94.0 and 6.4, respectively. The only Duke players last season who were better defensively were Wendell Carter, Jr., and, arguably, fellow returnee Marques Bolden. Offensively, DeLaurier is still a work in progress, but the Blue Devils are set on that end (Duke is ranked the number 1 offense on Bart Torvik’s website). DeLaurier’s value will be derived from his defense, hustle, intangibles, and the fact he won’t demand touches. He’ll clean up the glass with put back dunks and layups. He was an okay shooter in AAU, but we have yet to see that at Duke. Spacing was an issue with DeLaurier on the floor last year, so some semblance of an offensive game would be a welcome addition and would vault Duke into “Team of the Decade” discussions. Mike Krzyzewski should be quite happy, though, that he has a hyper athletic, 6’10 upperclassman rebounding and defensive stalwart like DeLaurier at his disposal. Any offense will be a bonus.

The final key returnee is a 6’6 sophomore from The Peach State: Alex O’Connell. O’Connell has bulked up a bit (he is listed at 176 lbs) and should play a bigger role this season. Alex can absolutely shoot the basketball: O’Connell’s TS% last year was .618, which is outstanding and on par with all the great Duke shooters of yesteryear. Further adding to the statistical absurdity, O’Connell shot 54.5% from distance in conference games last season. Grayson Allen shot 29.9%. Yes, theoretically, the Blue Devils could be getting an upgrade in the shooting department. O’Connell is not necessarily a driver like Allen, nor is he as physical, but for the Blue Devils to potentially have Nik Stauskas as a 6th man is downright scary. Now that O’Connell has bulked up and had a year to learn defense and improve his ball handling and overall basketball IQ, I would except quite a jump from him. I don’t think it will be a Grayson Allen sophomore season, simply because Duke is so loaded and his USG% won’t reflect a sophomore Allen’s, but O’Connell will be one of the best 6th men in the entire country.

The rest of the scholarship players on Duke’s bench are junior forward Jack White (6’7, 222), sophomore guard Jordan Goldwire (6’2, 181), junior forward Justin Robinson (6’10, 202), and senior center Antonio Vrankovic (7’0, 269). None of these guys have much in-game experience, but they know the culture and what Mike Krzyzewski expects of his players. If any of these players break out, I think it will be Jack White. If summer workouts are any indication, the Aussie has greatly improved his three-point stroke and could provide some quality minutes if the need arises. Jordan Goldwire could see a few minutes as a backup point guard, as well.

Now let’s talk about the greatest freshman class, going by rankings, of all-time.

R.J. Barrett was the consensus top prospect in the senior class. Most people know about him. He’s 6’7, 202 lbs and has really solid ballhandling skills. He started for Team Canada this summer. I think he is an NBA wing right now. R.J. will shoot at least 35% from deep and will be a foul magnet. He loves driving to the rim and attracting fouls. He has a bevy of moves and the way he can contort his body is like a ballerina. He will cross over a defender and then perform a Eurostep on the fast break. He is beautiful in the open court. If he can shoot 75% from the FT line, he’ll easily average 18-19 ppg. He was around mid-60s and low-70s at the FT line as a senior at Montverde Academy. R.J. will rebound and defend, as well. He has an infectiously tenacious personality and seems to be a quick learner. He has grown up with a lot of good guidance in his ear, from Steve Nash to his father. I think Barrett also realizes the importance of his college year in terms of his personal brand, so he’s going to go all out to lead the Devils to a championship.

 

[AxeS24]

Zion Williamson. Perhaps the greatest athlete since LeBron James, Williamson stunned the world when he decided to create a Super Team in Durham. Everyone has seen the dunks. They’ve seen the 285-lb athletic freak fly like he’s Michael Jordan or Harold Miner. Now, questions have begun to be bandied about as it relates to Zion’s basketball skill. Doubt and prospect fatigue have entered the popular discourse and tainted Williamson’s image. The questions mainly revolve around his lack of shooting, his size, his level of competition, and his general skill level. First, Williamson is not going to be J.J. Redick or Trajan Langdon. That’s not his game. However, that does not mean Mike Krzyzewski won’t help him find a spot on the floor where he’s proficient at making threes. Coach K will then exploit this advantage during games. The coaching staff had Trevon Duval shooting 35% from deep in conference play, so I see no reason why they can’t do the same with Zion. Second, Zion is going to abuse opponents in the paint. There are smarmy Duke fans who will complain that Williamson is fat, but why does that matter if it doesn’t affect his game in a negative way? There are going to be precious few with the ability to match up physically with Zion Williamson. Thirdly, Williamson has dominated every season in AAU, putting up jaw dropping numbers. He was the MVP at the Adidas 100 Camp, and his advanced AAU stats were the best in class. Finally, Williamson is going to be a good rebounder and defender thanks to his size, body composition, intelligence, and athleticism. He probably won’t be as good as Wendell Carter, Jr. on the defensive end, but I would be surprised if he doesn’t make up for it on offense. Williamson is virtually unstoppable in the paint. He is armed with a variety of post moves and floaters and even has a midrange game, but that is by no means something on which he’s going to rely. Williamson is going to drive to the rim (he has very good ballhandling skills) with ease. He is super charged Justise Winslow, and Coach Krzyzewski should be extremely grateful the Palmetto State produced such a talent.

Cameron Reddish is considered by some to be the most skilled player in the class, and some consider him to be the class’ best prospect. He is a 6’8, 218 lb 19-year-old with long strides and a good pull up game. He can really stroke it from deep (I had him at roughly 50% with available info during his senior year at Westtown) in a variety of ways (Off the catch, pull up, from the corner, etc) and while not an athlete on the level of Williamson, he is easily in the next tier. Reddish is a very good ballhandler (he played point guard while shooting 50% from 3 on Team USA) and his length and quickness could lend him a hand in being a tremendous defender. He finishes at the rim extremely well, and he is the best passer of the freshman group. He’s an all-around playmaker at 6’8 and will be just as good as Brandon Ingram was (or better) in this author’s opinion. I think he can be a 6’8 sophomore Grayson Allen, but his USG% won’t be that high. The big question with Reddish is his intensity level. He needs to fully commit himself to being great in all phases of the game. He is behind Barrett and Williamson in this regard.

The point guard position has been a black hole for a few years in Durham, but that will change this season. Tre Jones, who easily had the best AAU statistics of any incoming freshman point guard, steps in and takes the keys from Trevon Duval. Jones shot about 30% from downtown in his senior year, but he showed great progress at the end of the year, hitting seven threes in a state title loss to Cretin-Derham Hall at the Target Center. He’ll continue this improvement and hit about 35%, I suspect. Jones is already at 80+% from the charity stripe. Jones has three big areas of strength: finishing at the rim, hitting midrange jumpers, and distributing the ball without turning it over. He is a major step up from Trevon Duval in all three areas. He is also a very good rebounder for his size, and he carries a reputation as a tenacious defender and quick learner. Having a brother who has already led Duke to a national title can’t hurt, either.

Joey Baker is a 6’7, 200 lb freshman from the state of North Carolina. Baker was ranked the number 33 player in the country in the final 247 rankings. Baker can really shoot it from deep, and he will be a good body to have in case of an emergency. However, Baker was cut by Team USA and with the starting 5 Duke has, I don’t foresee Baker getting much playing time at this point. Jack White may even earn a spot ahead of Joey in the rotation. Baker’s contributions this year will likely come from being a good practice player and cheerleader. He seems to get along well with the other freshmen. He time may come as a sophomore.

At the end of the day, Duke’s top seven guys are the best top seven in the country. Three of them will likely be top 10 picks and Tre Jones and Marques Bolden have chances to be drafted, as well. The back end of the rotation needs an answer, but most of those guys are older and know what Coach K expects. Combine the three returnees with the freshman class, and one has to think this team is poised for a serious run at the rafters in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

 

[DukeDenver]

This is me reading this:

 

[DukefanKY]

This is me reading this:

View embedded media

We goin' to the ship!!

 

[QC Dukie]

That’s an hour of my life I saved for something else by not reading that.

 

[sgrooms]

That’s an hour of my life I saved for something else by not reading that.

It's like a PatrickYates post on steroids.

 

[dukehokie]

I’ll try to sum it up, because outside of the hyperbole, there are some decent points in there.

#CautiouslyOptimistic (did I get that right?)

This team very well could have what it takes to be one of the more efficient Duke teams we’ve seen when it comes to the intangibles. Rebounding rate (particularly offensive), assists/turnovers, and tempo defense “should” all be improvements with this squad, compared to the last 3 Duke teams.

On top of that, someone mentioned in another thread that the presumed bench is full of guys who have been at Duke at least 2 seasons. Bench depth quantity is one thing, but quality depth off of the bench that is also a little older is another. That means guys are a little wiser, stronger and more efficient. Bench guys are only going amass probably 30-50 minutes of an available 200, so when your percentage of time is so small, you have to make an efficient impact when you’re in the game. Alex can shoot at a high percentage without turning the ball over. Javin rebounds at a high rate regardless of the amount of time he’s on the floor. And someone else will offer something the starting unit will lack, be it Tony’s size, Jordan’s floor leadership, Joey’s shooting, or Jack and JRob’s hustle. So while all of those guys might not play, at least 2-3 of them per game have the chance to offer something to a stacked 5 of RJ, Cam, Tre, Zion and Marques.

If the possible starters are as good as advertised, the bench will have to be efficient to give this Duke squad a chance at being considered a true top 5 team. Being true top 5 gives you a good shot at playing for the title.

 

[dbav]

This board is becoming funny again. Consecutive funny posts from DukeDenver, DukefanKY, QC, sgrooms, and hokie is what the doctor ordered, haha.

 

[DukeDenver]

This board is becoming funny again. Consecutive funny posts from DukeDenver, DukefanKY, QC, sgrooms, and hokie is what the doctor ordered, haha.

 

[dukesince91]

I’ll try to sum it up, because outside of the hyperbole, there are some decent points in there.

#CautiouslyOptimistic (did I get that right?)

This team very well could have what it takes to be one of the more efficient Duke teams we’ve seen when it comes to the intangibles. Rebounding rate (particularly offensive), assists/turnovers, and tempo defense “should” all be improvements with this squad, compared to the last 3 Duke teams.

On top of that, someone mentioned in another thread that the presumed bench is full of guys who have been at Duke at least 2 seasons. Bench depth quantity is one thing, but quality depth off of the bench that is also a little older is another. That means guys are a little wiser, stronger and more efficient. Bench guys are only going amass probably 30-50 minutes of an available 200, so when your percentage of time is so small, you have to make an efficient impact when you’re in the game. Alex can shoot at a high percentage without turning the ball over. Javin rebounds at a high rate regardless of the amount of time he’s on the floor. And someone else will offer something the starting unit will lack, be it Tony’s size, Jordan’s floor leadership, Joey’s shooting, or Jack and JRob’s hustle. So while all of those guys might not play, at least 2-3 of them per game have the chance to offer something to a stacked 5 of RJ, Cam, Tre, Zion and Marques.

If the possible starters are as good as advertised, the bench will have to be efficient to give this Duke squad a chance at being considered a true top 5 team. Being true top 5 gives you a good shot at playing for the title.

Still too long for my comprehension.
Lol, lmao, hahaha

 

[dukehokie]

Still too long for my comprehension.
Lol, lmao, hahaha

Duke good.

#CautiouslyOptimistic

 

[Mac9192]

As soon as ol Axe and Patrick get acquainted, this thread is over for the rest of us. Be the first time in history a single page will consist of 2 posts.

After reading Axe's post, I called my bookie and put a dime on Duke.

 

[QC Dukie]

I believe that was a record breaker

 

[PatrickYates]

This season, like last season, and like every single season going forward, hinges on 1 thing:

Perimeter Shooting.

If our frosh can make enough three point shots, and do so efficiently, we can win the title. If we can't shoot, we won't win the title.

 

[AxeS24]

This season, like last season, and like every single season going forward, hinges on 1 thing:

Perimeter Shooting.

If our frosh can make enough three point shots, and do so efficiently, we can win the title. If we can't shoot, we won't win the title.

Duke last year shot 36.6% from 3 in conference play and went 13-5. They shot 24% against Kansas and were a bucket away from winning the game.

We don't have Bagley nor Carter this year, but we have Zion and an upgrade at the other 3 spots.

Zion is the key. He's going to be a star, IMO. He led the AAU circuit in blocks and steals (by an insane amount) and was clearly the best player in the class. He's not J.J. Redick but it doesn't matter. I wouldn't be surprised if he's the number 1 pick.

Duval shot 35.3% from 3 in conference. That's about what I expect from Tre. But Tre is going to post up insane A/TO numbers.

Trent shot 43% from 3 in conference. Ingram, whom Reddish has been compared to, shot 40%. with available info, Reddish shot 50% as a senior at Westtown, so Reddish will be in that range and much more efficient elsewhere. Trent only shot 40% on 2 pointers. Reddish will be much better than that. And Reddish is a great passer and his length and athleticism could allow him to be a great defender.

Grayson shot 29% from 3 in conference. With available info, R.J. shot 35% from 3 in his senior year at Montverde. R.J. will be a better defender and will make more difficult shots.

 

[jwill133]

Grayson shooting 29% from 3 in conference play is stunning. He has a great looking stroke, and most of the three's he took seemed to be great looks.

I knew he was cold most of Jan/Feb, but 29% blows my mind. The fact that he still went in the 1st round to Utah speaks on how great of a player he really is.

 

[PatrickYates]

Duke last year shot 36.6% from 3 in conference play and went 13-5. They shot 24% against Kansas and were a bucket away from winning the game.

We don't have Bagley nor Carter this year, but we have Zion and an upgrade at the other 3 spots.

Zion is the key. He's going to be a star, IMO. He led the AAU circuit in blocks and steals (by an insane amount) and was clearly the best player in the class. He's not J.J. Redick but it doesn't matter. I wouldn't be surprised if he's the number 1 pick.

Duval shot 35.3% from 3 in conference. That's about what I expect from Tre. But Tre is going to post up insane A/TO numbers.

Trent shot 43% from 3 in conference. Ingram, whom Reddish has been compared to, shot 40%. with available info, Reddish shot 50% as a senior at Westtown, so Reddish will be in that range and much more efficient elsewhere. Trent only shot 40% on 2 pointers. Reddish will be much better than that. And Reddish is a great passer and his length and athleticism could allow him to be a great defender.

Grayson shot 29% from 3 in conference. With available info, R.J. shot 35% from 3 in his senior year at Montverde. R.J. will be a better defender and will make more difficult shots.

We don't know. All the relevant recruiting analysts are worried about shooting. Vs HS comp, even top tier HS comp, RJ will basically be left unguarded from 3. Trevon Duval shot nearly 33% from 3 as a HS senior. How did that translate?
.
Because, like RJ, TD was an elite finisher in HS. As such, teams geared towards stopping him from penetrating. Which means he was wide open. Last year, he shot nearly 40% from 3 down the stretch, which seems fine. But his 40% shooting isn't like 40% shooting from a guy like AOC, or Trent, or Allen. AOC, Allen, and Trent were closely guarded on nearly every 3pt attempt. TD was encouraged to shoot from 3 and was purposefully left unguarded from 3.
.
Players need to shoot 70-80% on unguarded 3s. That percentage may seem high, but most ostensible 3pt shooters are guarded on the perimeter. They bury the vast majority of unguarded 3s, but they take a tiny number of such shots.
.
So, a guy like Allen might make 33% of his 3s while TD is shooting 40%. Problem is, Allen's are closely guarded, which help out the rest of the team by creating space for others to operate. TD's 40% does very little, because teams are willing to let a guy shoot 40% when he's unguarded, if the trade off is throwing another drive in the lane.
.
Next year, our frosh wings/forewards are going to be elite finishers and penetrators. But not if the opposing D's lay lay off of them and clog the lane with defenders. The ability to make guarded 3s, even at a reasonable rate, will mean that defenders have to stay close to their assignment, even when that assignment is at the three point line. There, the defender cannot really help when other players drive. If one or more defenders can abandon their assignment to help on other drivers, Duke's O gets a little less effective.

 

[gottagonow]

AxeS24 I like the way you think but now that you said all of that you probably jinxed us,

 

[hart2chesson]

I’ll try to sum it up, because outside of the hyperbole, there are some decent points in there.

#CautiouslyOptimistic (did I get that right?)

You did indeed Hokie!
#GoodJob

OFC

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

Am I the only one guilty of scrolling and checking how long a post is before reading it ? Is that lazy or what! Lmao

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

Zion Williamson. Perhaps the greatest athlete since LeBron James, Williamson stunned the world when he decided to create a Super Team in Durham. Everyone has seen the dunks. They’ve seen the 285-lb athletic freak fly like he’s Michael Jordan or Harold Miner. Now, questions have begun to be bandied about as it relates to Zion’s basketball skill. Doubt and prospect fatigue have entered the popular discourse and tainted Williamson’s image. The questions mainly revolve around his lack of shooting, his size, his level of competition, and his general skill level. First, Williamson is not going to be J.J. Redick or Trajan Langdon. That’s not his game. However, that does not mean Mike Krzyzewski won’t help him find a spot on the floor where he’s proficient at making threes. Coach K will then exploit this advantage during games. The coaching staff had Trevon Duval shooting 35% from deep in conference play, so I see no reason why they can’t do the same with Zion. Second, Zion is going to abuse opponents in the paint. There are smarmy Duke fans who will complain that Williamson is fat, but why does that matter if it doesn’t affect his game in a negative way? There are going to be precious few with the ability to match up physically with Zion Williamson. Thirdly, Williamson has dominated every season in AAU, putting up jaw dropping numbers. He was the MVP at the Adidas 100 Camp, and his advanced AAU stats were the best in class. Finally, Williamson is going to be a good rebounder and defender thanks to his size, body composition, intelligence, and athleticism. He probably won’t be as good as Wendell Carter, Jr. on the defensive end, but I would be surprised if he doesn’t make up for it on offense. Williamson is virtually unstoppable in the paint. He is armed with a variety of post moves and floaters and even has a midrange game, but that is by no means something on which he’s going to rely. Williamson is going to drive to the rim (he has very good ballhandling skills) with ease. He is super charged Justise Winslow, and Coach Krzyzewski should be extremely grateful the Palmetto State produced such a talent.

Cameron Reddish is considered by some to be the most skilled player in the class, and some consider him to be the class’ best prospect. He is a 6’8, 218 lb 19-year-old with long strides and a good pull up game. He can really stroke it from deep (I had him at roughly 50% with available info during his senior year at Westtown) in a variety of ways (Off the catch, pull up, from the corner, etc) and while not an athlete on the level of Williamson, he is easily in the next tier. Reddish is a very good ballhandler (he played point guard while shooting 50% from 3 on Team USA) and his length and quickness could lend him a hand in being a tremendous defender. He finishes at the rim extremely well, and he is the best passer of the freshman group. He’s an all-around playmaker at 6’8 and will be just as good as Brandon Ingram was (or better) in this author’s opinion. I think he can be a 6’8 sophomore Grayson Allen, but his USG% won’t be that high. The big question with Reddish is his intensity level. He needs to fully commit himself to being great in all phases of the game. He is behind Barrett and Williamson in this regard.

The point guard position has been a black hole for a few years in Durham, but that will change this season. Tre Jones, who easily had the best AAU statistics of any incoming freshman point guard, steps in and takes the keys from Trevon Duval. Jones shot about 30% from downtown in his senior year, but he showed great progress at the end of the year, hitting seven threes in a state title loss to Cretin-Derham Hall at the Target Center. He’ll continue this improvement and hit about 35%, I suspect. Jones is already at 80+% from the charity stripe. Jones has three big areas of strength: finishing at the rim, hitting midrange jumpers, and distributing the ball without turning it over. He is a major step up from Trevon Duval in all three areas. He is also a very good rebounder for his size, and he carries a reputation as a tenacious defender and quick learner. Having a brother who has already led Duke to a national title can’t hurt, either.

Joey Baker is a 6’7, 200 lb freshman from the state of North Carolina. Baker was ranked the number 33 player in the country in the final 247 rankings. Baker can really shoot it from deep, and he will be a good body to have in case of an emergency. However, Baker was cut by Team USA and with the starting 5 Duke has, I don’t foresee Baker getting much playing time at this point. Jack White may even earn a spot ahead of Joey in the rotation. Baker’s contributions this year will likely come from being a good practice player and cheerleader. He seems to get along well with the other freshmen. He time may come as a sophomore.

At the end of the day, Duke’s top seven guys are the best top seven in the country. Three of them will likely be top 10 picks and Tre Jones and Marques Bolden have chances to be drafted, as well. The back end of the rotation needs an answer, but most of those guys are older and know what Coach K expects. Combine the three returnees with the freshman class, and one has to think this team is poised for a serious run at the rafters in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

By reading the 1st couple of sentences it sounds like your interviewing to be a sports writer hahah telling a story or something. A school paper I don’t know ..I’ll read the rest later. I’m intrigued . Your hand must hurt.

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

It's like a PatrickYates post on steroids.

hahahaaa

 

[IPSYCHOSIS]

We don't know. All the relevant recruiting analysts are worried about shooting. Vs HS comp, even top tier HS comp, RJ will basically be left unguarded from 3. Trevon Duval shot nearly 33% from 3 as a HS senior. How did that translate?
.
Because, like RJ, TD was an elite finisher in HS. As such, teams geared towards stopping him from penetrating. Which means he was wide open. Last year, he shot nearly 40% from 3 down the stretch, which seems fine. But his 40% shooting isn't like 40% shooting from a guy like AOC, or Trent, or Allen. AOC, Allen, and Trent were closely guarded on nearly every 3pt attempt. TD was encouraged to shoot from 3 and was purposefully left unguarded from 3.
.
Players need to shoot 70-80% on unguarded 3s. That percentage may seem high, but most ostensible 3pt shooters are guarded on the perimeter. They bury the vast majority of unguarded 3s, but they take a tiny number of such shots.
.
So, a guy like Allen might make 33% of his 3s while TD is shooting 40%. Problem is, Allen's are closely guarded, which help out the rest of the team by creating space for others to operate. TD's 40% does very little, because teams are willing to let a guy shoot 40% when he's unguarded, if the trade off is throwing another drive in the lane.
.
Next year, our frosh wings/forewards are going to be elite finishers and penetrators. But not if the opposing D's lay lay off of them and clog the lane with defenders. The ability to make guarded 3s, even at a reasonable rate, will mean that defenders have to stay close to their assignment, even when that assignment is at the three point line. There, the defender cannot really help when other players drive. If one or more defenders can abandon their assignment to help on other drivers, Duke's O gets a little less effective.

I see you bit right into this! Probably got all flustered with excitement !! All giggly. Geeking! That smile that looks like the joker! Hahhaaha. That wierd face people make when watching something that they know something funnys about to happen! no pun ( kidding)

 

[Canadian Dukie]

Am I the only one guilty of scrolling and checking how long a post is before reading it ? Is that lazy or what! Lmao

NO YOUR NOT!

 

[dbav]

NO YOUR NOT!

This post was too long for me to read.

 

[hart2chesson]

Lets just make a return trip to the Final Four first w/our awesome array of young talent, then worry about taking the brass ring!

OFC

 

[dachampishere2]

no zone defense and we will win it all. if we can play respectable man defense i'll put my money down right now.

 

[Fresh1972]

I think the best thing to say is:

THIS TEAM HAS THE TALENT TO DO IT.

In a single elimination tournament, any team can lose...

If the team buys in to playing defense first;
If the team accepts their roles and not wanting to just showcase their game (i.e. Zion fully using his strength and athleticism closer to the basket (there are not any 285 lb guys that can move and get off the floor like him).. more stretch 4 than wing player, Cam playing hard all the time and being a backup PG, etc)
If the team develops Jordan, Javin, Alex, Jack and Joey... or Antonio..or JRob...

Some rotation of 8... a perimeter guy, a wing, and a big off the bench...

I wouldn't bet against us, but in college basketball there are no real LOCKS to win...

 

[AxeS24]

Revisiting this post 8 months later.

I think I underestimated Zion.

Haha.

 

[LTDukeFan]

Well I have filled out 5 brackets so far....Duke keeps coming out on top for all of them.

Feeling better about all of my picks after reading this.

 

[Mpm277]

This season, like last season, and like every single season going forward, hinges on 1 thing:

Perimeter Shooting.

If our frosh can make enough three point shots, and do so efficiently, we can win the title. If we can't shoot, we won't win the title.

Except it doesn't. Perimeter shooting is definitely one thing I really, really worry about though. I'm afraid of a team really packing it in on defense and tempting us to shoot the three - all evidence of the year points towards to we totally would. If we shoot 40 three's in a game I can't see that being a W.

The second major concern is foul trouble with RJ or Zion, especially if we're not having a third scorer to contribute well into the teens.

 

[dukesince91]

Foul trouble is my biggest concern. We're one of the best interior scoring teams in the nation even when they try to pack it in. I like our chances as long as we shoot about 15-17 threes a game.