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MSU / No Giles, Bolden or Tatum

Showenuff

Devils Illustrated Hall of Famer
Nov 21, 2006
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So K reporting no go for the trio. How do we fare in this one without them? Should be a battle. Hope we really concentrate a bit more on foul trouble. Also a bit worried about Grayson, anybody have a clue where he is? He looked like he was hurting pretty bad after Appalachian.
 
I read somewhere that the thought is Giles might not come back until late in the season (if at all) to assure the scouts/GMs he is healthy enough to draft. Think Kyrie's situation.

Regarding the other 2, I'd suspect we see them pretty soon, right?
 
I've heard Giles not at all. I've heard Giles in a month. I've heard Giles next game. I've heard Tatum first back. I've heard Tatum Last back. I've heard Bolden not hurt bad at all. I've heard Bolden hurt bad. I won't believe it TIL I see it on this one.
 
That literally said nothing lol
Not quite. It presented a theory that Giles might sit a majority of the year and play late to show he is healthy. There is precedent for it. Regardless, I just hope he makes a full recovery. Hate he's had all these problems.
 
One thing is we know what cards are in our hand. Still a pretty good hand . The best at playing the game is using that hand and winning the pot. We have the best there is holding that hand. I know Izzo is a great coach and I like him but he knows what he's up against. I still think it is advantage Duke. I believe Grayson will play and play well. I believe Amille will step up and make some great plays. I believe Matt Jones is going to reach down a little deeper and make some offensive and defensive plays. I believe Luke will make those 3's at the time we need them and will get fouled a lot and make those free throws. I believe Chase is going to realize how important he is to this team and will come up big maybe not big numbers but big plays. I believe Javin is going to settle down and come up with a block here and there. I believe Vrank will get some positive minutes. And I believe Frank Jackson will win the game ball. And one more thing. I believe we will when the game but leave the black in the locker room. OFC
 
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Not quite. It presented a theory that Giles might sit a majority of the year and play late to show he is healthy. There is precedent for it. Regardless, I just hope he makes a full recovery. Hate he's had all these problems.

It would be hard to blame Giles if he decided to do that. Especially when everyone is saying he's a lottery pick whether he plays or not. I just find it hard to judge a young guy who hasn't played in an organized game for as long as he has. Just shows you how much the NBA draft is based on potential and not always about play.
 
Not quite. It presented a theory that Giles might sit a majority of the year and play late to show he is healthy. There is precedent for it. Regardless, I just hope he makes a full recovery. Hate he's had all these problems.

Theories are like assholes; everyones got one.

K has specifically said that Harry is the closest to ready to play. Nobody at Duke has said anything other than that Harry will play. Harry will play.

No surprise about MSU... not a "play them back in easily" type of game. My guess is we see at least one of them the next game. I mean hell, we are still more than a MONTH until conference play. Jayson and Marques got hurt what... a month ago? We're fine. Frustrated, but fine.
 
Not quite. It presented a theory that Giles might sit a majority of the year and play late to show he is healthy. There is precedent for it. Regardless, I just hope he makes a full recovery. Hate he's had all these problems.

Article is nearly 2 months old, though.
 
So K reporting no go for the trio. How do we fare in this one without them? Should be a battle. Hope we really concentrate a bit more on foul trouble. Also a bit worried about Grayson, anybody have a clue where he is? He looked like he was hurting pretty bad after Appalachian.
I think we fare just fine. I'm not too worried about Grayson. I think he wil still be in pain, but Grayson is a trooper and will be ready to play. Due to the injuries that Michigan state has as well, they are not a very tall team, and also I feel like if Miles Bridges can be contained, then Duke wins pretty easily because Michigan State right now seems to be the Miles Bridges show.
 
I like us in this one, probably by 7-9 points. Just saying...
 
If Grayson is in any pain at all I would sit him against MSU. I might let him do the warmups with the three freshmen. I believe we can handle them as long as our refs show up. OFC
 
Theories are like assholes; everyones got one.

K has specifically said that Harry is the closest to ready to play. Nobody at Duke has said anything other than that Harry will play. Harry will play.

No surprise about MSU... not a "play them back in easily" type of game. My guess is we see at least one of them the next game. I mean hell, we are still more than a MONTH until conference play. Jayson and Marques got hurt what... a month ago? We're fine. Frustrated, but fine.
The conundrum for Giles (which I 100% understand) is you risk losing it all. It's one thing to be competitive, it's another to be foolish. Given his 3 surgeries, NBA scouts are more than a bit nervous. He could come back, dominate, and go first overall. He could come back, struggle to adjust, and slip. Or he could come back, get hurt, and go undrafted.

This is why I hate the current rule. If a kid is good enough, he should be able to go pro out of high school. If he chooses college, commit for 3 years.
 
MSU has been really bad, so far. I hope this isn't the game they figure out how to score!
 
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They been subpar for MichState, but not really bad overall. All their losses are to great teams.

I can't discount the competition they have faced so far. Izzo is, in my opinion the second best coach behind ours, in college bball. They will blend as a team at some point, but hopefully not for a week or so!
 
i hope we see at least one of the kids against msu....i would say that they wouldnt be available to play as well....gets the opponent guessing
 
The freshmen debate aside, I think it we remotely contain Bridges we win this game handily. MSU looks to me like a team that will get better as the year goes on, and in February/March will be a force to be reckoned with, but right now, from the games I have seen they are not going to beat us right now even with our current lineup. JMHO.

Alan
 
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I have a strong feeling we will be just fine. We are still a top 5 team with our current roster as it stands. Michigan State is a fringe top 25 team who will be unranked. If this game was away I may be concerned but being home we will be just fine. I think we do pretty well against non conference teams at home.
 
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I have a strong feeling we will be just fine. We are still a top 5 team with our current roster as it stands. Michigan State is a fringe top 25 team who will be unranked. If this game was away I may be concerned but being home we will be just fine. I think we do pretty well against non conference teams at home.
Matt gets 3s at home.
 
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MSU has definitely improved since getting blown out by UK, but they still haven't figured out how to put it together for 40 minutes. They have some weapons to go with Bridges in Eron Harris, Matt McQuaid and Josh Langford, but those three have been inconsistent. Cassius Winston is the point guard of the future, but he's a freshman and it shows.

They'll be a dangerous team in March, but right now they're undersized and their offense struggles at times because guys like Kenny Goins, Kyle Ahrens and Matt Van Dyk, who are liabilities on offense, are being forced into the rotation due to injuries.

I think if Grayson plays, Duke wins easily. If not, it will be a good game, but I still think Duke's experience and the atmosphere at Cameron would be the difference.
 
I see Frank stepping up EVEN MORE if Grayson unable to go....Matt, Luke too, and speaking of Matt, I feel the best about his 3 ball when its shot from corner.

Its funny, a wise old coach named John Wooden used to say the best spots for outside shooters are straight on And/Or from corners. The legend's reasoning??? Shooter doesnt face that sometimes indecisiveness about whether to bank or shoot straight on from wing....Makes sense, and Matt seems most comfortable from corner....


OFC
 
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DukeDenver, you think we beat MSU if we didn't have Grayson, Giles, Tatum and Bolden? You're a confident man.
 
DukeDenver, you think we beat MSU if we didn't have Grayson, Giles, Tatum and Bolden? You're a confident man.
I just don't think we're toast, as you put it. We will be in a dog fight for sure. I think of Amile as being a better version of what we got out of a freshman Okafor, he just takes fewer shots. I think Frank Jackson is like Grayson light. So our starting lineup is still pretty stacked, but depth is a big problem. Jack and Javin will have to play important minutes, but I think both are just a good as State's subs. The biggest reason I'm confident: it's in Cameron and I have a feeling the students are going to blow the doors off the place after a long Thanksgiving break. I think Amile has a career game and the defense is great.
 
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I just don't think we're toast, as you put it. We will be in a dog fight for sure. I think of Amile as being a better version of what we got out of a freshman Okafor, he just takes fewer shots. I think Frank Jackson is like Grayson light. So our starting lineup is still pretty stacked, but depth is a big problem. Jack and Javin will have to play important minutes, but I think both are just a good as State's subs. The biggest reason I'm confident: it's in Cameron and I have a feeling the students are going to blow the doors off the place after a long Thanksgiving break. I think Amile has a career game and the defense is great.
I agree with 95% of this post. Not sure Amile is a "better version" of Jahlil. He dominated offensively from day one. Amile is definitely more complete and a much better defender but Jahlil drew double teams and opened up the perimeter for Tyus, Quinn and Winslow. He also rebounded fairly well for much of the year. They both can't hit free throws or Jahlil would have averaged like 25 a game. Both really important pieces on two completely different teams. Depth will be huge tomorrow. If Vrank, Javin and Jack give us good minutes, we should win. Agree with Show though. We need Grayson.
 
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