Proctor and Flagg? Sion? And you're good. Like I said, I expect the worst. So, I figured everyone is used to me overreacting, haha I hope you're right.
Official game day thread- Duke vs UVA
- Thread starter pisgah101
- Start date
I think were still a top 5 team unless we lose Flagg or Proctor. Flagg is obvious. Proctor is our best perimeter defender and always shuts down the oppositions best player.
I think all Duke fans see this as a magical dream season and if it really does get messed up by a fluke injury than that will hurt so bad. But regardless, we still don't know the extent of Brown's injury, and we still have the luxury of having a 5-star Center as a backup in Big Pat. A case can be made that Big Pat is a better offensive player than Maliq, but obviously Maliq is an insanely elite defender who can't be replaced.
Just a total guess based on Twitter comments and reports from "doctors on twitter." My prediction is Maliq is out 4-5 weeks, that puts him due to return the opening round of the NCAA tournament. Just a complete guess. The good news is with a shoulder injury, he can still do cardio.
I know exactly what you mean. I don’t care if you’re Duke, Kentucky, Kansas whoever. Truly special teams don’t come along every year, even for the high profile schools who are putting out quality teams every year. This is the best Duke team in 10 years.
And not to forget you’re replacing Maliq off the bench with a top 20 high school player who would have been a McDonald’s All-American had he not missed most of his senior year with a foot. And Patrick played well last night.
The roster construction of this team is terrific. And as long as Duke can go into battle every night with its key starters: (Proctor/Flagg/Knueppel/James/Muluach they have plenty of bench options and will adjust without Maliq. (Remember he’s missed five games during the season already.)
Scheyer apparently just said on the Fieldof68 podcast that Brown is OUT Saturday for Illinois.
"We'll know more next week. Wait and see game for now."
Not the best news. But I still think we see Maliq playing for Duke again this season.
"We'll know more next week. Wait and see game for now."
Not the best news. But I still think we see Maliq playing for Duke again this season.
Spot on Mac. As it's been stated on here already, we all HATE losing Brown (worst case scenario), Maliq is Duke's Best Defender.
This Duke Team is Deep so the loss of Brown would disable Duke on the Defensive End slightly, but Maluach, Ngongba, and Gillis are better players on the offensive end in contrast to Brown. Ngongba is the type of player who can create for himself in the interior and get a basket. I know a lot of us have been yearning for one or a multitude of the Bigs to look to score on the inside.
Duke is Still National Championship Good without Brown.
James
Proctor
Knueppel
Flagg
Maluach
Gillis
Evans
Ngongba
Foster
^ These Blue Devils are Good Enough
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FYI- Illinois just lost their really good freshmen Morez Johnson to a broken wrist. That’s 7.2 pts and 6.6 rebounds they lost. Injuries suck!
To change the subject, I'm not sure I've seen anyone with Mal's size be so awful as he is at the opening jump ball.
I've noticed this too. However, the 2015 team had a stat where Jahlil Okafor won 1 jump ball all season. And we know how that season turned out.
Big Pat is really good offensively. He’s almost spaz on defense, 😂
But offensively he’s very polished with the ball in the paint and his court awareness is really good.
But offensively he’s very polished with the ball in the paint and his court awareness is really good.
Foster went from a "highly hopeful sophomore" to a "seldom used sophomore." I'm not wishing injury on anyone, but......
I think he would play better if he had to fill in if Sion had some illness that kept him out of a game.
I think he would play better if he had to fill in if Sion had some illness that kept him out of a game.
I personally am not expecting Foster to improve and I don’t expect him back for a third year.
Now do I think he can throw in an 8 point game every couple of weeks? Yes I do but it probably won’t be in a tight game.
For a talented player to be this bad for this long we all know it’s mental and lack of confidence. The fewer minutes that he plays, the more difficult to get on a roll.
Now do I think he can throw in an 8 point game every couple of weeks? Yes I do but it probably won’t be in a tight game.
For a talented player to be this bad for this long we all know it’s mental and lack of confidence. The fewer minutes that he plays, the more difficult to get on a roll.
If Evans plays like he did last night, and Proctor plays like he has the past couple weeks, than we do not need a single contribution from Foster, it is what it is.
I hope he stays ready, because you never know what could happen in March, but Maliq Brown is 100 times more important to the success of this team in March than Caleb is.
I hope he stays ready, because you never know what could happen in March, but Maliq Brown is 100 times more important to the success of this team in March than Caleb is.
.
He is an enigma at this point, I agree. I don’t think we should expect anything from him despite how much Corey Alexander harps that we’re gonna need him. As good as he was in mop up time against Stanford, he was about as bad in mop up time against Virginia. I would love to see him turn this thing around but other than helping with some ball handling now and then Duke is just not gonna get much going forward.
He is an enigma at this point, I agree. I don’t think we should expect anything from him despite how much Corey Alexander harps that we’re gonna need him. As good as he was in mop up time against Stanford, he was about as bad in mop up time against Virginia. I would love to see him turn this thing around but other than helping with some ball handling now and then Duke is just not gonna get much going forward.
Whether you meant to or not, you made my point about Foster. I was not saying he should play more.
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We start 4 guys who are capable of bringing the ball up and initiating offense. That covers all of our ball-handling needs sufficiently.
I Enjoyed my Visit with Caleb and his Parents in South Bend after the Duke vs Notre Dame Game in 2024. The Fosters are a very nice and even keel Family! Pulling for Caleb and hope he gets it Figured Out. Right now he is the 9th Man on the Blue Devils, if and when Brown returns from injury Foster will slide back to the 10th man role unless he does A Complete 180.
I know the talent and dog is still in Foster. He showed it against Michigan State, Baylor, and was starting last season while Proctor was struggling. He just needs to overcome the mental hurdles he is battling.
Come on Caleb
I know the talent and dog is still in Foster. He showed it against Michigan State, Baylor, and was starting last season while Proctor was struggling. He just needs to overcome the mental hurdles he is battling.
Come on Caleb
Guess this might be a good sign? At least Jon didn't say he will be out for the season.
I am pulling for Caleb too. Seems like a nice young man, and the potential is there for sure. I do think his role at this point is back up in case of injury or mop up minutes. I think a healthy Sion along with Proctor's exceptional play of late are keys to how far this Duke team goes. Sion's stat lines have been solid recently, and Proctor is surging like we all knew he could. That takes so much pressure off of Cooper so he can do his own thing. And if teams are going to double him, our three point shooting has been pretty solid recently.
I am looking forward to going into UNC with a guaranteed share of the ACC regular season and a chance for the outright title with a stomping of UNC @ UNC. From there, sky's the limit.
I am looking forward to going into UNC with a guaranteed share of the ACC regular season and a chance for the outright title with a stomping of UNC @ UNC. From there, sky's the limit.
It was such a non-dramatic play! when I’ve seen that kind of injury happen in my sports watching career it’s almost always associated with a violent incident. Hitting the ground, hammered on a screen, tackled, etc. All he did was reach out while in defensive position and swipe for the ball and his fingertips got a little piece of the ball. Nothing violent there.
And kind of like what you’re thinking, the ambiguousness of it may be a good sign. Hope for the best!
The last 2 games Foster has looked like he’s just interested in putting together a highlights video for his potential transfer destination. I know that sounds harsh, but he doesn’t look the least bit interested in looking for an open man. Go back and look at his step-back 3 attempt last night and Scheyer’s reaction. It’s not just me.
I agree with this analysis. I thought the same last night, he wasn’t even trying to get a team approach in scoring last night. But I don’t agree with Scheyers move of throwing him in only when the game is out of reach the last few games. Run him with the main rotation a bit. But as of now it’s probably over.. probably won’t see him back next year
I can't help but bitch about Scheyer's decision to put the entire load on Flagg's shoulders at the end of the Kentucky and Kansas games. Thank God Flagg has abandoned the dribble, dribble, spin move.
Duke should have 1 loss. Err. Maybe no losses. But Clemson is whatever. They should have never lost to Kentucky or Kansas.
Duke should have 1 loss. Err. Maybe no losses. But Clemson is whatever. They should have never lost to Kentucky or Kansas.
Crazy to think Evans played 0 minutes in those games. And Foster started and played a lot in both games.
We should have won both.
I thought the same thing he went in Michael Jordan mode. Thought we were going to have to pull him so we cover. Of course the UVA announcer said we going need him since he coached him at oak Hill. I do honestly hope he pulls out of this funk
Nothing I said would give any non-moron the impression that, that is what I was saying. I call it fair and constructive criticism. Do you disagree that it was a losing strategy at that time?
Agreed and based on our 3 close games in which were wire games , scheyer and our team have failed. Even with coopers non fault slip, it didn’t really seem like Scheyer had changed his approach. We need something better than let cooper do whatever
You attributed all 3 losses to Scheyer's decision making, relying heavily on 20/20 hindsight. But what do I know. I'm just a moron because I don't agree with your blame game, right? 🤪
Jesus. First off, I didn't blame all three losses. Where did I even come close to blaming him for the Clemson loss?
If you're going to get emotional about my opinion, at least give an argument for why I am wrong. Did he not put all of the weight on Flagg's shoulders at the end of those games? The Kentucky game in particular, it was all ISO ball with Flagg taking every shot but one with over 2 minutes left.
I gave a simple assessment of how I saw the games being called. I didn't call for Scheyer's head or even attempt to make it seem that way. It's just an opinion. Again, if you are going to unreasonably disagree, tell me why I am wrong. Don't just put words in my mouth.
The losses weren’t on him but the plan of iso ball is 0-3 this year. 0-4 if you count them as turnovers.
BCG, good points as usual. I think maybe Gillis had his best game during Brown's absence. Perhaps the solid reserve players we have know to expect more minutes with Maliq on the shelf, and naturally loosen up and play even better??
I know everybody has a different timetable on Maliq. FWIW (from a pretty solid Duke insider), I hear Brown will return this year. He's likely out "a few weeks."
OFC
I’ll definitely take that prognosis if that can happen! But they have to do something to get it readjusted, right? For you medical folks out there, I have no clue on how that works. Obviously if it’s a non-surgery situation then there is much greater hope for sure!
Regarding the discussion about Flagg at the end of those three games. Two of those games were in November, which is essentially a lifetime ago at this stage. I think it’s probably a fair argument regarding a different strategy at the end of Clemson versus the other two. With it being so early in the season against Kansas and Kentucky you could say why wouldn’t you go with your superstar to make that play? With Clemson, he was clearly battling illness, several people on the team were battling illness, Mason Gillis was out sick. Despite all that, Duke had several chances to still win that game. Flagg single-handedly almost won that game for Duke down at Clemson with a flurry of amazing three-point shots. ONE stop defensively when Duke was up 1 and they probably win.
If Duke played Kansas today, Duke wins by double digits easily as the Jayhawks are in free fall. If Duke played Kentucky today, Duke wins close to double digits. And I understand Kentucky has two important players out. If KY is fully healthy, I think it’s a close game, but Duke would still be favored. The thing about the Wildcats this year is while they don’t guard well, they have the ability to put an unbelievable amount of points on the board when they are on. I wish their players well, I don’t like to see anybody have injuries. We’ve seen enough of that over the years as Duke fans.
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And since the flu appears to have gone through a lot of the Duke team already, hopefully nobody from Illinois will get anybody sick as apparently it’s going through the fighting Illini players right now.
There is so much stuff going around right now it’s crazy. I’m talking beyond flu. My cousin has a severe cold, her husband has a stomach bug, and his mom has that RSV respiratory illness and is in the hospital. I haven’t been sick in two years and I picked up a little something after the game at Wake Forest which I was at, but it didn’t fully materialize into anything bad.
There is so much stuff going around right now it’s crazy. I’m talking beyond flu. My cousin has a severe cold, her husband has a stomach bug, and his mom has that RSV respiratory illness and is in the hospital. I haven’t been sick in two years and I picked up a little something after the game at Wake Forest which I was at, but it didn’t fully materialize into anything bad.
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