Eric Bledsoe

[RockyMtDevil]

Is anyone convinced that getting Wall will solve our problems? Sure, we'll be more up tempo, but we still will not have a post presence until Hairston arrives in two years. Kelly and PLumlee look like a replica of Singler, and we desperately need a big man that can dominate down low. Even IF Hendo and Wall are in Duke uniforms next year, I can't imagine this being a final four team because Lance and Zoubs, while I love them to death, don't pose a problem for anyone down low.

[Maxwell1977]

Is anyone convinced that getting Wall will solve our problems? Sure, we'll be more up tempo, but we still will not have a post presence until Hairston arrives in two years. Kelly and PLumlee look like a replica of Singler, and we desperately need a big man that can dominate down low. Even IF Hendo and Wall are in Duke uniforms next year, I can't imagine this being a final four team because Lance and Zoubs, while I love them to death, don't pose a problem for anyone down low.

Did Nova have a big man that dominated down low? We should be so lucky that Ryan and Mason become replicas of Singler. Most games next year Kyle will be the best player on the floor.

[jv001]

Is anyone convinced that getting Wall will solve our problems? Sure, we'll be more up tempo, but we still will not have a post presence until Hairston arrives in two years. Kelly and PLumlee look like a replica of Singler, and we desperately need a big man that can dominate down low. Even IF Hendo and Wall are in Duke uniforms next year, I can't imagine this being a final four team because Lance and Zoubs, while I love them to death, don't pose a problem for anyone down low.

While I believe having a 4 or 5 star post player would greatly enhance our ability to be a FF team. I firmly believe we need a point guard more. One that distributes the ball, drives the ball, shoots adequately from the perimeter and one that can defend the other team's point guard. I look at Nova this year as being a team withour a real post player. They have some 6-8 inside players, but not the true post player. I believe that John Wall with our current roster and the other incoming freshman would make us a FF team next year. Go Duke!

[NSDukeFan]

Is anyone convinced that getting Wall will solve our problems? Sure, we'll be more up tempo, but we still will not have a post presence until Hairston arrives in two years. Kelly and PLumlee look like a replica of Singler, and we desperately need a big man that can dominate down low. Even IF Hendo and Wall are in Duke uniforms next year, I can't imagine this being a final four team because Lance and Zoubs, while I love them to death, don't pose a problem for anyone down low.

I don't know that Wall solves all our problems, and am not sure that we have that many, especially if G is back. I like how our team looks next year, expect some improvement for our returning guys and expect Kelly and MP2, as well as MP1 to be able to contribute inside for us. I expect some contributions inside from our 4 6'9 and taller guys and don't care that they are not exclusively post up guys. I don't think we desperately need a big man that can dominate down low. It would be great, but I don't think it is necessary as long as we get some inside touches and scoring.

[NYDukie]

Did Nova have a big man that dominated down low? We should be so lucky that Ryan and Mason become replicas of Singler. Most games next year Kyle will be the best player on the floor.

No they didn't but Dante Cunningham is a decent amount better than either Thomas or Zoubs no matter which way our loyal instincts may sway us. Just checked the boxscore for the game the other day and Cunningham had 14 pts and 11 rebs and just from being in Big East territory, I know he provided them a solid presence down low.

I won't ask if any of you would rather have Dante over Lance or Zoubs but if that either provided similar stats and style of play to Dante for Duke, don't you think the Duke team would be readying itself for the Final 4 right now? I think so! Just that nominal type presence would have balanced things out for this team to take the next step.

[jimsumner]

Players being red-shirted count against the scholarship limit.

Krzyzewski wanted Czyz to redshirt this season and Czyz declined.

[fogey]

We have not had the luxury of a quick, penetrating point guard for some time. I would much prefer our front court with a Lawson (granted, he is unique) at point than Cunnigham substituted into our frontcourt without a Lawson type at point. Entire dynamic of team would be altered, everyone gets better shots, offense becomes more explosive, defense likely improved.

[NYDukie]

We have not had the luxury of a quick, penetrating point guard for some time. I would much prefer our front court with a Lawson (granted, he is unique) at point than Cunnigham substituted into our frontcourt without a Lawson type at point. Entire dynamic of team would be altered, everyone gets better shots, offense becomes more explosive, defense likely improved.

Without a doubt I would take Lawson. You can't even compare the two because it isn't fair. But given the context of the question asked about whether Nova had any low post game, I would rather much rather have had a Cunningham type player for this Duke team than Thomas or Zoubs. I love the team also and its players but I won't be blinded by the fact that they did not contribute that type of ability or production. I'm don't know if that type of player would have propelled them to win a NC but I think such a player would have helped them get to a Final 4.

[SilkyJ]

Sure, we'll be more up tempo, but we still will not have a post presence until Hairston arrives in two years. Kelly and PLumlee look like a replica of Singler, and we desperately need a big man that can dominate down low.

The most enlightening comment (about you) you make is that you think Hairston is somehow more of a post presence that plumlee kelly. Dude is 6'8 200. The shortest and by far the lightest of the 3 recruits you mention. So let's call a spade a spade and say you don't really know much about these guys are just shooting from the hip.

And btw, who cares if mason's game is similar to Kyle's? Dude is 6'11" and with a little time will become a solid 240-245. You don't think he can handle some post duties with that size?

We could have a serious post presence next year between Singler/Kelly and the brothers plumlee (the elder of which will be 6'10, 240 by the time school starts), not to mention Zoubs coming off his first full healthy year.

[mr. synellinden]

Did Nova have a big man that dominated down low? We should be so lucky that Ryan and Mason become replicas of Singler. Most games next year Kyle will be the best player on the floor.

Or Michigan St.? Their big man killed Louisville with mid-range and 3-pt. jump shots.

[yancem]

No they didn't but Dante Cunningham is a decent amount better than either Thomas or Zoubs no matter which way our loyal instincts may sway us. Just checked the boxscore for the game the other day and Cunningham had 14 pts and 11 rebs and just from being in Big East territory, I know he provided them a solid presence down low.

I won't ask if any of you would rather have Dante over Lance or Zoubs but if that either provided similar stats and style of play to Dante for Duke, don't you think the Duke team would be readying itself for the Final 4 right now? I think so! Just that nominal type presence would have balanced things out for this team to take the next step.

You are forgetting that we have Singler who is pretty much the same size as Cunningham and averages pretty much the same points and rebounds as he did. The difference is that Duke also has Thomas and Zoubek allowing Singler to play the 4. If you insert a dynamic point guard into Duke's line up and move Singler to the 5 and we would look a lot like Villanova, and maybe even better. Then you add the fact that Duke is adding 6'11" MP2 and 6'9" Kelly and you have two additional front court players that can contribute.

One of the problems that Duke had this year was too many players that got considerable playing time but offered little offensive production. Villanova slumped off McClure, Thomas, Zoubek and Williams. Those 4 players only attempted 7 shots the entire game despite combining for 72 minutes. That makes playing defense quite a bit easier. A dynamic point guard pushing the tempo, driving and either kicking or dishing would have found those guys some easy baskets which would have opened things up for the big three.

[Kfanarmy]

I won't ask if any of you would rather have Dante over Lance or Zoubs but if that either provided similar stats and style of play to Dante for Duke, don't you think the Duke team would be readying itself for the Final 4 right now? I think so! Just that nominal type presence would have balanced things out for this team to take the next step.

This team had a tendency to get all the way to the rim on a drive or shoot the three. Zoubek could have had a dozen points in that game, if anyone had looked to pass inside, vice dribble. G shot some mid-range shots that didn't go down, but no one looked to pass to Z inside. After the first few minutes, he started going outside on offense to help set screens, with the 5 on three play that was used on defense, Thomas, Zoubek and McClure all could have had decent games, but the team was not conditioned to look inside for the easy score by any of the non-shooters.

[NYDukie]

You are forgetting that we have Singler who is pretty much the same size as Cunningham and averages pretty much the same points and rebounds as he did. The difference is that Duke also has Thomas and Zoubek allowing Singler to play the 4. If you insert a dynamic point guard into Duke's line up and move Singler to the 5 and we would look a lot like Villanova, and maybe even better. Then you add the fact that Duke is adding 6'11" MP2 and 6'9" Kelly and you have two additional front court players that can contribute.

One of the problems that Duke had this year was too many players that got considerable playing time but offered little offensive production. Villanova slumped off McClure, Thomas, Zoubek and Williams. Those 4 players only attempted 7 shots the entire game despite combining for 72 minutes. That makes playing defense quite a bit easier. A dynamic point guard pushing the tempo, driving and either kicking or dishing would have found those guys some easy baskets which would have opened things up for the big three.

You proved my point to a degree. Yes we have Singler who produces better numbers than Cunningham but Singler played much of the game at the 4 spot, occasionally at the 3, and is a much more perimeter oriented player than Cunningham. Cunningham will post up a bit and provide some back to basket presence whereas Singler did not.

The main issue is that we had either Lance or Zoubs, even McClure as you pointed out playing the 5 or even two of them playing at the same time. It proves we needed that additional big to score and give us some post presence and balance. I am by no means saying Cunningham is this great player but saying that he is the productive type of player who if we had to compliment a Singler in the frontcourt, would have made a signficant difference.

[NYDukie]

This team had a tendency to get all the way to the rim on a drive or shoot the three. Zoubek could have had a dozen points in that game, if anyone had looked to pass inside, vice dribble. G shot some mid-range shots that didn't go down, but no one looked to pass to Z inside. After the first few minutes, he started going outside on offense to help set screens, with the 5 on three play that was used on defense, Thomas, Zoubek and McClure all could have had decent games, but the team was not conditioned to look inside for the easy score by any of the non-shooters.

Being in NYC I had the opportunity to see a few more Nova games than most. If you had given me the option to have eitehr Zoubs or Cunningham, I would jump at Cunningham. He would fit the Duke style providing a atheletic and stronger frontcourt player than what we have aside from Kyle. Picture Lance a bit stronger with a more adequate offensive game.

I love Zoubs and he found his niche with this team giving them a productive 10-12 minutes a game down the stretch but how many times, if any, had Zoubs scored over 12 points, let along get double figures?

Bottom line is none of our post players provide that post presence offensively on a consistent basis. A player similar to Cunningham would have helped the team is all I'm saying.

[flyingdutchdevil]

Kinda funny how this thread turned into "do-we-need-a-point-or-a-big-man-more".

Anyway, any news on Bledsoe? If we don't get Wall, I really want Bledsoe. He is a pass first point guard who can defend, distribute and rebound. That said, I would still love to get Wall - he would change the program in a heart beat.

I am a little worried that we are going to rely on Wall for too long and Bledsoe will sign somewhere else. That would suck

[chrisheery]

Kinda funny how this thread turned into "do-we-need-a-point-or-a-big-man-more".

Anyway, any news on Bledsoe? If we don't get Wall, I really want Bledsoe. He is a pass first point guard who can defend, distribute and rebound. That said, I would still love to get Wall - he would change the program in a heart beat.

I am a little worried that we are going to rely on Wall for too long and Bledsoe will sign somewhere else. That would suck

One key point though: no one can take Bledsoe until he qualifies. Hopefully, we will get an idea how things will play out with Wall before he takes (and hopefully for him) and gets a reasonable score on his ACT.

I am of the opinion that we should at least consider taking both of them if we can get Wall. There is no guarantee for a stud PG (though Thornton looks good and could be even better by then) in the class of 2010 and having a guy with the talent and quickness Bledsoe has would be a great way to prevent what has been going on the last 3 years or so.

[rkm]

Quick opinion about the Plumlee/Kelly not real down-low big men. Watching the McDonald's game right now, and while Kelly looks lost amongst the top-level talent, Plumlee looks like an absolute athlete. Even when he isn't making the play he is trailing and jumping for a potential put-back every time. I think he can shore up a good deal of the down-low issues. Maybe not all the way next year, but by his second year I'm expecting a lot from him.

[SupaDave]

Quick opinion about the Plumlee/Kelly not real down-low big men. Watching the McDonald's game right now, and while Kelly looks lost amongst the top-level talent, Plumlee looks like an absolute athlete. Even when he isn't making the play he is trailing and jumping for a potential put-back every time. I think he can shore up a good deal of the down-low issues. Maybe not all the way next year, but by his second year I'm expecting a lot from him.

There is a Plumlee thread. Let's keep it on topic.

[rkm]

Sorry, still getting up to speed with the rules around here, and was just following up on a comment up the page in this thread.

[G man]

You proved my point to a degree. Yes we have Singler who produces better numbers than Cunningham but Singler played much of the game at the 4 spot, occasionally at the 3, and is a much more perimeter oriented player than Cunningham. Cunningham will post up a bit and provide some back to basket presence whereas Singler did not.

The main issue is that we had either Lance or Zoubs, even McClure as you pointed out playing the 5 or even two of them playing at the same time. It proves we needed that additional big to score and give us some post presence and balance. I am by no means saying Cunningham is this great player but saying that he is the productive type of player who if we had to compliment a Singler in the frontcourt, would have made a signficant difference.

I agree that a lot of the bigs we put on the floor could not contribute on the offensive end. Thats why both Ryan Kelly and Mason help a ton. Just to clear the record Mason Plumlee plays bigger than anyother bigs with the exception of Zou. Mason will be the help we need inside. With all that being said what we lacked agaisnt nova is a playmaking point guard. Anyone knows who plays basketball that if you are not able to break teams down and get to the paint the defense extends and takes aways the perimeter from you. We did not have the ability for our point guards to get in the paint. I am leaning towards Bledsoe myself because he will be around for a while to help us out. He just needs to get his ACT scores up!