The Miles Plumlee Post

[ArtVandelay]

One trifling point about DBR's front page article on Miles Plumlee: the best Duke shot blocker outside of Gminski and Brand? Where's the love for perhaps the best shot blocker we've seen at Duke - Shelden Williams?

While Miles still has a ways to go in terms of developing a back to the basket game, two skills he's flashed this year that will go a long way to allowing him to play on the next level are a pretty decent mid-range jump shot and free throw form.

One thing we apparently can say for sure is that Miles Plumlee is a lion. Hoooookay.

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

I have to think Shelden was just an oversight, but a glaring one.

What about The Chief? Cherokee was a nasty shot blocker as well.

[aro24]

I have to think Shelden was just an oversight, but a glaring one.

What about The Chief? Cherokee was a nasty shot blocker as well.

THANK YOU ! hahaha A Cherokee refernce...one of my favorite players growing up...I actually switched my number from 32 (Laettner) to 44 (Parks) in high school.

Loved his game. Thanks...you just made my day.

ARo

[keithg]

Front page consistently deals in a good deal of hyperbole. It's part of being a fan, i guess.

[CLT Devil]

Front page consistently deals in a good deal of hyperbole. It's part of being a fan, i guess.

I thought I was the only one sensing that. I know people have bashed Zoub (myself included) so it was nice to point out what they thought were some of the strong points of his game.

You'd have to put The Landlord into the best shotblocking category...I'd even put Battier up there. He played great interior defense and always seemed to be in the right place...Joe Forte, anyone?

[CDu]

I thought I was the only one sensing that. I know people have bashed Zoub (myself included) so it was nice to point out what they thought were some of the strong points of his game.

You'd have to put The Landlord into the best shotblocking category...I'd even put Battier up there. He played great interior defense and always seemed to be in the right place...Joe Forte, anyone?

Statistically speaking, there's no argument: Shelden Williams was the best in Duke history. After that, I'd say Gminski, Brand, and Parks. Battier wound up with a decent total, but I think he was more of a complete defender (he got a lot more steals than blocks, and obviously took a lot of charges as well).

[feldspar]

Statistically speaking, there's no argument: Shelden Williams was the best in Duke history. After that, I'd say Gminski, Brand, and Parks. Battier wound up with a decent total, but I think he was more of a complete defender (he got a lot more steals than blocks, and obviously took a lot of charges as well).

If you go with blocked shots per game, Josh McRoberts actually shows up on the list before Cherokee.

[Kedsy]

One thing about Miles's blocks is he seems to get a lot of them on fast breaks or from the weak side where he comes out of nowhere and blocks the shot from behind. He seems to do this a lot more than G-man, Shelden, Elton, or Cherokee ever did. Perhaps it's because he was out of position in the first place, but I think mostly it's because he runs more than those other guys did.

Of course Miles also gets blocks the traditional way, by shutting down the lane when an unwary soul dares to enter it, but so far at least those other guys were significantly better at it than he is. It's the out-of-nowhere blocks that make Miles an exciting player.

[Troublemaker]

Miles' improvement into a quality starter is another one those things that has gone right for Duke so far this season. With Mason back in the fold, I would say the shotblocking combination of these two brothers is the single most exciting aspect of the team to me. It's not necessarily the most important or valuable aspect of the team, but it's what I will look forward to seeing the most from game to game. I will just really really enjoy seeing long athletic guys in the middle packing shots and intimidating opponents for Duke.

[NovaScotian]

THANK YOU ! hahaha A Cherokee refernce...one of my favorite players growing up...I actually switched my number from 32 (Laettner) to 44 (Parks) in high school.

Loved his game. Thanks...you just made my day.

ARo

not to turn this in to a cherokee parks thread, but...
i wore mark cherokee parks maverick's jersey to a game a few years ago and actually had to explain to some dork in press row who cherokee parks was. sadly, his legend is fading...

[devilboomer]

Miles' improvement into a quality starter is another one those things that has gone right for Duke so far this season. With Mason back in the fold, I would say the shotblocking combination of these two brothers is the single most exciting aspect of the team to me. It's not necessarily the most important or valuable aspect of the team, but it's what I will look forward to seeing the most from game to game. I will just really really enjoy seeing long athletic guys in the middle packing shots and intimidating opponents for Duke.

Agree that shotblocking is exciting AND important. We're not pressuring passes this year, or gambling in passing lanes, so most of our fast breaks will come off of blocks.

[dukeENG2003]

not to turn this in to a cherokee parks thread, but...
i wore mark cherokee parks maverick's jersey to a game a few years ago and actually had to explain to some dork in press row who cherokee parks was. sadly, his legend is fading...

He'll always have that awesome Sportscenter commercial. . .

"Oh, is this your watch?"

[IBleedBlue]

be alternated in during the game. What I mean is, Miles should come in with either Zoubek or Lance, and then Mason should come in with the other one.
This way, we make sure there is an athletic big on the court at all times and we don't let up in the post. This lets our shooters to fire away.
Again, I am not the coach...so...

[MChambers]

be alternated in during the game. What I mean is, Miles should come in with either Zoubek or Lance, and then Mason should come in with the other one.
This way, we make sure there is an athletic big on the court at all times and we don't let up in the post. This lets our shooters to fire away.
Again, I am not the coach...so...

This will never work, because it won't expose the announcer's ability to tell them apart. Musberger or Patrick can just say "Plumlee".

[almostrufio]

In the latest GoDuke, Miles says that his standing vertical is 36 inches. He also says that they tried to measure his running vertical but they could only measure up to 45 inches, which he exceeded... Really? That would give him one of the best verticals of all time, it seems.