MBB: Duke 79, BC 59 Post-Game Thread

[jesus_hurley]

8 players with at least 16 minutes playing time.

The Minutes Police will be happy. Or are they ever happy?

Casey Peters can't develop if he doesn't play...

[Kedsy]

Wow, the improvement in the defense from one half to the next was truly extraordinary. In the first half I thought we were a very poor defensive team. In the second half, for the most part, our defense was suffocating.

I thought Miles was great on offense, although in the first half his defense was a little spotty. The stats from just_a_lemma were right on for Z, who once again played very well against a short team, despite the fact that conventional wisdom says he can't succeed against small, quick teams.

I'm glad Andre's minutes were up today. He looked to me like he was rushing his shot, not quite setting his feet or squaring his body before he let it fly. I think when he stops rushing he'll get back to hitting again. His form still looks pretty good.

Kyle Singler put up a double-double and he didn't seem to be forcing shots like he was at Georgia Tech. Still, he still seems to be a little bit off compared to last season. I really wonder if he has been dealing with an injury; I seem to remember one of the December OOC home games (Gardner Webb or Long Beach State I believe) where he was listed as questionable to play prior to game time, I think it was a sprain of some sort. Perhaps he is still dealing with it, or perhaps it's just playing on the perimeter this year, but hopefully Kyle returns to form soon.

This is a really good point that I had forgotten. It was announced he sprained an ankle in practice and was questionable for one of the early December games (I think it was Gardner Webb), but he ended up playing. A sprained ankle lingers for awhile, and though a player might come back I think they often don't feel right for weeks, so maybe the "Kyle problem" is as easy to explain as that.

[chrisheery]

I agree about Mason. I thought he did a lot of things that make him a threat. He made some mistakes too, but that is too be expected. As time goes on, he is going to be a star.

I also think we need to find a better way to get Dre involved when he is in the game. I'd like to see him come off a screen ready to shoot every now and then. You know, have a play set up for him.

Ryan made a few questionable decisions when he played early in the game, but I still think he brings a ton to the table and I can't wait to see him develop. We are going to need him to fill out and be ready to play inside some next year. I think he will be a perfect juxtaposition to Miles and Mason when he is in the game (as will Hairston) with his ability to hit mid range jumpers and pass beautifully from the high post.

I really love the way this team is being built this year and they way you can see them growing into roles for next year as well. I hope we can keep all of these guys (who don't graduate or go pro, that's fine), because I think they could be really special together next year. I think this team has a great chance to be quite special as well if they continue to improve.

[Neals384]

8 players with at least 16 minutes playing time.

The Minutes Police will be happy. Or are they ever happy?

A couple times, Andre was part of a three guard lineup with Kyle on the bench. Be interesting to see the +/- on that lineup, but my impression was they were pretty good.

I was enjoying Knight's commentary until I realized that almost every one of his comments is something we've discussed on this board. Has Bobby been lurking here?

Neal

[Kedsy]

I hope we can keep all of these guys (who don't graduate or go pro, that's fine), because I think they could be really special together next year.

What do you mean by this? Are you suggesting we may have more transfers? Is that speculation on your part or have you heard something?

[chrisheery]

What do you mean by this? Are you suggesting we may have more transfers? Is that speculation on your part or have you heard something?

Woah, no, I have not heard anything like that. I just mean we have a ton of talented kids and have some more coming in and I want to see how great they can all be together. I have NO REASON TO THINK ANYONE WILL TRANSFER AT ALL!

[Kedsy]

Woah, no, I have not heard anything like that. I just mean we have a ton of talented kids and have some more coming in and I want to see how great they can all be together. I have NO REASON TO THINK ANYONE WILL TRANSFER AT ALL!

Well, that's good news. The way you said, "I hope we can keep all these guys," it made me nervous.

[-bdbd]

Wow, the improvement in the defense from one half to the next was truly extraordinary. In the first half I thought we were a very poor defensive team. In the second half, for the most part, our defense was suffocating.
....This is a really good point that I had forgotten. It was announced he sprained an ankle in practice and was questionable for one of the early December games (I think it was Gardner Webb), but he ended up playing. A sprained ankle lingers for awhile, and though a player might come back I think they often don't feel right for weeks, so maybe the "Kyle problem" is as easy to explain as that.

I have always felt that K is at his best when strategy needs adjusting. He is extremely good and perceptive, usually, in that regard. Clearly he directed some changes at the half, and things got quickly better soon thereafter.

Also, I was very pleased to see Kyle seem to get on-track again. The ankle/injury issue could be part, but I also think the move to the perimeter has been a surprisingly unnatural adjustment for him. It is a whole new approach to his game which maybe isn't quite natural/instinctual for him yet. He is a special player, and Chronicle editorials aside, he'll get it together well before March, and play a big role in our team's success then. No doubt here.

[Spam Filter]

A couple times, Andre was part of a three guard lineup with Kyle on the bench. Be interesting to see the +/- on that lineup, but my impression was they were pretty good.

I was enjoying Knight's commentary until I realized that almost every one of his comments is something we've discussed on this board. Has Bobby been lurking here?

Neal

I felt exactly the opposite, every time Andre played the 3 BC would ran a play to post somebody much bigger than him and score.

[Greg_Newton]

I always look forward and enjoy DBR's postgame write-ups, but I couldn't help but notice this one had a few more, er, funny spots than usual. For example, the sentence: "Boston College is never relied on the three-point shot the way Duke has an in this game."

Huhhh?

[flyingdutchdevil]

And the most under-appreciated Duke player in the Duke community is... Nolan Smith! I was absolutely bedazzled by both his offense and defense (he had that one missed dunk and that one foul at the end of the first half, but outside of that, amazing!) He finishes with 24 points on 9-14 shooting, 4 assists, 3 steals, and only 2 turnovers for a guy who drove to the rim consistently. Those are absolutely incredible stats. Singler had a pretty good game and the gratitude sent his way on this thread is through the roof. Smith had the best offensive game of his career and all people really say is, "Nolan was great tonight"

He was spectacular today! With Scheyer having an "off night" and Singler having an average / slightly above average game, Nolan led us. His drives to the rim, perfect body control, assists, and team chemistry helped us more than any other player. Also, his defense is vastly underrated.

Scheyer may be the most underrated player in the country, but the most underrated player within the Duke community is Smith.

Sorry for the rant, but this guy deserves so much more credit than he receives.

[Exiled_Devil]

Things I learned last night:

The press showed why Lance is still a starter. He positioned well and recovered after the press better than any other big. His defense is under appreciated.

While we moaned about Kyle between GT and BC, Nolan's performance at GT was poor and we have been better when he has been better. He is as pivotal as Kyle, but overlooked because of the lack of pre-season hype.

Bobby Knight is a fan of the shot fake.

Plumlee to Plumlee is now my most anticipated play of any game.

[Matches]

I only saw bits and pieces of the game but was very impressed with Zoubek's play. He was a monster on the boards and was looking for his shot on offense. He has rounded into a nice complimentary player.

[elvis14]

I really enjoyed the game. Nolan was great and Kyle and Jon were good (seems like Jon didn't play that well because he's been so great lately). I really liked the way we came out in the second half. Someone mentioned K being great at adjustments, this was a game where he was great (GT, not so much as we chucked up 28 3's). I really hope that the number of 3's being shot (or not shot) was intentional and not just a matter of taking what the defense was giving. I'd like to see us attack more, pick up fouls etc.

Mostly though, I'm just happy, what a great night of basketball. First Duke beats BC then Clemson (where I went to grad school) crushes UNC CH. Nice.

Kyle had almost his exact numbers he has averaged for the year and last game he's being called a bum, this one he is played well?

Does Trevor Booker have to celebrate every single basket with a chest pounding and staring at the crowd? Is it a team rule? Unreal. He'd be on the bench for us, no matter how nasty he is.

In the GT game, Kyle shot 2 for 13. Last night he was 5 of 9. So the total points may have been similar but how he got them were very different. Kyle can be great but of late he hasn't been. When he gets it going again the team will be able to take things to the next level. I'm looking forward to it.

As for Booker, as long as he's beating the he11 out of UNC CH, he can glare at their bench, pound his chest, celebrate, etc. all he wants. 9F

Anyone else love the way Mason looks to attack when he has the ball in his hands? He's the anti-Lance in that regard.

[Kedsy]

I really hope that the number of 3's being shot (or not shot) was intentional and not just a matter of taking what the defense was giving. I'd like to see us attack more, pick up fouls etc.

Personally, I hope they were taking what the defense is giving. If the inside is there, go for it. If a defense is tightly packed in the lane and giving up wide open jumpers, why not take them? The key is to find the easy points.

Having said all that, if you take what the defense is giving, shouldn't that be considered intentional?

[ncexnyc]

I guess it's true, people only come out after a loss. Here we have a solid win at home against BC and we have only 3 pages of posts.

Big shout out to Nolan for being aggressive, but also being under control.

Great effort by Miles, he really power the ball up when he was at the rim.

But my biggest atta boy goes out to Lance Thomas. Yes, his stats aren't that impressive, but BC's leading scorer, Trapani had only 8 points IIRC and only 2 of those came against.

[snowdenscold]

I guess it's true, people only come out after a loss. Here we have a solid win at home against BC and we have only 3 pages of posts.

Oh, I'm convinced it's absolutely true.

I managed to see the entire game except the first four minutes of the 2nd half last night... what are the odds?? (that's rhetorical)

[BlueintheFace]

Another reason why there are so few posts is because BC is kind of unique. Duke only sees the Skinner Flex against BC and at no other time. It is hard to extrapolate much from the BC games other than intensity, communication, toughness, and maybe shooting stroke. They are just a unique opponent, like Arizona State.

Still, I'd love to see a breakdown poster by poster of contributions to post-game threads. Like, a stat for how many losses they post after vs how many wins, and additionally, what % of their posts after either a win or loss take on a negative tone.

[94duke]

Can someone explain how BC's Flex is different than Maryland's Flex?

[camion]

Can someone explain how BC's Flex is different than Maryland's Flex?

The players actually listen to Skinner.