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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Charleston, SC

    Repeat of a Repeat?

    Much is already being made of Duke being preseason #1 next year. We obviously have a lot of talent, and with K on the bench I was just wondering your thoughts on the factors affecting our chances of a repeat.

    I would say:
    1) Emergence of one or both Plumlees
    2) Kyrie's development/running the offense
    3) The X factor - someone unexpectedly contributing (i.e. Zoubs this year)

    I say this assuming Singler and Smith will play consistently great, as expected, and that Kyrie will be superb given time.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Watching carolina Go To HELL!
    Quote Originally Posted by CharlestonDevil View Post
    Much is already being made of Duke being preseason #1 next year. We obviously have a lot of talent, and with K on the bench I was just wondering your thoughts on the factors affecting our chances of a repeat.

    I would say:
    1) Emergence of one or both Plumlees
    2) Kyrie's development/running the offense
    3) The X factor - someone unexpectedly contributing (i.e. Zoubs this year)

    I say this assuming Singler and Smith will play consistently great, as expected, and that Kyrie will be superb given time.

    Thoughts?
    I think the "unexpected contributor" is someone who most expect to be a huge contributor but you haven't mentioned - Seth Curry. He may be the best player on the team.

    Oh, and welcome to the boards!
    Ozzie, your paradigm of optimism!

    Go To Hell carolina, Go To Hell!
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Toledo
    Seth is unquestionably that X-factor you speak of. Despite all of the praise and attention he has received here and throughout Blue Devil Nation, I think many college basketball fans are completely unaware of the talent we have in waiting in Durham in Curry. He is going to be an all out beast, and reports have indicated that Curry is one of the best shooters we've had in years. Probably since J.J. (Although, I might argue that Andre Dawkins will have something to say about that)

    If Seth were starting -- which I think it's impossible that he will with Kyrie, Nolan and Kyle on the wings -- he might lead this team in scoring. Kid can ball. Come the start of the new year, no longer will he be Stephen's little brother. I don't think he is now.

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by OZZIE4DUKE View Post
    I think the "unexpected contributor" is someone who most expect to be a huge contributor but you haven't mentioned - Seth Curry. He may be the best player on the team.

    Oh, and welcome to the boards!
    Welcome to the boards indeed. Ozzie, your optimism crown may be in jeopardy.

    Seth will be a great player, but best on the team? A couple of likely Preseason All-Americans might have something to say about that. We're lucky to have some strong Senior leadership, what looks to be a somewhat deep rotation, excellent outside shooting, and a couple of very athletic post players. And a pretty good coach as well.

    The nature of the one-and-done tourney makes it tough to predict the eventual champion, but if we can keep our intensity up, we have as good odds as anyone.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by airowe View Post
    The nature of the one-and-done tourney makes it tough to predict the eventual champion, but if we can keep our intensity up, we have as good odds as anyone.
    If Duke plays every play - as the guys surely did in '09-'10 - I'd think our odds are better than anyone else's. Not 75%, nor perhaps even 33%, but Ken-Pom-like, better than any other team's.

    Of course we don't want to be overconfident. But we should not shy away from sensible, garden-variety, it's-so-bloody-obvious-you'd-have-to-be-afraid-of-your-own-shadow-not-to-notice, confidence.

    If we cannot be optimistic looking toward '10-'11, how the hell am I gonna retire on the dues I receive as the Corresponding Secretary, not to mention Treasurer, of the LOL [Loony Optimists League]. You people are killing both my cash flow and my long-term travel plans. Go get your own - presumably cautious - scam.

    P.S. Ozzie [whom I do not know but firmly believe is real], I have not received your dues.

  6. #6
    I'm definitely high on next year's team, but I aint stupid. I'm curious to see the impact that a difficult nonconference schedule with some cross-country travel mixed in will have on this team. We have enough upperclassmen that the guys should be able to overcome a couple losses if they happen, but we shall see.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    I definitely hadn't thought of it that way, but you are certainly correct, the tournament seeding and one-and-done format (as far as a chamionship is concerned) is HUGE factor. 91 UNLV, 99 Duke, and 2010 Kansas can attest to that.

    However, I take a lot of confidence in knowing that the 2011 Blue Devils have the personnel that fits Coach K's style, up tempo, 3 point shooting, pressure defense, with depth. K is at his best when he has teams that can out-run, out-defend, and out-shoot anyone that comes along.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Winston-Salem, NC
    I agree that excessive speculation and optimism regarding a NC for '10-'11 can lead to excessive disappointment. Just ask the 2 UK's.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by BlueThru&Thru View Post
    I agree that excessive speculation and optimism regarding a NC for '10-'11 can lead to excessive disappointment. Just ask the 2 UK's.
    1. Not to mention the 1 UNC. "Excessive" hardly suffices for what went on over in CH and all over the state.

    2. It's a good punch line, but it's actually UK and KU. But ok, you get a pass on grounds of punch line literary license.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Columbus, Ohio
    Talent is easier to replace than chemistry. We have the former in spades; we have the leaders who know the equations for good chemistry, but it may take some trial and error before anyone knows how good this team can be, how resilient it can be, and how consistently it can be that good.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by gumbomoop View Post
    1. Not to mention the 1 UNC. "Excessive" hardly suffices for what went on over in CH and all over the state.
    Not sure what that means but I don't recall CH being caught up in predicting NC's even when they won 2 out of the last 6.
    _____________________________
    In Roy We Trust

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Connersville, IN
    Without knowing much of Kyrie's recruiting, is he a one-and-done type of player? Because a back-court of Kyrie, Seth, and Dre would be fun to watch.
    Last edited by DukieBoy; 06-04-2010 at 02:10 PM. Reason: getting the names right

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by DukieBoy View Post
    Without knowing much of Kyrie's recruiting, is he a one-and-done type of player? Because a back-court of Kyrie, Seth, and Dre would be fun to watch.
    For all indications and what I have seen oh him, absolutely. He has great speed, can shoot the outside shot well, and is a terrific ball handler. He needs to work on his mid range game a bit, but that is really the only weakness with this kid. He will be able to get people involved and certainly has the ability to get Singler, Dre, Curry, Smith and the Plumlees involved in the offense to make it potentially downright explosive. They have him listed as #3 pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and is well known as one of the more talented players in this class.

    I think you will get your wish some of this season... I think that Coach K will go with this lineup in offensive situations and when we "go small" and ti would put a lot of pressure on opposing teams.

    Here are some video's of Kyrie:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6jOsvPw4qw

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRn2ocI8RAA

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G53NJbcqEMY
    Last edited by Osiagledknarf; 06-04-2010 at 09:12 PM.

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by BlueThru&Thru View Post
    Not sure what that means but I don't recall CH being caught up in predicting NC's even when they won 2 out of the last 6.

    ___________________________
    In Roy We Trust
    Sorry, as I see I wasn't precise enough. I should have said "excessive disappointment," referring not to falling short of that 3d NC in 6 years, but just to an NCAA bid, period, and really just to something other than a total breakdown. I'll stick to the essential point that, understandably, Heeldom went way beyond excess in its disappointment at Heels' embarrassing collapse, made unfathomably bitter by the world-gone-awry contrast with... you know.

    With the possible return to respectability of Heels in '10-'11, spurred to excessive speculation should McAdoo matriculate, there's likely enough optimism - some bold, some cautious - to go around in both camps in the coming months.

    Perhaps we'll chat again on these speculative matters.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Winston-Salem, NC
    I agree with most of what you said. Kudos to K and the '10 team which surprised most people and with which I think K did his best work to get the NC. I don't expect a repeat of last year for UNC and expect significant improvement. How much still remains to be seen.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    seth curry imo will be tantamount to our transition from a very good team to a great team

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by airowe View Post
    I'm definitely high on next year's team, but I aint stupid.
    I agree that you are possibly high and definitely not stupid, and am confident that this view would be confirmed in a secret ballot, upon which I would insist, should it come to that.

    And I accept the implicit hint [a redundundancy??] that optimism may or may not be stupid, depending on circumstances and the data.

    And I rely on your signature for continuing sustenance for my loony, and therefore probably quasi-stupid, optimism.

    [Nothing in this post could possibly be mistaken for a serious thought. Well, maybe just that one thing...]

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Nashville
    Quote Originally Posted by airowe View Post
    Seth will be a great player, but best on the team? A couple of likely Preseason All-Americans might have something to say about that. We're lucky to have some strong Senior leadership, what looks to be a somewhat deep rotation, excellent outside shooting, and a couple of very athletic post players. And a pretty good coach as well.
    I'm in agreement with this. I'm excited about Seth, but transfer hype tends to get overly inflated (remember the chatter about Dahntay?). He still has to prove he's more than a volume shooter... can he create for himself and others, finsh at the rim, see the floor well, pester guards mercilessly on defense? I think he'll be great for us eventually, but I don't think he'll be on Kyle and Nolan's level right away. It will be interesting to see if he creates some murmers about the starting PG spot early in the season though, if he comes out hot and Kyrie goes through an early frosh slump.

    I think Josh and Ryan are the two biggest wildcards. I honestly believe Ryan has the potential to be a 20+ ppg All-America type if he ever gets the kind of confidence playing at the college level as he did at the high school level. I mean yeah, he's a smart player and good passer, but dude could straight up ball in HS... we're talking crossing guards up so bad they'd fall over, catching alley oops and dunking on people, not to mention a very soft touch on an unblockable jump shot. He was nowhere close to it last year, but if he ever finds that comfort zone again, watch out.

    Josh is even more of an unknown since he's a frosh, but seems to be very polished offensively - seems like he could put up points in bunches. I wonder how well he'll be able to defend 3's and 4's, respectively? I see him having an Andre-of-last-year-like role.

    Speaking of Andre, he'll also be really interesting to watch. If he can get his body and handle in shape, he could add "slasher" to his game thanks to his athletic ability. I can't wait to see how his first real summer at Duke changes his game.

    As for the starters... we pretty much known what is hoped and expected from them, so I hope they're up to the task. Here's hoping the Plums can really take the mantle from LT and Z like their teammates are saying they will.

  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Greg_Newton View Post
    I'm in agreement with this. I'm excited about Seth, but transfer hype tends to get overly inflated (remember the chatter about Dahntay?).
    Well, Dahntay averaged 14 and 5 in his two years at Duke, so I'd say there was some substance behind that particular hype.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Nashville
    Quote Originally Posted by Kedsy View Post
    Well, Dahntay averaged 14 and 5 in his two years at Duke, so I'd say there was some substance behind that particular hype.
    Dahntay was great, especially his senior year, but I remember hearing the same "best player on the floor at times" comments during his transfer year. Given that he averaged a respectable but not dominating 11ppg the following year, I'd say that probably wasn't entirely accurate.

    I wouldn't be surprised to see Seth put up similar numbers next year, but it would definitely surprise me if he's the best player on the team.

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