Sounds like Paulus is determined...

[freedevil]

I dunno about cancer, but his court dimeanor was the anti-Duke. Granted, I hated the anti-McRoberts dimeanor too (see Lee Melchioni, his shtick was just embarrassing). In sum, I like Paulus' grit, it's what Duke is all about. Go DUKE!

[greybeard]

The attitude thing, for one thing, the sporatic play inside (especially receiving the ball) for aother, and bringing the ball upcourt for a third. The BACK.

I don't know about the rest of you, but when my body used to fail me occasionally (now that it does it all the time, things are different), particularly in ways that struck at the core of what I was good at, because of an injury, it was a real bummer. I can only imagine what it felt like to be out in public and be having that happen, especially when you have pro aspirations. I've said this before, the way Paulus handled his travails astounds; I marvel at the guy; a champion and leader without peer. I do not fault McRob for falling short of that mark.

I think that especially towards the end of the season, McRob needed to save his energy at times, and had to make sure that he was back on defense. Duke could not win with other teams scoring on run outs or delayed run outs. McRob needed to be back and ready. Dribbling up the court was a justification for dragging a bit, and a way of trying to be useful in the process, perhaps.

Getting the ball inside the defense to a big when he is on the move is a lost art, and one that Duke as a team needs to improve upon. If they do, the Zman will be the beneficiary. It seemed to me that Z has a nice sense of where the spaces are relative to where the ball is or will be, and that entry passes were missed. Worse yet, many were delayed. Delayed would get the ball to Z when he was often off balance, either having just been pushed to a defender who was recovering from having been beaten, or when he was pushing back.

I think a more mature exterior team will let those passes go in a more timely fashion, or at least I hope so. Paulus's ability in that regard, which he had shown the previous year to be quite keen, was, imo, greatly hampered by the foot. If his weight was wrong when he saw something before it was about to happen, he either had to arm the pass, or wait for his weight to right itself, which usually would be too late. The arm passes were often ugly, as all momentum comes from mother earth. Nature knows no other possibility.

So, if Paulus's foot heals reasonably well, and if Shuyer and Wilkins and DeMan and McClure improve their ability to get the thing inside, look for Z to perform much better and certainly diminish significantly his turnovers. Lang should also benefit greatly too. However, between Z and Lang, I see Z having the much better vision for where the spaces will be and thus the bigger upside as putting real interior pressure on defenses. On the other hand, Lang, if he develops an ability to flash catch and shoot, could be scary; you try to take that away, and there will be some highlights.

[DukieUGA]

Shuyer? Alright, just a typo, but who in the world is Wilkins?

[Classof06]

In talking to some friends at Duke, people very in tune with the program, I got the clear impression that McRoberts did not want to be there last year. He really struggled with leaving after his freshman year and he was particularly close with JJ Redick. For one, he routinely called Paulus out in players-only meetings while Paulus struggled early on, and I don't think you need to be a Duke insider to see he just didn't have a good attitude. His body language was God awful. As someone who met McRoberts on more than one occasion my senior year (his freshman year), the kid came off as immature. Just one man's opinion, but I could tell he was in high school the year before.

Maybe the word "cancer" is strong, but while he might not have torn the locker room apart, his finger pointing didn't help a young team desperately searching for both leadership and confidence; two things he was supposed to provide.

[MChambers]

Shuyer? Alright, just a typo, but who in the world is Wilkins?

Must be Lang's brother.

[throatybeard]

I think the Handy Pocket Reference needs a new item; I'm just not sure which section it ought to go in:

"Gracious, how shall we cope with the fact that our current point guard isn't Bobby Hurley?"

[greybeard]

A Greybeard moment, see, I was in a rush to the start of a Feldenkrais training weekend (don't ask), and all I could think of is the kid had a pro lineage. That would be Henderson. Don't get old!

[Wander]

The attitude thing, for one thing, the sporatic play inside (especially receiving the ball) for aother, and bringing the ball upcourt for a third. The BACK.

There are plenty of players who have injuries and aren't d-bags - like Paulus. The back isn't an excuse for that.

[Jarhead]

There are plenty of players who have injuries and aren't d-bags - like Paulus. The back isn't an excuse for that.

Let's be perfectly clear. Who is the d-bag to whom you refer? The way your sentence may be parsed -- who knows? Probably better if you reworded that reference.

[mapei]

I'm still wondering who Lang is. There was Antonio Lang, who played for Duke many years ago, but is there a current one that I missed? Do you mean LANCE Thomas? Recruit Taylor KING? Trajan LANGdon?

[Travi_K]

I aggree, I am not sure who Wilkins is or what Lang's brother meant.

[MChambers]

I didn't know who Wilkins was, but since I didn't know who Lang was, either, I suggested that Wilkins must be Lang's brother.

Greybeard has since confirmed that by Wilkins, he meant Henderson.

For a serious guess, I'm betting that Lang=Thomas. (I'm thinking that maybe Lance has some similar attributes as Tony Lang. Of course, one could sasy that Zoobs resembles Kris Lang, but no Duke fan would say that!)

Greybeard, could you let us know?

[JasonEvans]

I think the Handy Pocket Reference needs a new item; I'm just not sure which section it ought to go in:

"Gracious, how shall we cope with the fact that our current point guard isn't Bobby Hurley?"

I think it should say: "How shall we cope with the fact that our current point guard isn't Bobby Hurley/Jason Williams?"

-Jason "Paulus will be just fine, IMO... at least 2nd team All-ACC by the time he graduates" Evans

[mapei]

BTW, I took the opportunity of a rainy afternoon yesterday to watch the Duke/Kansas championship game in 1991. A couple of things really stood out:

1. That Hurley guy was really, really good.
2. K played zone 30-40% of the game. Amazing.

[trinity92]

I think the Handy Pocket Reference needs a new item; I'm just not sure which section it ought to go in:

"Gracious, how shall we cope with the fact that our current point guard isn't Bobby Hurley?"

The answer: "Don't hand the ball to a gritty but physically ungifted pg as if he were JW or BH and tell him the team is his, without question, for 4 years, and definitely don't play him 32+ minutes a game."

Unfortunately, I think K needs to be reminded that GP isn't, and never will be, BH or JW. For comparison, T. Lawson averaged about 25 mins a game last year, and GP simply doesn't have Lawson's skills or upside. I for one would like to see Smith get a bunch of time at the point this year. I'm also not pleased that we're not even recruiting a pg for 2008-2009. I haven't completely given up on GP, but I just don't see him as a guy you build a team around. Given that our 3 championships came with either JW or BH at the point, it appears to me our system requires a superlative pg. K can't will GP into something he's not.

[greybeard]

I didn't know who Wilkins was, but since I didn't know who Lang was, either, I suggested that Wilkins must be Lang's brother.

Greybeard has since confirmed that by Wilkins, he meant Henderson.

For a serious guess, I'm betting that Lang=Thomas. (I'm thinking that maybe Lance has some similar attributes as Tony Lang. Of course, one could sasy that Zoobs resembles Kris Lang, but no Duke fan would say that!)

Greybeard, could you let us know?

Exactly. I mean, exactly. ". . . startles your distant ears to hear that somebody thinks they really found you." Robert Zimmerman (not really applicable but it sounds sort of right, which seems to fit the moment). Later.

[Classof06]

The answer: "Don't hand the ball to a gritty but physically ungifted pg as if he were JW or BH and tell him the team is his, without question, for 4 years, and definitely don't play him 32+ minutes a game."

Unfortunately, I think K needs to be reminded that GP isn't, and never will be, BH or JW. For comparison, T. Lawson averaged about 25 mins a game last year, and GP simply doesn't have Lawson's skills or upside. I for one would like to see Smith get a bunch of time at the point this year. I'm also not pleased that we're not even recruiting a pg for 2008-2009. I haven't completely given up on GP, but I just don't see him as a guy you build a team around. Given that our 3 championships came with either JW or BH at the point, it appears to me our system requires a superlative pg. K can't will GP into something he's not.

Co-signed on all counts. Couldn't possibly agree more...

[captmojo]

Don't think I've ever been able to cross-reference a Bob Dylan lyric to a basketball point guard before. Priceless.

[ojaidave]

The answer: "Don't hand the ball to a gritty but physically ungifted pg as if he were JW or BH and tell him the team is his, without question, for 4 years, and definitely don't play him 32+ minutes a game."

Unfortunately, I think K needs to be reminded that GP isn't, and never will be, BH or JW. For comparison, T. Lawson averaged about 25 mins a game last year, and GP simply doesn't have Lawson's skills or upside. I for one would like to see Smith get a bunch of time at the point this year. I'm also not pleased that we're not even recruiting a pg for 2008-2009. I haven't completely given up on GP, but I just don't see him as a guy you build a team around. Given that our 3 championships came with either JW or BH at the point, it appears to me our system requires a superlative pg. K can't will GP into something he's not.

If Greg Paulus is the face of Duke Basketball for the next two years, I'll have no problem with that. Greg is exactly the kind of guy K wants running his team: 100% effort, team first, no excuses. Mentally, GP as a Soph was tougher than Duhon through his Jr year, and JWill throughout his career. He's also, IMO, a better passer than JWill was. Paulus' downside is that he is trappable, he holds onto the ball longer than he should when the trap is coming and waits for things to develop. He'll learn, as will his teammates who can help him out of that situation by freeing themselves and presenting a target.


Trinity92, I don't have your cred's as I didn't go to Duke. I did, however, become a Duke fan because of Bobby Hurley - and that was before they won a championship. I'm as high, obviously, on GP as I have been on any point guard since Hurley. The guy can flat out run a team and play basketball the Duke way. You'll see.

Dave

[Chicago 1995]

Greg is exactly the kind of guy K wants running his team: 100% effort, team first, no excuses. Mentally, GP as a Soph was tougher than Duhon through his Jr year, and JWill throughout his career.

. . .

I'm as high, obviously, on GP as I have been on any point guard since Hurley. The guy can flat out run a team and play basketball the Duke way. You'll see.

Dave

There's one huge problem with this. Greg lacks the talent that J-Will, BH Duhon or Will Avery had, and frankly, Greg's not even in the discussion with any of those four.

He may have all the mental attributes you suggest, and those are all great things, but heart and desire and toughness can only carry you so far, and then you need physical talent.

I appreciate that Greg's our guy and we want to support him and believe in him, but we're setting him up for failure and ourselves up for massive disappointment if we want to think of Greg in the class of Hurley or J-Will or even Duhon or Avery. Let's be realistic about what Greg is and what he can be.