Offseason poll #1: Duke's starters next season

[JasonEvans]

Vote for 5... and only 5.

Please!!

[JasonEvans]

This is the first in a series of polls I am going to try to do to keep the conversation going in the offseason. I have no idea what the others will be, but this seemed like a logical one to start with.

As always, vote and feel free to post your comments.

-Jason "I am betting we see a lot of guys get significant vote totals" Evans

[Dukerati]

There were two hard decisions for me in this poll.

1) Four guard lineup with Singler, or a more traditional lineup with two "bigs" (i.e. Lance or Zoubek)?

I ended up going with the more traditional lineup although I do think this will be more fluid during the season. Coach K played a lot of two big starting lineups at the end of last year despite the fact that this meant Gerald or Jon had to sit (read: we did not play our five "best" players to start the game). This swayed me towards picking the traditional choice.

2) Jon or Gerald in the starting lineup?

Once I made the decision that we were going to go two bigs, I had to decide who held down the third guard spot. Ultimately I went with Jon because I haven't heard anything about Gerald's asthma and until told otherwise, I am going to assume he plays in bursts as the sixth man. This is not an indictment on Gerald (a breakout star waiting to happen) but more of an endorsement of Jon. He's a smart, tough, and yes, athletic player whose shot will only get better. In fact, I am predicting that he will have the best +/- ratio on the team.

Starting lineup:
Greg Paulus
DeMarcus Nelson
Jon Scheyer
Lance Thomas
Kyle Singler

[CY_devil]

IMO, I do not think Scheyer will be competing with Henderson but Henderson competing with DeMarcus for the starting spot. I can see DeMarcus starting at the beginning of the season but as the season progresses, Henderson should take his spot provided that his asthma does not hold him back (I don't think it will).

My starting 5 in Mid-January is:
1.Paulus
2.Scheyer
3.Henderson
4.Singler
5.Zoubek

CY

[Lord Ash]

It is important to consider; do you mean starters at the beginning of the year, or at the end?

[JasonEvans]

It is important to consider; do you mean starters at the beginning of the year, or at the end?

I mean the 5 guys who will start the most games.

-Jason

[mapei]

I went with Nelson/Paulus/Scheyer, since they had K's confidence last year, and inserted Singler and Zoubek. I'm not thrilled with Z in a fluid game, but I think K will want at least one big who is really big and plays like one. I don't have LT's vitals memorized, but he certainly didn't play convincingly as a big last year, and KS seems more like a 3 or 4 to me, certainly not a 5.

[greybeard]

Looks like everybody believes that he makes it back. I sure hope so, but have reservations. I think Smith might well end up out there a whole lot.

[Classof06]

Looks like everybody believes that he makes it back. I sure hope so, but have reservations. I think Smith might well end up out there a whole lot.

I'm with you sentence for sentence, greybeard. In fact, it's my reservations and uncertainties about the PG spot in general that are keeping me from coming up with a definitive starting 5 like the rest of you guys above. I have a feeling Paulus will be out there the first game, but I have no idea who will be out there in mid-January...

[Zeb]

Paulus will start wire to wire next year. He is K's guy, like it or not.

[JasonEvans]

I'm with you sentence for sentence, greybeard. In fact, it's my reservations and uncertainties about the PG spot in general that are keeping me from coming up with a definitive starting 5 like the rest of you guys above. I have a feeling Paulus will be out there the first game, but I have no idea who will be out there in mid-January...

Paulus will be at least an Honorable Mention All-ACC performer next year... at least. Markmy words. The folks with reservations about him are looking at the player who was playing badly injured in late December and early January, not the player Greg was late in the season (when he was easily the best Dukie on the floor most nights). Greg was hurt all year. Cut him some slack.

-Jason "personally, I am surprised at the level of support for Nelson as a starter-- I think senior deference might be some off that" Evans

[DevilAlumna]

Only 1 person thinks he's starter material? I thought, based on some of the late March/early April posts, he was the second coming of ... well, someone better than Paulus, at least.

(GP got my love, though. He's the next Wojo, IMO.)

[VaDukie]

I went with Singler, Nelson, Henderson, Scheyer, and Paulus.

Why four guards? Nelson can guard any college '4', and Singler can guard any big in the ACC not named Tyler. He did guard Kevin Love after all.

K coaches players, not positions. I think those are our 5 best players.

[Bob Green]

I went with Paulus, Scheyer, Nelson, Singler, and Zoubek. It was hard for me to not place Henderson in the starting line-up but I see him being a real force as the 6th man. In Zoubek's case, I may be guilty of too much optimism but I'm thinking he will be a much improved player in his second season.

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[greybeard]

Paulus will start wire to wire next year. He is K's guy, like it or not.

If the foot does not materially get better, I fear he might be done. If it does, I like Paulus to lead my team. Have always, from before the season last year, said that he could not play and attributed his shortcomings to the injury. Used to post as "rudra." Think that Paulus was incredibly courageous for playing well, well, well below his capabilities because the team needed him. Wish he hadn't, but was always, and remain, a big fan.

If you don't see a greatly improved player on the floor, something, imo, will be terribly wrong. He should not play again if that foot is anywhere near the problem it was last year, imo.

[Troublemaker]

There's a 99.999% chance Greg will start all season at point guard (barring another unfortunate injury to him), and it's not even about his improved play the second half of last season. The main reason Greg will start and probably play the most minutes per game is because he's the team's captain and leader. Anybody who thinks Greg won't start all season hasn't been following the team closely or is vastly underestimating the influence of Coach K's military background and his emphasis on leadership. If you've followed the team closely over the past two years, you know that Coach K has basically been grooming Greg to become the leader of the team and K's "on-court extension" (to use a cliche) the entire time. The payoff for all this grooming should begin this season as you should begin to see Greg take control of team huddles and encourage/criticize teammates on the court and get guys in the proper position (on offense, at least). With a healthy summer after rehab, Greg is ready to put his imprint on the team as the leader, realizing Coach K's vision, and people think his job is in danger? Not bloody likely.

Besides, the key to the season (as far as the team's ceiling is concerned) is Brian Zoubek and his progression. Greg's game should compliment Z well as he's the great shooter that should help keep the defense spread for the big man to operate inside. Also, there's a good chance that the Greg-and-Kyle high screen action will be a devastating combination for Duke (with Greg using the screen for open 3-pters and Kyle picking-and-popping and rolling on occasion) and the signature offensive play of the 07-08 season. Greg has limitations but his great shooting ability complementing Brian and Kyle's games is going to be a huge key during the season.

[NYC Duke Fan]

I believe that it was Red Auerbach who said, 'It doesn't matter who starts the game, what only matters is who finishes the game ".

[Bob Green]

There's a 99.999% chance Greg will start all season at point guard (barring another unfortunate injury to him), and it's not even about his improved play the second half of last season. The main reason Greg will start and probably play the most minutes per game is because he's the team's captain and leader. Anybody who thinks Greg won't start all season hasn't been following the team closely or is vastly underestimating the influence of Coach K's military background and his emphasis on leadership. If you've followed the team closely over the past two years, you know that Coach K has basically been grooming Greg to become the leader of the team and K's "on-court extension" (to use a cliche) the entire time. The payoff for all this grooming should begin this season as you should begin to see Greg take control of team huddles and encourage/criticize teammates on the court and get guys in the proper position (on offense, at least). With a healthy summer after rehab, Greg is ready to put his imprint on the team as the leader, realizing Coach K's vision, and people think his job is in danger? Not bloody likely.

Besides, the key to the season (as far as the team's ceiling is concerned) is Brian Zoubek and his progression. Greg's game should compliment Z well as he's the great shooter that should help keep the defense spread for the big man to operate inside. Also, there's a good chance that the Greg-and-Kyle high screen action will be a devastating combination for Duke (with Greg using the screen for open 3-pters and Kyle picking-and-popping and rolling on occasion) and the signature offensive play of the 07-08 season. Greg has limitations but his great shooting ability complementing Brian and Kyle's games is going to be a huge key during the season.

Great post! I nominate it for Post of the Week. I agree with everything you eloquently stated. Paulus is our floor leader and a great shooter. Zoubek is the X Factor.

I would add that our depth of talent at wing guard will be a significant factor in the team's success. Nelson and Henderson cutting back door for thunderous dunks. Smith driving down the middle. Scheyer shooting the 3-ball or midrange jumpers. All of these talents will compliment Paulus, Singler, and Zoubek.

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[Waynne]

If you don't see a greatly improved player on the floor, something, imo, will be terribly wrong. He should not play again if that foot is anywhere near the problem it was last year, imo.

I agree; the condition of Greg's foot is the biggest question mark concerning not only his ability to play but the entire team's prospects for next season. If he recovers from the surgery he will play wire to wire because we need his passion and leadership. If he doesn't then Smith likely will be the man, with a very steep learning curve given he did not play the point at Oak Hill.

If Greg can't play we could be in for a tough season, although I bet by February the team will be playing at a high level. Hard to say who would be starting in such a scenario: my guesses are Smith, Nelson, Scheyer, Singler and Thomas, with Henderson (if healthy) and Zoubek getting big minutes off the bench.

[ojaidave]

IMO, I do not think Scheyer will be competing with Henderson but Henderson competing with DeMarcus for the starting spot. I can see DeMarcus starting at the beginning of the season but as the season progresses, Henderson should take his spot provided that his asthma does not hold him back (I don't think it will).

My starting 5 in Mid-January is:
1.Paulus
2.Scheyer
3.Henderson
4.Singler
5.Zoubek

CY

At least I'm not the only one who thinks this is the line up. I think DeMarcus will play starter's minutes, but will come of the bench by midseason.

Dave