This team is very good

[DukeHoopsGuru]

I am a very infrequent poster. Very. However, I feel the need to post this morning. Simply put, this team is freaking good. Coming into the season I felt this was going to be a journey, and the team would be a tough out come March, but I felt they had Elite 8 potential at best. I feel comfortable in saying just a few games in I am sadly mistaken. This team has exceeded my expectations already. This is not the best Duke team in terms of talent. However, it's been a long time since Duke had 5 to 6 guys that could go double figures every night. This team can have several guys not play well, and they can still beat good teams. The mark of a good team is the ability to beat quality teams when you don't play your best. The Plumlees and Dawkins were pretty absent last night so Kelly, Rivers, and Curry picked up the slack. Rivers was off the other night so Dawkins picked up the slack. Overall, Curry is much better than I think we all thought. He's not lightning quick but he's effective with his movements. There's no wasted motion with him, and he has quick hands. Rivers is only going to get better, and the same with Mason. I think Miles is what he is to an extent though. Great athlete, but just terrible hands, and questionable judgment. Kelly is showing the country what Duke fans saw in China, and Tyler (fouls too much) and Josh are no slouches when needed either. I hope they redshirt Murphy this year, which it appears they are doing.

It doesn't even matter if Duke loses tonight, this team is going to be a tough out come March, and if they're hitting the 3 ball forget it. I said to myself a few times late first half/mid 2nd, "this team is good." They are. The 1 concern we saw last night, which was a carbon copy of the Arizona game was perimeter defense and lapses in team defense for stretches. Both teams shot lights out in the 2nd half, but there were a lot of uncontested good shots. That is the one concern I have. However, Coach K never ceases to amaze me, and the China trip did wonders. I got a text from my buddy the UK graduate last night. He said, "I'd put Duke in the UNC/UK upper echelon. I am not sure if they are in the UNC, OSU, UK (They won't win it all.) category, but they're damn good. This is not a team I'd want to play come March.