MBB: Duke v. Alabama Pre-Game and In-Game Thread

[Kedsy]

But, don't you think that the early games against lesser competition would naturally inflate a team's early season block averages vs. total year block averages? So, as the year goes on the bpg goes down... I'm too lazy to look up the stats but that seems to make sense...

Usually yes, and in the case of 2009-10, it did, as that team had 29 blocks in its first 6 games and this year's team only has 23, so it's a one block per game difference. However, Amile only has one block so far, and his block percentage as a freshman (3.7%) was roughly the same as Brian Zoubek's block percentage as a senior (4.0%), so in the case of this year's team, I expect our overall blocks to go up. Obviously, you can't say for sure, so I may end up being wrong about this, but I really don't think blocks were a major difference between the 2010 team and this year's team. Lots of other differences, but probably not blocks.

[DeBlueDevil]

Ok. So I'll respectfully disagree in the case of inserting Marshall is a bad idea. And that's fine, that's why we have a message board.

Then I return to Cajun's question...who do you suggest Kedsy??

[ncexnyc]

look…i'm still feeling guilty about how badly i dissed Zoubs until his Md breakout game…..I cringed every time he came on the floor…so much for that!!


i'm hoping that the light will come on for marshall...

An excellent point. People talk about Lance and Brian as if they were some fantastic duo during their four year career, however neither player got much love on this board until their senior year and even then it wasn't until the MD game that those two were solidified as the starters.

[Bob Green]

An excellent point. People talk about Lance and Brian as if they were some fantastic duo during their four year career, however neither player got much love on this board until their senior year and even then it wasn't until the MD game that those two were solidified as the starters.

If you are saying Lance and Brian starting together was not solidified until the MD game, you have a point. However, Lance Thomas as an individual started 39 of 40 games.

http://goduke.statsgeek.com/basketba...p?playerid=519

[Kedsy]

Then I return to Cajun's question...who do you suggest Kedsy??

I guess I shouldn't have buried this at the end of a longer post:

To answer your last question, at the moment I'd leave the starting lineup the way it is. Quinn/Rasheed/Rodney/Jabari are our best players and Amile is our best center. Andre would be first off the bench.

[kAzE]

There was an interesting poll result at the end of an article I read this morning. The question was "Should Duke go zone to cure their defensive woes?"

Yes: 79%
No: 21%

Here's the link: http://dukereport.com/duke-basketbal...e/dukeofhoops/

I guess fans are willing to try anything given how bad it's been. Pretty early in the season for such desperation, no? But with this early season tournament coming up, it does feel like we need to find some immediate answers on D.

[kAzE]

Looking at the KenPom numbers, our defensive rankings are pretty scary.

We have the best offense in the country so far, but just the 177th ranked (out of 351) defense. Of all of our opponents this year, Only Kansas is ranked as a decent offensive team. They are 7th in adjusted offensive efficiency. Get this: the next best offense we've faced is Vermont at 124th . . .

Alabama is ranked 73rd. Right now, Duke is on pace to have the worst defense of any team Coack K has ever had at this school. If we play defense like we did in the Vermont game, we will probably lose . . .

[duketaylor]

I am kinda shocked by the post Ima made in another thread, that being the lack of communication she heard while sitting basically courtside at the Vermont game. Completely out of the norm for Duke's MTM defense. That must change for Duke to be more effective on D.

[NYBri]

Not sure the suggested solution of starting MP3 is a good idea. He is reminding me of a puppy out there ...all paws and running in circles not able to focus. The game seems too fast for him right now.

[OldPhiKap]

There was an interesting poll result at the end of an article I read this morning. The question was "Should Duke go zone to cure their defensive woes?"

Yes: 79%
No: 21%

Here's the link: http://dukereport.com/duke-basketbal...e/dukeofhoops/

I guess fans are willing to try anything given how bad it's been. Pretty early in the season for such desperation, no? But with this early season tournament coming up, it does feel like we need to find some immediate answers on D.

We will not go zone as a primary defense, nor should we,

If anyone wants zone, they need a different coach.

And I am pretty happy and confident with the coach we have.

Throaty must have a number/letter for this, time to check the manifesto.

[kAzE]

We will not go zone as a primary defense, nor should we,

If anyone wants zone, they need a different coach.

And I am pretty happy and confident with the coach we have.

Throaty must have a number/letter for this, time to check the manifesto.

No, I agree, it's dumb to think that we can suddenly become a much better defensive team by simply switching our entire scheme. I just wanted to comment on how ridiculous it is that almost 80% of people who read that article think it's a good idea.

[tommy]

I agree that having a 7 footer play in the defense we are currently using probably wouldn't make much of a difference but if we play off a little more like we did in 2010 I think it could work. And again not to argue, I understand your point of obviously there's some reason the kid isn't on the floor but to base the argument of Amile being a better rebounder than Marshall all on stats when the kid barely has played I don't think is fair. There was a time when K praised Marshall. I won't disagree that there probably is a good reason for his lack of PT but I'd like to see if could make a difference. Just seems if we're struggling with interior D and post presence and we have a athletic 7 footer on the team whom we recruited with expectations of production, why not insert him?

But if the idea of going to a 2010-style defense is to dial back the pressure on the ball and the wings and play more of a sagging man to man, the purpose of doing that is to prevent dribble penetration. If you're limiting dribble penetration, then the need for a shot blocker (if Marshall even was a proven shot locker, which he is not) to protect the rim is reduced, because fewer opponents will be getting to the rim in the first place.

Trying to play 2010 style D makes a shot blocker less vital, not more.

[Troublemaker]

I wonder if we'll see a little bit more Matt Jones in this game since Coach K did heavily praise him in the preseason for being a great perimeter defender, both on and off the ball. When Andre was dealing with an injury a few games back and Matt was receiving his minutes, I was impressed with Matt's defense (except for being a bit too handsy at times) and ability to drive. His weakness thus far has been his long-range shooting, which is surprising because he was renowned in high school for the ability to shoot. For that reason, I think there's a lot of upside with Matt, and we'll see him back in the rotation at some point. Maybe as soon as this game.

[oldnavy]

We will not go zone as a primary defense, nor should we,

If anyone wants zone, they need a different coach.

And I am pretty happy and confident with the coach we have.

Throaty must have a number/letter for this, time to check the manifesto.

I want to go on record as saying that I do not nor have I ever suggested that we use it as a primary defense.

But, I would like to see a smattering of it now and then when teams dial in on our defense and go on these +60% shooting nights just to change the tempo.

We have done this in the past. We have or at least had "orange" as our zone, which K admitted he got from Jim Boeheim. We have used half court zone defense in the past. Going zone would not be a first for Coach K.

I love Coach K and always will. I agree that the fix to our problems lies in the communication in the MTM defense. K is brilliant, not doubt one of the best ever so I will trust him as always, but I have to admit at shouting at the TV during games such as the Vermont game "ZONE!"

[Mike Corey]

I think the rule changes have had a tremendous impact on our defense.

We'll adjust.

And we should stick with man-to-man.

Go Duke, roll the Tide.

[mgtr]

Some of the recent posts have been like a slap on the face, to which I reply "Thanks, I needed that!" The slap is the reminder that our coach knows what he is doing, and will figure it out, making needed changes. He turned our "alarmingly unathletic" team into champions in 2010. So, this year, if our team is water, I expect it will be wine at some point.

[Faison1]

I think the rule changes have had a tremendous impact on our defense.

We'll adjust.

And we should stick with man-to-man.

Go Duke, roll the Tide.

I'm in full agreement with this. The hand-checking rule MUST have a major affect on how we play.

We play an aggressive style of D. Now, after 30+ years of playing this style, the rules are taking away one of the most primary aspects of it.

You can't expect a team/coach to be able to adapt to it overnight.

[rsvman]

We will not go zone as a primary defense, nor should we,

If anyone wants zone, they need a different coach.

And I am pretty happy and confident with the coach we have.

Throaty must have a number/letter for this, time to check the manifesto.

1t.

You're welcome.

[freshmanjs]

I'm in full agreement with this. The hand-checking rule MUST have a major affect on how we play.

We play an aggressive style of D. Now, after 30+ years of playing this style, the rules are taking away one of the most primary aspects of it.

You can't expect a team/coach to be able to adapt to it overnight.

then why have so many teams/coaches been able to do it more successfully than Duke?

[moonpie23]

jay williams said last night that if he were in the game, he'd be taking str8 to the basket every time…….the new rules are affecting the game