Duke Bench Scoring

[gw67]

One of the obvious strengths of the team this year is the bench play. In particular, Scheyer, King and Smith not only bring fresh legs and energy, they are the highest scoring combination of three reserves that I can remember. Their combined average of 27.7 ppg exceeds that of Maggette, James and Burgess (1999 team) and the only reserves that are close, based on my memory, are McCaffrey, Davis and Koubek (1991 team).

The team that beats Duke will have to have a great offensive game. I do not foresee the Devils having a bad shooting night. They have too many weapons.

gw67

[DUKIECB]

The team that beats Duke will have to have a great offensive game. I do not foresee the Devils having a bad shooting night. They have too many weapons.

gw67

I love how we spread the floor on offense. It just opens things up for the drive and kick out for the three. However, I worry sometimes that we may become too reliant on the three to the point that if we do have a bad shooting night we won't have an answer. I would like to see a little more drives to the hoop like we saw in Maui.

I know a lot of what we do depends on what the defense is giving you. We have seen a few zones since Maui and that would alter the way we can attack.

Hopefully you are right, that no matter how bad the shooting night we are having, we will have someone come in that isn't as cold as the rest of the team.

[Olympic Fan]

One of the obvious strengths of the team this year is the bench play. In particular, Scheyer, King and Smith not only bring fresh legs and energy, they are the highest scoring combination of three reserves that I can remember. Their combined average of 27.7 ppg exceeds that of Maggette, James and Burgess (1999 team) and the only reserves that are close, based on my memory, are McCaffrey, Davis and Koubek (1991 team).

Just for the record, I don't think you can count McCaffrey, Davis, Koubek since one of them started almost every game in 1991. McCaffrey started 21 of the first 23 games, then took his place in the lineup and started every game down the stretch.

You appear to be right about Scheyer, King and Smith being the top-scoring trio of reserves in at least a long, long time. But I think for a real comparison, you ought to go back and look at 1998, not 1999.

K played with his starting lineup a bit that year, but basically Wojo and Langdon started all season. Brand started every game until he was hurt, then a handful late in the season. McLeod started early, lost his starting job, regained it when Brand was hurt (and played great!). Brand and McLeod really share one spot, since they only started together a handful of games.

Basically, the fourth and fifth spot in the lineup rotated between Chappell (21 starts), Battier (20 starts), Carrawell (10 starts) and Burgess (3 starts). Avery never started, but he averaged 20 minutes a game.

So it's hard to figure a top scoring bench trio -- but I would argue that the depth in 1998 was similar to this year, especially when Brand was playing. When he was in, Duke could start a top five of Brand, McLeod, Chappell, Langdon and Wojo. Off the bench, we get Carrawell (10.1 ppg.), Avery (8.5 ppg.) and Battier (7.6) ... the bench also included Burgess (4.3 points and 3.9 rpg.), Taymon Domzalski (a starter in 1996) and (after first semester) Ricky Price -- a two-year starter and a third-team All-ACC pick in 1996. Nate James was also on the team, but played just six games due to an injury.

Even so THAT was a deep team -- the deepest for Duke until this year. And I wonder if this year's team has two future ACC players of the year and four guys who won All-ACC honors in their career coming off the bench.

[Bob Green]

Against Albany, the bench scored 48 points: Scheyer 18, King 17, Smith 8, & McClure 5. I am really excited about this team's punch off the bench. As has been suggested in other threads, the bench players are capable of coming in and delivering the knockout blow.

David McClure showed a flash of offensive skill with the midrange jumper he sank yesterday. With Lance still recovering from the twisted ankle, we will need David's intensity against Pittsburgh.

[phaedrus]

David McClure showed a flash of offensive skill with the midrange jumper he sank yesterday. With Lance still recovering from the twisted ankle, we will need David's intensity against Pittsburgh.

I think McClure's a bit better offensively than most give him credit for. He has shown that he can hit the three when he's open, and I think I remember him hitting at least one fairly big last-second bucket last year. Not saying we should run isolation plays for him or anything, but I think he can carry his weight.