Maybe Duke needs to start scheduling more true road games because this whole neutral court thing during the regular season to emulate the postseason doesn't work when no matter where you play the entire crowd hates you.
1. Find a way to develop an offense that isn't so reliant on the 3.
2. If we're going to miss on so many big man, let's go out and find the best big-man assistant coach in the nation we can get and have him work with what we have to work with.
3. I love Paulus. But he's a shooting guard.
4. A re-commitment to hard-nosed defense for 40 minutes.
I'm sure there are others, but that's all I can think of for right now.
Maybe Duke needs to start scheduling more true road games because this whole neutral court thing during the regular season to emulate the postseason doesn't work when no matter where you play the entire crowd hates you.
Can we improve?
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1) agreed. Even with JJ we underperformed in 2005 and 2006
2) agreed. Our coaches have a guard's mentality because they were all guards. Pete Newell's big man camp in the offseason is not enough.
3) agree kind of. I think when we've had good inside players, especially Shelden, Paulus did better. But I think he's a combo guard. Still, too slow to put us over the top.
4) In the first half, we had this. I don't think we need a recommitment. We just need to recruit more players with killer instinct who can bury the opposition when the whole season is on the line.
Yes, but the limitations will continue to be there...
We really need to commit to improving big men once they get on campus.
Perhaps a special roving instructor to mentor them
what was in common was they all had quality big men
Singler's a great forward,,, he isn't a center and it was a joke that that he played center
Now the season has drawn to a close we have nothing to do on the board until the fall except consider recruiting and perhaps state expectations for the 2008/2009 season. The hope is that none of our players will jump to the NBA over the summer and that Henderson’s wrist surgery will be successful. If that occurs, the team will be added to by Elliot Williams and Olek Czyz. We should also get Marty back in top shape, while we will lose a really good guy in Demarcus Nelson.
Starting lineup options:
Paulus Paulus Smith
Scheyer Scheyer Scheyer
Henderson Henderson Henderson
Singler Singler Singler
Thomas Zoubek Czyz
In addition, we will have a very solid bench of Pocius, Williams, King, McClure
That represents 11 capable players with Paulus in his final year, (McClure and Pocius may be eligible for another year if they choose), Scheyer, Henderson, Thomas and Zoubek with two more years and Singler, Smith and King with 3 more years of eligibility. I doubt if all will stay the entire 4 years, but such is life at the top college programs.
What we lacked this year we will again lack next season, a strong inside presence. The defense of Demarcus will be missed, but we will have Smith and Williams who are thought of as good defenders with speed and length. It is hard to know how well freshmen will react, but Czyz offers at least the hope of a strong inside player with athleticism, who can provide minutes as he works into the lineup.
With Scheyer, Henderson, Paulus, Smith, Pocius and Williams we are bulletproof at the guard position. We should expect Zoubek to pick up next year with least at his recent level of play. King should show great improvement. McClure is a very good defender who may also pick up his offense. Thomas is kind of an unknown as will be Czyz.
All in all a talented team with a guard oriented attack and limitations in the front court. They will probably a little less turnover prone due to the experience level rising. It will be interesting to see how coach K adapts to team strategy to his talent level.
I happen to think we will be very good next year. Everyone back and better, except D-Marc. G and Kyle have the potential to be all-ACC performers next year. Zoubek needs to stay healthy and develop this summer. Hopefully we can figure out how to not limp into the tournament.
Well, thats a real stinger. Like I said in the chat - the negativity, at least on my end, stems entirely from a deep seeded passion for the Duke jersey.
Do their need to be changes? Probably, as a first weekend exit cannot be up to Coach K's standards. Perhaps changing the offense, revamping substitution patterns . . . I dont know.
However, I am really hopeful that we can keep things to constructive criticisms. I hate seeing a post that merely says Duke Sucks or Paulus Sucks or something like that. Everyone is aware of the shortcomings of this team.
Just remember the primary reason so many of us are so passionate is because this team has given us such excellence in the past.
I'de like to see this kid be just as explosive in college as he was in high school next year...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQNv_7IiqXk
I agree. Duke needs to reevaluate their recruiting strategy. It's not that the players we have aren't good or great. But they seem to FEAR one-and-done situations like this. Part of me wonders whether they recruit kids who are simply too "nice" and want very badly to please K and the fans, uphold tradition, and graduate (the real reason there's a Duke University). We need players who just don't care about that, and have that killer instinct regardless of who, when or where they play.
What can be changed for next season?
It's not a stellar recruiting class that will provide the help we need.
It's hard to be constructive when we have to settle for "the coaches will figure it out".
We'll still be good but not elite....and elite is why we are fans.
Guard play is good but the game is won from the free throw line and underneath the basket. Duke needs big men!
With so many 3's bouncing off the front of the rim you can't tell me fatigue was not a factor. That is a pure sign that the legs are gone and they were gone the past 3 games.
I wish K would stop teaching how to act as well. It's pretty obvious a lot of times our guys are more concerned with getting a call than making a shot, Paulus and Singler especially.