Negativity about Greg Paulus

[I_am_a_Blue_Devil]

I cant stand the anti Greg undertones around here. This guy has improved each year, stats and intangibles. He is the senior leader and has worked his butt off to make it this far. I hate listening to the this guy vs. that guy stuff. If nolan earns the starting nod so be it, but stop the specualtion and acting like we would be better without Greg on the floor. Crunch time - Close game - championship on the line. I WANT GREG PAULUS with the ball in his hands. (sorry if i step on any toes, just the clumination to a long week and something i cant hold in any longer)

[CameronBornAndBred]

Well..don't take it personal..I'm sure Paulus won't. It's all about competition, and what is the most complementary team on the floor. Just like Scheyer coming off the bench last year, if that is the role for Greg that best fits the team this year then so be it. If anything, enjoy the criticisms and questioning. Until we start facing some real opponents, it's a healthy conversation by DUKE FANS, and keeps us entertained...in the end we are all on the same side having fun.

[SupaDave]

Paulus is a captain and definitely wont. He may in fact b/c this year's 6th man of the year. He will nearly be the equivalant of Trajan Langdon coming off the bench - and that's HUGE.

Not to mention we will have a very STRONG rotation this year - one that might be able to even step on the gas when the "starters" are out...

[Zeb]

I think its easy to focus on Greg's limitations, and ignore some strengths that are harder to quantify. There were numerous times last year when he was the most confident player on the floor last year, and that often led to big plays. You see K and a lot of players talking about ego in a positive way this year--Greg has probably the strongest ego on the team.

That said, I think Greg is ultimately not our best option at point guard. He has evolved into a shooter, and we should use him as such. But I want to challenge the idea of Greg powering the second team--he will be most dangerous when he is on the floor with the Big 3, who will draw in the defense and leave Greg open to shoot. If Greg is out there with Thomas, Z, Pocius and Wiliams, then he'll have a much tougher time finding his shot, because he'll probably be the biggest scoring threat on the floor. (Of course, he can still be a decent point guard in those situations.)

[Rich]

Consider me a Greg Paulus fan and I agree with you that he deserves the benefit of the doubt as the senior leader. However, I don't think the issue is so much wanting the ball in Greg's hands at crunch time, but having Greg on the floor on the defensive end during said crunch time. Seems as though Nolan is just a much stronger defender.

[Kedsy]

But I want to challenge the idea of Greg powering the second team--he will be most dangerous when he is on the floor with the Big 3, who will draw in the defense and leave Greg open to shoot. If Greg is out there with Thomas, Z, Pocius and Wiliams, then he'll have a much tougher time finding his shot, because he'll probably be the biggest scoring threat on the floor. (Of course, he can still be a decent point guard in those situations.)

I'll be very surprised if Duke ever plays an NBA-style "first unit" and "second unit." I expect there to be myriad combinations of players on the floor together this season.

But I also agree with you that Greg will be most dangerious when other members of the team draw double teams and kick out to him for an open 3.

[Rudy]

Being a starter is more of an honor than containing a lot of meaning. Take a look at Scheyer's minutes last season compared to how many he started (1st column is number of games, second column number of starts, third column number of minutes). Scheyer was third in total minutes played:

DeMarcus Nelson 34 34 1051
Kyle Singler 34 34 972
Gerald Henderson 34 33 891
Jon Scheyer 34 1 963
Greg Paulus 34 33 943
Nolan Smith 34 1 500
Taylor King 34 0 330
Lance Thomas 32 28 593
Brian Zoubek 25 2 262
David McClure 30 4 268

[Billy Dat]

The team needs to be a meritocracy and I hope that coach always thinks that way. One thing is certain, if Nolan is going to start over Paulus, you can be sure that Paulus is going to be in his face 24/7 during practices. I wonder how intense that match-up is day in and day out right now? I wouldn't be surprised if it came to blows once or twice - Paulus is a proud dude. Maybe K is thinking back to '98 and wondering what would have happened if Avery had started in front of Wojo toward the end of the year....visions of Wayne Turner dancing in his head.

[Rudy]

I wouldn't be surprised if it came to blows once or twice - Paulus is a proud dude.

I would be surprised. They seem to like each other. Greg was first over to help Nolan up when he was knocked down in the exhibition game. They'll push each other but there is respect there and they both want the team to win more than they want individual honors. This is not a McRoberts/Zoubek rivalry.

[Billy Dat]

I would be surprised. They seem to like each other. Greg was first over to help Nolan up when he was knocked down in the exhibition game. They'll push each other but there is respect there and they both want the team to win more than they want individual honors. This is not a McRoberts/Zoubek rivalry.

Michael Jordan punched Steve Kerr during practice...stuff happens in the heat of the battle, especially when you lose your starting spot in the sport that you chose over football where you were a much more legit pro prospect as a high school senior. He's a good soldier, but don't doubt that he is trying to get that spot back.

[Classof06]

I think one of the reasons Greg has become such a lightning rod between Duke fans and on these message boards is because, IMO, with as many people out there who rip Paulus all the time and harp on his limitations, there are just as many people who tend to ignore Greg's deficiencies and act like he's the best player to ever go to Duke even though any fan can see he's far from it. I've been hard on Paulus in the past but I've always been the first to congratulate the guy when he plays well. As long as he plays for Duke, I want him to do well at all times.

With that being said, I happen to think Nolan Smith starting makes this team better. He's a better ball defender and he's better off-the-dribble than Paulus, two things Duke could really use from its PG position. I think Paulus is the best pure shooter on the team (and probably the ACC) but that's not at as much of a premium for this team as what Smith brings.

Whatever happens, it will be what's best for the team.

[Ders24]

I would be surprised. They seem to like each other. Greg was first over to help Nolan up when he was knocked down in the exhibition game. They'll push each other but there is respect there and they both want the team to win more than they want individual honors. This is not a McRoberts/Zoubek rivalry.

My understanding is that this type of competition (that they can maintain while still respecting and liking each other) is very much the make up of the entire team this year.

[CLT Devil]

It seems as if Paulus is stronger at the 2 guard spot, this may be crazy to throw out there but I could even see him starting at the 2, if only he were athletic enough to guard the opposing shooting guard. I think Greg is hands down our best shooter...just look at what he did against the Tarholes in Chapel Hill last year. I know Greg won't necessarily start, but allowing him to come off the bench and have a green light to jack up threes could be his most effective role for us, and I'm sure one he would enjoy. Anyway, even having this argument is a great thing for the team.

[CDu]

I think one of the reasons Greg has become such a lightning rod between Duke fans and on these message boards is because, IMO, with as many people out there who rip Paulus all the time and harp on his limitations, there are just as many people who tend to ignore Greg's deficiencies and act like he's the best player to ever go to Duke even though any fan can see he's far from it. I've been hard on Paulus in the past but I've always been the first to congratulate the guy when he plays well. As long as he plays for Duke, I want him to do well at all times.

With that being said, I happen to think Nolan Smith starting makes this team better. He's a better ball defender and he's better off-the-dribble than Paulus, two things Duke could really use from its PG position. I think Paulus is the best pure shooter on the team (and probably the ACC) but that's not at as much of a premium for this team as what Smith brings.

Whatever happens, it will be what's best for the team.

I agree with this post. Especially with the absence of Nelson (who was the guy who often had to defend quicker PG), I think Smith's skillset is more essential. That said, I agree that Paulus is still a valuable member of the team. I just think that his skillset is more valuable as a SG than as a PG, where he can focus on getting his shot and playing defense away from the ball.

[CameronBornAndBred]

It will be very interesting to compare GP's scoring output this year opposed to previous years. I'm assuming it will go up, it will be exciting to watch him unleashed in the role of scorer. K does a great job of utilizing his player's strengths.
It will also be interesting to watch how he adapts to the SG; will he actually have to focus on being that player and not the PG, or will he just smoothly take to it?

[BD80]

This could be a fantastic development for the team. I was not one who wanted Nolan to start based upon his performances last year, but it sounds like Nolan has taken a big leap from last year.

If it is better for Nolan to start, think of how dangerous that makes the "second" group coming off of the bench. Greg is a great leader and will be better able to direct the younger subs than Nolan. It also gives us a great scoring threat off of the bench. And, like Jon last year, it gives us a player who can watch the beginning of the game from the bench and discuss the flow with the coaches, and come into the game ready to implement adjustments.

Most important, if Nolan has improved so much to earn the starting job, that means we are a much better team. Good for Nolan, great for us.

[Tim1515]

I think one of the reasons Greg has become such a lightning rod between Duke fans and on these message boards is because, IMO, with as many people out there who rip Paulus all the time and harp on his limitations, there are just as many people who tend to ignore Greg's deficiencies and act like he's the best player to ever go to Duke even though any fan can see he's far from it. I've been hard on Paulus in the past but I've always been the first to congratulate the guy when he plays well. As long as he plays for Duke, I want him to do well at all times.

With that being said, I happen to think Nolan Smith starting makes this team better. He's a better ball defender and he's better off-the-dribble than Paulus, two things Duke could really use from its PG position. I think Paulus is the best pure shooter on the team (and probably the ACC) but that's not at as much of a premium for this team as what Smith brings.

Whatever happens, it will be what's best for the team.

No one has ever said Paulus is the best player to ever go to Duke. That statement alone shows you why people get annoyed because Paulus haters only focus on his limitations. Greg has limitations for sure...but not many people have the deadly shot he has either...i guarantee Nolan wishes he could shoot like Greg.

I also keep hearing this "better of the dribble" or "better driver" The thing is that we have good drivers in Singler, Hendo, Williams, Marty, Scheyer...wouldn't you rather have a PG that doesn't turn the ball over?

I completely agree that Nolan shows signs of being a good defender and without Nelson that's needed. He also seems to have won the starting job so if K is for it then i'm excited to see what happens. It just seems to me that people forget how valuable Greg is on the court and they might see it when teams focus on stopping Nolan from driving and he can't hit the 3 to get the lanes open.

[Edouble]

I also keep hearing this "better of the dribble" or "better driver" The thing is that we have good drivers in Singler, Hendo, Williams, Marty, Scheyer...wouldn't you rather have a PG that doesn't turn the ball over?


Driving and then dishing is a time-tested, effective point guard skill. If a point guard can draw multiple defenders, then pass to the open man, lots of different players can get involved in the offense. It's really nice to have a point guard with this ability, as it can make a huge difference in your overall offensive output if all three of the guards on the floor can drive, as opposed to just two.

[Bob Green]

It just seems to me that people forget how valuable Greg is on the court and they might see it when teams focus on stopping Nolan from driving and he can't hit the 3 to get the lanes open.

Nolan Smith made 38.6% of his 3-point attempts as a freshman. Yes this was less than the 42.3% made by Paulus. However, as a freshman, Paulus connected on only 31.4% of his attempts. It is a misconception that Nolan Smith does not have 3-point range. His stroke looks a little awkward, but he has demonstrated the ability to knock down the shot.

[Tim1515]

Driving and then dishing is a time-tested, effective point guard skill. If a point guard can draw multiple defenders, then pass to the open man, lots of different players can get involved in the offense. It's really nice to have a point guard with this ability, as it can make a huge difference in your overall offensive output if all three of the guards on the floor can drive, as opposed to just two.

I don't disagree with this...but why does it HAVE to be the PGs main skill if so many other people in the game can do it? Is a drive from Hendo less valuable then one from Smith?

Paulus improved near the end of the year at getting in the lane...it's definitely something he needs to improve...i just think Greg's pure shooting ability will be missed more then people realize in big games if he's on the bench and Smith can't get in the lane because people aren't respecting his shot.

[Tim1515]

Nolan Smith made 38.6% of his 3-point attempts as a freshman. Yes this was less than the 42.3% made by Paulus. However, as a freshman, Paulus connected on only 31.4% of his attempts. It is a misconception that Nolan Smith does not have 3-point range. His stroke looks a little awkward, but he has demonstrated the ability to knock down the shot.

Nolan did shoot very well to end the season after starting slow. He does have a very slow release however. He needs to be wide open to get off a 3...and the line is deeper.

I'm willing to bet the discrepancy in shooting % between Greg and Nolan is more drastic this season.

[COYS]

I don't disagree with this...but why does it HAVE to be the PGs main skill if so many other people in the game can do it? Is a drive from Hendo less valuable then one from Smith?

Paulus improved near the end of the year at getting in the lane...it's definitely something he needs to improve...i just think Greg's pure shooting ability will be missed more then people realize in big games if he's on the bench and Smith can't get in the lane because people aren't respecting his shot.

It's not like Paulus won't play this year. I would expect the two of them to have very similar stats in terms of mpg. Jumbo and Coach K himself have alluded to defense being the primary reason for switching up the starting lineup, rather than offensive production. I don't think it's a battle of Paulus' pure shooting ability vs. Smith's dribble-penetration skills, but rather Smith's superior ability to apply pressure to opposing point guards. For our offense to operate at maximum efficiency, our defense has to force turnovers and long, ill-advised shots that lead to fast break and semi-fast break opportunities. K values Smith's ability to do just that. It's also clear that Coach K values Paulus' shooting ability, which is why I'm sure he'll see the floor plenty, regardless of who starts. It's my hope that, come March, we'll have two point guards with different but complimentary skill sets who are fresh and ready to go. I think that rather than missing Paulus' shot, we'll enjoy plenty of trey's from our senior captain plus a great defensive display from our sophomore. I know it's unlikely to happen for too many minutes in any given game, but a small-ball lineup with Paulus, Smith, Scheyer, Hendo, and Singler would be fun to watch against a team with weak guard play.

[Tim1515]

It's not like Paulus won't play this year. I would expect the two of them to have very similar stats in terms of mpg. Jumbo and Coach K himself have alluded to defense being the primary reason for switching up the starting lineup, rather than offensive production. I don't think it's a battle of Paulus' pure shooting ability vs. Smith's dribble-penetration skills, but rather Smith's superior ability to apply pressure to opposing point guards. For our offense to operate at maximum efficiency, our defense has to force turnovers and long, ill-advised shots that lead to fast break and semi-fast break opportunities. K values Smith's ability to do just that. It's also clear that Coach K values Paulus' shooting ability, which is why I'm sure he'll see the floor plenty, regardless of who starts. It's my hope that, come March, we'll have two point guards with different but complimentary skill sets who are fresh and ready to go. I think that rather than missing Paulus' shot, we'll enjoy plenty of trey's from our senior captain plus a great defensive display from our sophomore. I know it's unlikely to happen for too many minutes in any given game, but a small-ball lineup with Paulus, Smith, Scheyer, Hendo, and Singler would be fun to watch against a team with weak guard play.

Very good post and absolutely true...Duke's offense has always run better off good defense.

I do think that Nolan's defense was over-hyped last year (thought he struggled in part due to his injury) and Paulus' defense is over criticized.

No question, however, that Smith shows the potential to be a great defender and if that happens Duke will be better of with him matchup up against the Rice, Lawsons of the world.

[COYS]

I do think that Nolan's defense was over-hyped last year (thought he struggled in part due to his injury) and Paulus' defense is over criticized.

I agree with you here, but a lot of that was simply due to freshman inexperience. He gambled a little too much because he was used to picking the pockets of high school guards. I can't wait to see how much better he'll be with a healthy knee and a year of additional experience.

As far as Paulus' defensive shortcomings, I can't agree more. I'd be willing to bet that at some point this season someone will submit a post about how good Paulus actually is on defense. I think Paulus' weaknesses come out a little bit more the more minutes he plays. At any rate, he's certainly been unfairly slammed for his defensive shortcomings in the past. His on the ball defense will be out of the spotlight a little bit this season, which will allow the opportunistic and crafty side of his defensive abilities to shine. He'll have his fair share of opportunistic steals and maybe even a forced five second count this season that will get people going about his defensive ability. No, Paulus is not as good as Nolan can be (and, we all expect, will be this season), but he still gets after it as hard as anyone in the game.

[dukestheheat]

I sum this issue up this way: Paulus is a superb long-ball shooter and BEST SERVES Duke in that particular role right now, apparently. Smith is hands down speedier, more athletic and a better defender; which guy gets on the court at PG will depend on what Duke is needing at that time of the game.

If Nolan has fouls, Paulus can spell him. If we're playing a team with a speedy PG, Nolan will probably be in to slow that PG down. Paulus can come in WITH Smith and run off picks; Plumlee and Singler can set Paulus up with off-ball screens and he can get 18 points for Duke per game! And, Paulus will probably relish this new role, this new challenge; he's such a warrior and he's going to want to score in droves to shut people up.

All will agree that this is a great 'problem' to have (ie, having to choose between two players for PG, one of which is regarded as the team's best 3 baller) and this year, we again have the luxury at Duke to pick which poison works best to kill our opponent.

dukestheheat.

[slower]

Michael Jordan punched Steve Kerr during practice....

Greg is undoubtedly a warrior, but hopefully not an a-hole and megalomaniac like Michael Jordan, who is one of the most over-rated human beings in recent history. Aside from his basketball skill, I can't think of much to recommend Jordan as a role model for anybody. Not saying that's what you were doing, of course.

[beltwayBD]

I love it when Paulus gets worked up (court-slapping and all). Great attitude, great team spirit.

I can see Greg in a great sixth-man role, providing some real spark off the bench. Historically, he also has a better Asst./TO ratio than Nolan, so Nolan still has to prove himself as far as ball control and pass selection.

I don't remember Nolan being that great on defense last season, but I'll take everyone's word for it. Nolan and Lance on the floor together could be a pretty devastating press -- I expect to see K using that combo during key defensive situations.

Like everyone here, I love 'em both and can't wait to see 'em play -- on the floor together or switching off.

[CameronCrazy'11]

The anti-Paulus sentiment on this board is nothing compared to what I've seen on other free Duke message boards. Over the summer, most people on this board (me included) thought Paulus would start again this year unless Nolan Smith had improved dramatically over the summer (looks like he did).

However, on other message boards there were substantial portions that thought Greg Paulus was a generally worthless player and that the only reason Paulus had started was because he was Coach K's golden child, or something like that. They didn't seem to understand that Paulus had started last year because he had simply been the better point guard, and thought that coach K would never start Smith over Paulus because of favoritism. Of course, now these people are all being proven wrong now that K is starting Smith over Paulus.

But really the tone here is pretty respectful, certainly better than you'd normally expect from an internet message board.

[CLT Devil]

The following argument has many flaws which Im sure will be pointed out, but I see Paulus and Smith kinda along the same lines and Taiwan and Bobby Frasor at UNC. Obviously Ty is the better athlete, can dribble penetrate, etc, but Bobby brought a lot to the table in terms of shooting and more importantly leadership. When Ty went down and Q was the backup it really showed the importance of having a Frasor.

Granted GP will get a lot more minutes than Q did last year, but you can't underestimate his role as a leader out there. As someone said in an earlier post, his floor slapping, scrappiness (he just looks right when he has a black eye) and his clutch 3 and FT shooting are going to be a very important part of the team.

In sum, we need both of these guys to have great years...but we also have the luxury of having two very capable points, almost similar to 2001, but that's a different story, those two were much better.

I'd love to see GP get three or four 3's per game, and Nolan get to the rim and finish or dish. Paulus has had a rough go from many folks, but you can't count his heart. Anyone whose got 4 brothers is going to be tough, and isn't going to hand anyone anything.

Again....this is a good problem to have

[ACCBBallFan]

Greg is ultimately not our best option at point guard. He has evolved into a shooter, and we should use him as such. But I want to challenge the idea of Greg powering the second team--he will be most dangerous when he is on the floor with the Big 3, who will draw in the defense and leave Greg open to shoot. If Greg is out there with Thomas, Z, Pocius and Wiliams, then he'll have a much tougher time finding his shot, because he'll probably be the biggest scoring threat on the floor. (Of course, he can still be a decent point guard in those situations.)

I agree with all you said, especially the part I bolded for emphasis.

I would make the same point about Brian Zoubek. When paired with Kyle-G-(Jon/Greg)-(Nolan/Greg), Zoubek will be much more effective than what in effect is a self fulfulling prophecy practicing vs. those top 2-3-4.

Jon may guard Greg in practices with G/Nolan on the two faster guys Marty/Elliott, but regardless, Singler-Henderson-Scheyer in a traditional defensive set vs the 2-3-4 are smart enough to hedge toward Greg/Z to help Nolan/Miles maintain their starting edge over Greg/Z, and in the process back off Lance/Dave and even Marty/Elliott since the Blue team would depend heavily on Greg and Z for scoring.

The other point even without the plus that Elliott./Marty bring, Duke has the luxury to when it has to play all four of G-Jon-Nolan-Greg 30 minutes but does not have to with capable guys like E Will and Marty rested.

Same with a main trio of bigs Kyle-Miles-Z backed up very capably by Lance/Dave with Dave the better post defensive rebounder and Lance the better forward behind Kyle and possibly Miles. Certainly Z and probably Miles cannot average 25 minutes each (due to fouls) to complement a max of 30 by Kyle at the 4-5.

[weezie]

Late to this thread, but I think Greg may end up as a great coach one day. He will certainly have developed a tough hide after his years at Duke.
Maybe we'll even see him in a nice suit, pacing the sidelines in Cameron....

[BlueintheFace]

Late to this thread, but I think Greg may end up as a great coach one day. He will certainly have developed a tough hide after his years at Duke.
Maybe we'll even see him in a nice suit, pacing the sidelines in Cameron....

He's already a great recruiter... just ask Andre Dawkins

[BD80]

Late to this thread, but I think Greg may end up as a great coach one day. He will certainly have developed a tough hide after his years at Duke.
Maybe we'll even see him in a nice suit, pacing the sidelines in Cameron....

There have been parallels between Greg's career and Jeff Capel's. Never a "star," Jeff survived expectations and adversity, and fashioned a nice career at Duke. Also parlayed his experience and his knowledge of the game into a pretty fair coaching career to date.

[watzone]

If Paulus comes off the bench "all" season I'd be surprised. I can guarantee you that he will win some games for Duke this season, even if he does. He is the best three point shooter on the team and that makes him valuable. With the three point stripe extended this season, he'll get some shots. Also, you can't underestimate the value of senior experience.

[concrete]

I think one of the reasons Greg has become such a lightning rod between Duke fans and on these message boards is because, IMO, with as many people out there who rip Paulus all the time and harp on his limitations, there are just as many people who tend to ignore Greg's deficiencies and act like he's the best player to ever go to Duke even though any fan can see he's far from it. I've been hard on Paulus in the past but I've always been the first to congratulate the guy when he plays well. As long as he plays for Duke, I want him to do well at all times.

With that being said, I happen to think Nolan Smith starting makes this team better. He's a better ball defender and he's better off-the-dribble than Paulus, two things Duke could really use from its PG position. I think Paulus is the best pure shooter on the team (and probably the ACC) but that's not at as much of a premium for this team as what Smith brings.

Whatever happens, it will be what's best for the team.



thank you

there's a lot of sofa-PGs , players in 40+ intramural leagues, who see alot of Greg Paulus in them, so it's natural for them to root for him. He's not garbage but he's not that great...I heard more hate from Duke fans for Demarcus Nelson last year than Greg Paulus, when IMO Greg Paulus was part of the big problem. I guess Demarcus has proved himself by EARNING a starting PG spot in the NBA.

[BlueintheFace]

I heard more hate from Duke fans for Demarcus Nelson last year than Greg Paulus

You did? Are you sure you don't mean that you heard more hate from duke fans for Demarcus than Shmeg Shmaulus (the fictional player I just came up with)?

[ice-9]

The reason there's so much debate regarding Paulus vs. Nolan (especially last season) is because it's not clear who is "better." Paulus has his flaws, sure, but he also has his strengths -- we're just not sure how it all nets out especially vis-a-vis Nolan. That's last season at least.

Going by the Seth Davis article, however, it appears there's no longer any debate who is playing better based on the summer and preseason -- that player is Nolan. If Paulus agrees with this then I think he's man enough to come off the bench and be a good teammate.

Hopefully from here on out we can focus less on "X is better" discussions and more on how the team can be stronger as a unit.

On that note, I think Paulus can be an effective player with the "big 3" or in a second unit that includes Ewing/Pocius or Zoubek. Ewing and Pocius are good slashers and can create their own offense, so they can draw defenders and kick out to an open Paulus. Zoubek, by virtue of being over 7 feet tall, should also be able to draw double teams against certain match-ups and thus can make an effective pair with Paulus. While I doubt Coach K would play a second unit, I do think Paulus can be deadly in different configurations.

[duketaylor]

"i just think Greg's pure shooting ability will be missed more then people realize in big games if he's on the bench and Smith can't get in the lane because people aren't respecting his shot."

I think you're missing a few points here:
1) Greg won't be on the bench much in big games when we need his shooting or his ability to spell Nolan at the point. I firmly believe K will rotate players in-and-out a ton this year to keep everyone fresh as Duke's as deep as I can remember. Sometimes I question how many truly "big" games Duke will have before March, unc twice and a few others.
2) Nolan can shoot the three well, so don't worry too much there. Add to that he shouldn't need to shoot too often.
3) It's hard to keep Nolan out of the lane, he's way too quick and strong for most PGs to handle and he can finish. Finishing is something Greg and Markie had trouble with. I would question how effective Nolan is at driving and dishing, I simply don't know, but this team will/would be awesome with someone truly effective at that. I'm just not sure of Nolan's vision to see the open man on the wing; I'm guessing the coaching staff doesn't have this same concern.
I will say Nolan may be the most athletic PG we've had in a long time, maybe back to Avery or when JD played the point before Tommy arrived. Forgot JWill before Duhon, sorry.

Love to hear thoughts on these thoughts. GO DUKE, GTHC, GTH!!!! 9F9F9F!

[mgtr]

On that note, I think Paulus can be an effective player with the "big 3" or in a second unit that includes Ewing/Pocius or Zoubek. Ewing and Pocius are good slashers and can create their own offense, so they can draw defenders and kick out to an open Paulus. Zoubek, by virtue of being over 7 feet tall, should also be able to draw double teams against certain match-ups and thus can make an effective pair with Paulus. While I doubt Coach K would play a second unit, I do think Paulus can be deadly in different configurations.

If by Ewing you mean EWill, then maybe. I was impressed by what I saw of him in the VUU game.

[ice-9]

Oops! You're absolutely right.

EWill, Ewing, they both sound the same and play a similar game and I got them mixed up. Doh! :eek:

[devildeac]

The reason there's so much debate regarding Paulus vs. Nolan (especially last season) is because it's not clear who is "better." Paulus has his flaws, sure, but he also has his strengths -- we're just not sure how it all nets out especially vis-a-vis Nolan. That's last season at least.

Going by the Seth Davis article, however, it appears there's no longer any debate who is playing better based on the summer and preseason -- that player is Nolan. If Paulus agrees with this then I think he's man enough to come off the bench and be a good teammate.

Hopefully from here on out we can focus less on "X is better" discussions and more on how the team can be stronger as a unit.

On that note, I think Paulus can be an effective player with the "big 3" or in a second unit that includes Ewing/Pocius or Zoubek. Ewing and Pocius are good slashers and can create their own offense, so they can draw defenders and kick out to an open Paulus. Zoubek, by virtue of being over 7 feet tall, should also be able to draw double teams against certain match-ups and thus can make an effective pair with Paulus. While I doubt Coach K would play a second unit, I do think Paulus can be deadly in different configurations.

Ewing was granted additional eligibility:o?

[concrete]

You did? Are you sure you don't mean that you heard more hate from duke fans for Demarcus than Shmeg Shmaulus (the fictional player I just came up with)?



Nope. Maybe if you had DSL before 2008 you would have been on the different boards to see.