Next 5 of 7 home; finish 5 of 7 on road

[roywhite]

Looks like a tough way to finish; would prefer more balance.

Some tough tests ahead. Team has been terrific so far.

[dukelifer]

Looks like a tough way to finish; would prefer more balance.

Some tough tests ahead. Team has been terrific so far.
A brutal ending schedule- but if they survive it- they will be battle tested.

[shadowfax336]

Remember this if we lose 2 or 3 of those last 7. It might calm the SKY IS FALLING crowd down a bit to know that there could be a reason other than fatigue and the calendar changing to march that some of our losses end up late in the year.

[BlueintheFace]

Remember this if we lose 2 or 3 of those last 7. It might calm the SKY IS FALLING crowd down a bit to know that there could be a reason other than fatigue and the calendar changing to march that some of our losses end up late in the year.

doubtful...

[Jumbo]

doubtful...

Yup. When you remind people that we play Wake and Carolina four times in the regular season (to say nothing of the rest of the schedule), it's obvious that Duke probably will lose again this season, if not multiple times. But if/when that time comes, the "sky is falling" crowd won't recall that sense of perspective.

[ncexnyc]

Maybe it would make some of you happy if the so-called, "sky is falling crowd" would slip on some blue tinted glasses and pretend this club doesn't have any limitations.

I honestly don't believe that there is anyone on this board who believes we can run the table, we will get several losses down the road, but you lose for a reason and there is nothing wrong in debating why we lost this game or that.

It's ok for people to say our 3 pt shooting will improve over the course of the season. It's ok to say our team's offense will improve. It's perfectly fine to say this player or that will improve, but if someone dissents they get labeled, "the sky is falling crowd", that seems rather self-righteous by some of you, as if your opinions are the only correct ones on this board.

[Jumbo]

Maybe it would make some of you happy if the so-called, "sky is falling crowd" would slip on some blue tinted glasses and pretend this club doesn't have any limitations.

I honestly don't believe that there is anyone on this board who believes we can run the table, we will get several losses down the road, but you lose for a reason and there is nothing wrong in debating why we lost this game or that.

It's ok for people to say our 3 pt shooting will improve over the course of the season. It's ok to say our team's offense will improve. It's perfectly fine to say this player or that will improve, but if someone dissents they get labeled, "the sky is falling crowd", that seems rather self-righteous by some of you, as if your opinions are the only correct ones on this board.

I have no idea what you're talking about. Care to point out some specific examples?

[ice-9]

Yup. When you remind people that we play Wake and Carolina four times in the regular season (to say nothing of the rest of the schedule), it's obvious that Duke probably will lose again this season, if not multiple times. But if/when that time comes, the "sky is falling" crowd won't recall that sense of perspective.

If we lose only 2-3 times until the NCAA tournament (and end up with a #1 or #2 seed) I'd be very, very happy.

[MChambers]

Maybe it would make some of you happy if the so-called, "sky is falling crowd" would slip on some blue tinted glasses and pretend this club doesn't have any limitations.

I honestly don't believe that there is anyone on this board who believes we can run the table, we will get several losses down the road, but you lose for a reason and there is nothing wrong in debating why we lost this game or that.

It's ok for people to say our 3 pt shooting will improve over the course of the season. It's ok to say our team's offense will improve. It's perfectly fine to say this player or that will improve, but if someone dissents they get labeled, "the sky is falling crowd", that seems rather self-righteous by some of you, as if your opinions are the only correct ones on this board.

Who said this team doesn't have any limitations?

[Devilsfan]

We should be tired at the end of the year. We play consistantly harder than any team in college. It's no wonder we might run out of gas at the end of a long season. I would much rather have this team than a team where players fight for the lime light and the coach puts up with it. We are a "Defense First", hard working TEAM and our record shows it every year. We are Duke!

[House G]

Sometimes I think people forget how unrealistic it is to expect even great teams to "win every game". Many of you will remember that our '90-'91 national championship team lost 7 games. This included regular season losses to Georgetown, Virginia, N.C. State, Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and Arizona. Duke didn't even win the ACC tournament. Obviously "the race" is long and many things have to fall in place to win it all. We are fortunate to have a coach that has been down this road many times.

[Exiled_Devil]

Maybe it would make some of you happy if the so-called, "sky is falling crowd" would slip on some blue tinted glasses and pretend this club doesn't have any limitations.

I honestly don't believe that there is anyone on this board who believes we can run the table, we will get several losses down the road, but you lose for a reason and there is nothing wrong in debating why we lost this game or that.

It's ok for people to say our 3 pt shooting will improve over the course of the season. It's ok to say our team's offense will improve. It's perfectly fine to say this player or that will improve, but if someone dissents they get labeled, "the sky is falling crowd", that seems rather self-righteous by some of you, as if your opinions are the only correct ones on this board.

It's not the fact of dissent that equals 'the sky is falling', its the quality and tenor of the opinion. DBR tends to reward thoughtful examination of the team and games. Crazed pessimism will get you spanked by other posters. Crazed optimism, not so much.

[JasonEvans]

It's not the fact of dissent that equals 'the sky is falling', its the quality and tenor of the opinion. DBR tends to reward thoughtful examination of the team and games. Crazed pessimism will get you spanked by other posters. Crazed optimism, not so much.

Dissent--

If I come here and say I expect Duke to run the table and not lose another game all year, I bet there would be a fair number of posters who would chide me for not being realistic and having out-of-whack expectations.

As for Duke's schedule, as always it is back-loaded. I have head some folks speculate that this is a product of the TV networks wanting to highlight college basketball after the NFL season is over and therefore saving some of Duke's highest-profile matchups until the back half of the season. There may be some logic to this.

We play what will unquestionably be one of the 5 toughest schedules in the land-- perhaps the toughest. Ken Pomeroy expects us to lose 2-3 more games. While I of course hope we win every game, ending the regular season with 3 or 4 total losses would be a fabulous accomplishment and would certainly put us in position to get a #1 or, at worst, a #2 seed.

--Jason "13-3 wins the ACC, I think " Evans

[Cameron]

--Jason "13-3 wins the ACC, I think " Evans


Only if that team in turn wins the tournament held in the Georgia Dome, which is a far more important feat than regular season best record. (Although it certainly helps in ACC Tourney seeding.)

[jv001]

Dissent--

If I come here and say I expect Duke to run the table and not lose another game all year, I bet there would be a fair number of posters who would chide me for not being realistic and having out-of-whack expectations.

As for Duke's schedule, as always it is back-loaded. I have head some folks speculate that this is a product of the TV networks wanting to highlight college basketball after the NFL season is over and therefore saving some of Duke's highest-profile matchups until the back half of the season. There may be some logic to this.

We play what will unquestionably be one of the 5 toughest schedules in the land-- perhaps the toughest. Ken Pomeroy expects us to lose 2-3 more games. While I of course hope we win every game, ending the regular season with 3 or 4 total losses would be a fabulous accomplishment and would certainly put us in position to get a #1 or, at worst, a #2 seed.

--Jason "13-3 wins the ACC, I think " Evans

There will always be the fan that says we lost this game or those games because we didn't_________________ and we did__________________. Fill in the blanks with play the bench, play zone, start Greg we did play Kyle and Jon too many mins. Those same fans have to blame someone. It's not because we went cold from outside, someone was injured or whatever the case. I would take 13-3 right now and never look back. Go Duke!

[juise]

--Jason "13-3 wins the ACC, I think " Evans

I don't necessarily disagree with that estimate, but am curious what you (or anyone else) thinks Wake's three losses will be. I know their young and that no ACC game is a gimme, but I was having trouble picking three losses out of their schedule. I suppose it gets easier if you assume two losses to Duke... I tend the think it will be one loss to Duke.

[JasonEvans]

I don't necessarily disagree with that estimate, but am curious what you (or anyone else) thinks Wake's three losses will be. I know their young and that no ACC game is a gimme, but I was having trouble picking three losses out of their schedule. I suppose it gets easier if you assume two losses to Duke... I tend the think it will be one loss to Duke.

As BC showed (on the road), the ACC is a minefield. I see Wake's toughest remaining games as--

Duke (x2)
at Miami
at Maryland
and home games against FSU, Clemson, and Va Tech.

I think they will lose 3 games... maybe more.

-Jason "their sked compared to our sked though, is a joke" Evans

[roywhite]

Further, in recent games, we have seen a return to play that does not bode well for a deep NCAA run. Interior play has regressed, and Kyle again is logging big minutes against the other team's post player.



Huh?

January 10 Duke 66 FSU 58
January 14 Duke 70 GaTech 56
January 17 Duke 76 G-town 67

Season record 16-1 ACC Record 3-0
Natl. ranking #2

Did you miss the memo about celebrating victories and enjoying the ride?

The glass is way more than half-full.

[mike88]

I expect a fairly harsh reality check for Duke coming in the next couple of weeks, as we move into the harder part of the schedule. While we have a lot of road games at the end, I am more concerned about the middle: at Wake, UVA, at Clemson, Miami, UNC, at BC, at SJU, Wake Forest, I expect 2-4 losses in those 8 games, plus 1-2 more in the final 4 regular season games, with an overall ACC finish of 11-5. I think that will be good enough for third place, but not quite enough to win or tie for the top. I hope we can translate the experience that comes form a tough regular season into a good run in the tournament . . .

[Classof06]

Yup. When you remind people that we play Wake and Carolina four times in the regular season (to say nothing of the rest of the schedule), it's obvious that Duke probably will lose again this season, if not multiple times. But if/when that time comes, the "sky is falling" crowd won't recall that sense of perspective.

Co-signed. We only have one loss, people; expect at least a couple more. And that's OK; I can live with a few losses, it's not the end of the world.

Clearly, I'd like to win at least 2-3 out of the 4 Wake/UNC games but, IMO, the ACC is as tough as it's been in the past 3-4 years and I think Duke (as well as Wake, UNC) are in for a few confererence losses; UNC already has two but Wake and Duke will stumble at some point.

I personally like that our schedule is tough at the end. I think (or hope) it will keep us on edge heading to ACC and NCAA tournaments.