Just like I thought

[Classof06]

I've noticed a decent amount of people saying there is absolutely no way that Greg Paulus can lose his starting job next year. I've disagreed with that since I first saw it in some threads, but I believe whatever does happen will only benefit the team overall. After reading the Watzone Q&A, I won't be changing my mind anytime soon.


Q: How do you guys see the point guard position panning out next year? Is it mostly going to be one player or could more than one guy man the position?


Collins & Wojo: We feel the best teams have competition for minutes at every position, and the best thing for a coach is to have competition every day in practice. Heading into next season, we feel that no positions are set in stone and we anticipate great competition amongst the guys on our team. We have never seen a coach in any sport on any level who did not play his or her best players and the players who gave the team the best chance to win. We would like each of our returning and incoming players to come into next season with the goal of competing to become a starter. If that is the case, our guys will push one another to maximize our potential as a team.

[houstondukie]

Greg Paulus is our best option at point gaurd. The last 2-3 months, the kid averaged over 15+ points and showed amazing toughness while battling countless critics and a broken foot. What we should be worried about is our frontcourt issues.

[Dukefan4Life]

I dont think greg will lose his job. I do think nolan smith should get sime time at the PG spot! he would bring a whole new type of game that greg simply can do. He is so quick off the dribble, he can penetrate and plays very good D. K will have have to find nolan mins next year! he would help our team a great deal!

[Duke15304]

to guard quick guards but paulus is the man on offense and i think he will be better on both sides of the ball with a healthy foot

[Waynne]

Collins and Wojo would probably say the same thing about every position on the team. Greg was our starting point guard the last two years, and he will be next year too, unless his foot turns out to be a major problem. Who would replace him? Jon is a much better shooting guard than a point, and the 2 times I saw Nolan play on TV, he did not play the point and looked a lot more like a shooting guard to me. If Greg does not have a very solid season at the point next year, we are in big trouble.

[dukestheheat]

houstondukie-

i agree with you on paulus' shooting; he's a solid shooter and in fact that is where his true talent lies in my opinion at the college level (versus the high school level). i believe that he will serve Duke best at a shooting guard spot; Nolan Smith will push for more time at that starting PG spot early in the season imo, and this will open more time for Paulus to shoot and really help Duke.

GO DUKE!

dth.

[Boston Dukie]

Paulus was without a doubt the team's best shooter, so why not play him with Nolan Smith (so you have 2 good ball handlers and 2 guys to bring the ball up court, etc) and let Paulus play the Humphries role and drain open 3s when the defense collapses - more shooting gaurd-like then PG

Makes the team hard to press and creates minutes for Smith at the PG slot so Paulus can get a break (he was exhausted in the VCU game after having to break the pressure for 40 mins)

Whose loses miniutes? Well, Paulus for one, who played way too many minutes last year because we had no other PG (no one should average more than 30 ish minutes on a team this deep) and Scheyer who also played too many minutes, and is not as good of a shooter or ball handler as Paulus

Hoping we see a huge difference in Greg's lateral quickness on defense with a healthy foot

[Beezer7]

The main problem I have w/ Paulus is that he doesn't create easy scoring opportunities for other players. He may be our best ballhandler (and shooter for that matter), but in the half court offense he CANNOT create anything. That needs to be addressed by the start of next season for us to have a great year IMO.

[kydevil]

Paulus was without a doubt the team's best shooter, so why not play him with Nolan Smith (so you have 2 good ball handlers and 2 guys to bring the ball up court, etc) and let Paulus play the Humphries role and drain open 3s when the defense collapses - more shooting gaurd-like then PG

Makes the team hard to press and creates minutes for Smith at the PG slot so Paulus can get a break (he was exhausted in the VCU game after having to break the pressure for 40 mins)

Whose loses miniutes? Well, Paulus for one, who played way too many minutes last year because we had no other PG (no one should average more than 30 ish minutes on a team this deep) and Scheyer who also played too many minutes, and is not as good of a shooter or ball handler as Paulus

Hoping we see a huge difference in Greg's lateral quickness on defense with a healthy foot

With Smith and Paulus on the court playing together a lot and K always playing man that could be a defensive nightmare against certain teams with taller guards!

[VaDukie]

Were any of you paying attention to the fact that Paulus just had foot surgery? Don't you think that had a little to do with his quickness and playmaking ability?

[houstondukie]

I remember watching Paulus play in high school many times and what I liked the most about him then was his ability to find open teammates and to make unbelievably difficult passes with great accuracy and timing.

At the start of his freshmen year, I saw more evidence of his playmaking ability when he would drive the lane, draw two defenders, and then make a nice around-the-defender's-back pass to Shelden for a dunk. This happened less often as the season progressed and I think this had a lot to do with his injury (hand?) - not to mention the effect it had on his shooting percentage.

I feel the same could be said this year. I really believe that injuries throughout his first 2 yrs, including his broken foot this past year, have prevented us from seeing what Paulus can really do. Go back and look at tapes of Paulus in high school against the best competition and you'll see a guy that consistently beat his man and found the open teammate.


Hopefully next year we'll see more of Paulus the playmaker and not just the great outside shooter.

[Bob Green]

I expect to see lots of different line-up combinations next year so Paulus will play the point, Smith will play the point, and Paulus and Smith will play at the same time. Next year, we will have a deeper team than we have had in a number of years. I expect Coach K to employ a deep bench, especially in November and December. Once ACC play kicks off, the best players will play the most minutes. I strongly believe that no one's position is guaranteed.

This past season, seven players averaged double digit minutes. Next year, IMO, nine players will average double digit minutes. With all scholarship players returning, the strong incoming class, and Pocius and Paulus 100 percent healthy; practice sessions will involve some extremely intense competition.

"You" pick any five players on the roster and I believe I can pick a different five and beat you in a scrimmage. (Hypothetically speaking of course, because I know absolutely nothing about coaching basketball at the collegiate level).

For example, "you" take this year's remaining starting four: Paulus, Nelson, Scheyer, & Thomas, plus Kyle Singler.

I'm comfortable playing "you" with: Zoubek, King, Pocius, Henderson, & Smith.

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[Chicago 1995]

Were any of you paying attention to the fact that Paulus just had foot surgery? Don't you think that had a little to do with his quickness and playmaking ability?

Was his foot broken as a freshman too?

[VaDukie]

I'm not sure which player you're thinking of, I thought he was damn good his freshman year.

[Chicago 1995]

I'm not sure which player you're thinking of, I thought he was damn good his freshman year.

His lack of lateral quickness defensively was a problem as a freshman as was his inability to create off the dribble in the half-court against teams with high level athletic backcourts.

His assist numbers were better because of the experience around him, but the shortcomings that really became obvious in Greg's game this year were just as evident as a frosh.

Greg's our PG for better or worse, but let's just be realistic about what he can and can't do.

[VaDukie]

He had a big problem creating off the dribble because defenders would give him space, daring him to shoot. Given that he shot about 30% from 3 as a freshmen, it wasn't a bad decision. He's clearly established himself as an outside scorer and that will open up more opportunities to drive. He's not going to be J-Will, but I think he's going to show a lot more with two healthy feet.

[dukemomLA]

Okay, my veins bleed Duke blue, but.... we've had a lot of players over the past few years that 'haven't lived up to their potential.' I've really found myself questioning Coach K's -- rotation, # of minutes of PT being distributed properly, the lack of a 'shooting coach' on the bench.

Come on, guys, for Duke to not have a team FT % of at least 75% is shameful! And for guys to 'wear out' by March, 'cause suitable, talented players bench sit too much is not making this Cameron Crazy happy. Any thoughts?

[mgtr]

I think Bob Green has it figured out - we will have a lot more backcourt options next year than we did this year. I would imagine GP still at point with significant relief from Nolan Smith, and JS returning to his more natural position as a 2/3. Time, as they say, will tell.

[feldspar]

People, even Duke fans, for some reason, are ALWAYS going to find something to criticize about Greg for some reason. That's fine. They're entitled to. I just don't buy it.

[Jumbo]

Come on, guys, for Duke to not have a team FT % of at least 75% is shameful!

315 of the other 335 teams in Division I shot less than 75% from the line too. Are they shameful as well?

[dockfan]

Was his foot broken as a freshman too?

No, but I think he had a broken bone in his wrist/hand/finger his freshman year that was surgically repaired after the season as well (someone help me out here??).

Plus, his foot injury was something he had originally done in high school, and presumably he allowed the bone to just heal over without surgery. So basically, if Greg rehabs well and is healthy by October, you could make the case that it will be the first time he's played with a truly healed foot.

[kydevil]

I'm not sure which player you're thinking of, I thought he was damn good his freshman year.

Well He didn't have to do to much....... Lob into Shelden or just Find J.J. Not taking anything away from Paulus I believe he will be a lot better as a Jr. with health and experience. But I believe it's a stretch to say he was "Damn good his freshman year."

[Chicago 1995]

People, even Duke fans, for some reason, are ALWAYS going to find something to criticize about Greg for some reason. That's fine. They're entitled to. I just don't buy it.

Why do you think Duke fans *want* to criticize Greg?

I don't take pleasure in pointing out that there are problems in Greg's game and limitations in his physical ability that have been evident in the last two years. At the same time, it seems like there are too many people assuming that with a healed foot, we're going to see a new and improved Greg that we've not seen at any point in his Duke career. I'm just trying to control those expectations.

I hope I'm wrong about Greg's lateral quickness and his athleticism. But right now, there's little evidence that I am.

[RelativeWays]

I think Greg has proved himself to be the leader of this team. I think he can run the team effectively from the perimeter and is solid enough to penetrate, even though that may not be his strength. If Smith can slash and create on the interior, I wouldn't be suprised to see Duke run a two PG set not unlike they did with Jwill and Duhon. It will be interesting to see how next years team develops offensively. This past year, my respect for Greg as a player increased exponentially (to the power of 2 or 3 if you want specifics ;) )

[ACCBBallFan]

What Bob Green said - "you" take this year's remaining starting four: Paulus, Nelson, Scheyer, & Thomas, plus Kyle Singler.

I'm comfortable playing "you" with: Zoubek, King, Pocius, Henderson, & Smith.

but add David McClure to the mix.

[CaptACC]

Wow, this talk surprises me.

I have to ask myself what was wrong with Paulus this year, his passes were off and his was a step or two slower then other PGs in the conference but he looked so good in McDs AA game.

First, he had to deal with a lot of new guys. Sure he played with Josh and Nelson last year but they weren't his go to options so this year he needed to learn where they would be at and they needed to learn to be at the right spot. Josh and Nelson didn't have to move as much last year because they were the 3rd and 4th options.

Secondly, he had to deal with an injury. The injury apparently had an effect on his quickness all season (or apparently some of you guys think a broken foot isn't anything that should slow a guy down).

The timing of the injury was more crucial than anything. I believe he missed some very critical practice time that would have helped the players to understand where they needed to be for Paulus to make the pass and for Paulus to understand where they guys will be (or apparently some of you guys think this all comes naturally). Then top off the lack conditioning for a full ACC season. If you want to question how important that is just look back at JJ. The #1 criticism of him was that he was too tired when it came time for the Big Dance.

May be Coach K should have play Scheyer more at the PG but I think he was hoping Paulus would be 100% by tournament time and it was more important for the team to know how Paulus would do things. Scheyer is much better at the 2.

I'm wondering why people aren't more critical of Scheyer. He didn't have an injury but he looked every bit as slow on defense as did Paulus. I could see Henderson playing more than Scheyer because of this issue. Scheyer looks to be as great of a potential as Redick in the 3 point shooting but his defense lacks a lot as far as speed goes. I could see him sitting more because of his lack of speed and Coach K going more towards Henderson and Smith.

Thus, IMO, Paulus was not the PG everyone expected but because the injury slowed him down and forced him to miss some very valuable practice time and conditioning. Without that practice time and conditioning he was off all year. Next year I would anticipate a much better Paulus, provided no injuries.

[JJweMISSu]

I dont believe GP is a great shooter. IMO I would rather be having JS shooting it. (i know stats say not but IMO hes a born shooter).

Also, I want a running team. I know thats not going to happen anytime soon because of GP at point. So IMO I think Smith should atleast get 15-20 min at point per game. because so many times this year we could have had the game but know was there to shoot it because we didnt push it up. SO without a shooter that is deadly then you need to run to get those easy baskets.

I know King and Singler are good shooters but I just dont know yet. Scheyer is good but aint automatic even when he is wide open. SO i think a line up of Smith Scheyer Nelson Singler and Thomas for 1/3 or 2/5ths of the game might not be bad IMO.

[6th Man]

I think we need Smith to handle the PG spot as much as possible next year. I really have a lot of respect for Paulus and I pull for him because I think he is gritty and gives all that he has. But it has become very clear to me that you need speed at the PG position and Paulus just does not have the speed. First of all you need to be able to get past your man to do the drive, draw, dish thing on offense. We had to resort to the Harlem Globetrotter weave on offense to get things started. I think that was part of the problem of our struggling offense last year. Then on the flip side, quicker PG's are doing what Paulus needs to be doing and as a result our whole D breaks down. If you play man to man like we do 100% of the time and your PG can't stay in front of the other PG then the whole thing is really going to be a mess. Especially with no Landlord to bail you out. I really like Paulus, but we need SPEED and I think Nolan can bring that to the table.

[ikiru36]

I know that a lot of people are certain that Paulus is simply not an elite level athlete, foot injury or not, but he was unquestionably an elite level PG coming out of HS, partly related to his strength, speed and driving ability as well as his good decision making and amazing passing skill.

Let me remind people that it was Greg Paulus who had 9+ assists in both the McDonald's A-A game and (setting the all-time record) the Nike Hoops Summit, both times with few turnovers. Sure, these don't involve the finest defense in the world, but they do involve the best athletes in games which tend to emphasize athleticism and high octane offense. I think it is fair to say that this is not the style of play which Greg's current detractors would expect him to excel at. Well, two short years ago there was every indication that he was that kind of pure PG talent.

Was he the absolute quickest guy in the world? I don't know. But he definitely wasn't the style or caliber of player to shield the ball up top with his back to the basket against anyone. It is possible that, due to injury, he will never display these talents again, but why would one, as a Duke fan, want to bet against him (especially given his unquestioned effort, toughness and ability to improve areas of weakness-i.e. shooting).

I personally hope that this summer's surgery will leave him pain-free and with a return to full mobility, and believe that if so, we may have an All-ACC caliber PG this year (yes, even with Lawson returning). I also hope that Nolan Smith is able to handle the PG role as well as that would be all to the good, too. I think that GP, returning from injury this year, was somewhat hindered by not facing a D-1 caliber PG in practice such that he was (on some occasions) overwhelmed by the opposing PG's speed on game day. Duke has often only had one PG who played the bulk of the minutes in games, but there was at least an Andre Buckner or Jay Heaps to force them to remain sharp and focused every minute of every day in practice. Heck, Nolan Smith has probably spent the last two seasons in practice occasionally having to guard Ty Lawson (his Jr. year backcourt mate) and Brandon Jennings (top PG in this year's Jr. class). I'm really excited for next year to see all of these Duke guys develop together!

Go Duke!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Devils!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GTHCGTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[6th Man]

I really do want Paulus to succeed ikiru 36. I actually think he finished the season off better than anyone else on the team. I think part of my frustration is just that we have lost the last two seasons in the tournament because we weren't athletic enough. I think we were more skilled in both instances (LSU and VCU) but we could not match the speed. Maybe Paulus will be gritty enough to find a way despite his lack of elite level foot speed. I think he needs to be on the court for leadership and maybe willingness to take/hit the big shot. Like you, I hope to see Smith and Paulus develop together and be utilized in the best way to help us get a victory! You make a good point though......you should never give up on a Blue Devil. Plus who am I to criticize foot speed? Paulus would blow by me like I was standing still. Funny how slower looking guys in the college ranks look like blurs when compared to average joes.

[dukemomLA]

Personally, yes, I do find it shameful -- and puzzling why so many NCAA scholarship athletes don't shoot at least 80% from the line. It SHOULD be a no-brainer. That's why they call it a FREE THROW. All it takes is focus, concentration, and practice. So, yes, it's shameful for all of them.

[Wander]

The attitude towards Paulus by the general Duke fan base is pathetic.

Yes, the guy has weaknesses. So does everybody else on the team. Why don't you guys trash talk Demarcus for being a god-awful free throw shooter? What about Zoubek, who is an automatic turnover whenever he touches the ball on offense? Lance, who can't stay in a game more than 20 seconds without picking up four fouls? McRoberts, for successfully posting up once every ten games?

But for some reason, everyone loves trash talking Paulus, even though the weaknesses of some of our other players contributed just as much or more to our disappointing season. It's one of the things I really don't like about Duke fans.

[JJweMISSu]

Because the PG is the core of the team. Bad PG bad team. Just look at OSU last year, Ian Harris was PG i think, they had a good team and a #2 seed but didnt even make it to sweetsixteen. Now with Conley a runner up in the NC. So im not saying smith is the next conley by any means but i am saying you have to look at your pg first.

[CDu]

The attitude towards Paulus by the general Duke fan base is pathetic.

Yes, the guy has weaknesses. So does everybody else on the team. Why don't you guys trash talk Demarcus for being a god-awful free throw shooter? What about Zoubek, who is an automatic turnover whenever he touches the ball on offense? Lance, who can't stay in a game more than 20 seconds without picking up four fouls? McRoberts, for successfully posting up once every ten games?

But for some reason, everyone loves trash talking Paulus, even though the weaknesses of some of our other players contributed just as much or more to our disappointing season. It's one of the things I really don't like about Duke fans.

Well, to address your question, Paulus' weaknesses were more glaring and more prominently displayed than those of Nelson, Zoubek, etc. And plenty of people noted McRoberts' lack of post moves.

The harsh reality of being a point guard is that you have more responsibility than anyone else on the court. Thus, liabilities there are more noticeable and tend to have a bigger impact on the team's success than at other positions. For example, do you think the ~0.5 additional free throw missed per game by Nelson compared to a similar player is the reason we lost several games? Similarly, the additional 0.5 turnovers by Zoubek compared to other big men (he didn't get enough PT for his problems to matter)?

Again, Paulus had a tough year PG-wise. We may never know the full extent to which injuries played a part. But to say that Zoubek's turnover problems (given his limited minutes) or Nelson's free throw shooting was more of a factor than Paulus' inability to run the offense or defend quick players is a bit of a stretch.

[Troublemaker]

The attitude towards Paulus by the general Duke fan base is pathetic.

Yes, the guy has weaknesses. So does everybody else on the team. Why don't you guys trash talk Demarcus for being a god-awful free throw shooter? What about Zoubek, who is an automatic turnover whenever he touches the ball on offense? Lance, who can't stay in a game more than 20 seconds without picking up four fouls? McRoberts, for successfully posting up once every ten games?

But for some reason, everyone loves trash talking Paulus, even though the weaknesses of some of our other players contributed just as much or more to our disappointing season. It's one of the things I really don't like about Duke fans.

I've seen McRoberts and Nelson get reamed by Duke fans as well. McRoberts right now is basically the scapegoat for supposed "chemistry" issues on the '07 team (btw, did everyone notice that Josh and Markie shared the team MVP award at the banquet? Riiiight, Josh was such a disruptive presence to team chemistry :rolleyes: ). The reason LT and Z got a pass was because they're freshmen, similar to how nobody complained that much about Paulus his freshman year. I have no doubt they'll also get reamed if their struggles continue next year (similar to how you just reamed them in your post). That's the reality of the internet era.

[Chicago 1995]

The attitude towards Paulus by the general Duke fan base is pathetic.

Yes, the guy has weaknesses. So does everybody else on the team. Why don't you guys trash talk Demarcus for being a god-awful free throw shooter? What about Zoubek, who is an automatic turnover whenever he touches the ball on offense? Lance, who can't stay in a game more than 20 seconds without picking up four fouls? McRoberts, for successfully posting up once every ten games?

But for some reason, everyone loves trash talking Paulus, even though the weaknesses of some of our other players contributed just as much or more to our disappointing season. It's one of the things I really don't like about Duke fans.

There are several reasons that Paulus is the focus of the concerns I have about the team next year.

1. I think the are our primary concern -- even more than trying to replace Josh's interior defense and rebounding.

2. Unlike each of the other players you mention, Greg's the only true option at PG. If Lance is struggling, we've got Dave. If Zoubek is struggling, Lance can fill in at the five in a pinch. If Nelson's srtuggling with ball-handling or FT shooting, Scheyer and Henderson are there. Paulus is the only PG on the roster, and all we've got behind him are stop gaps.

3. I don't think the expectation of improvement is being piled onto Lance or Markie the way it is on Greg. There's way too much hope being placed in Greg's struggles being linked to his broken foot, when his lateral quickness and struggles against athletic defenders have been problematic for both of his seasons in Durham. Greg's a fine player and there's a lot he does right, but the expectations need to be tempered.

I don't think I'm "trashing" Greg and I don't think I'm being unfair, even if I'm being somewhat negative as to Greg's abilities.

[dukeisawesome]

Paulus will be much better if someone can create offense next year. Paulus was fine last year cause the D was busy running after Redick and closing in on Shelden so he had a lot of room to maneuver. If Smith can break down the D like we hope he can, Paulus will be just fine, but if the offense is static for another season Paulus is going to struggle. I think that is true for a lot of our players. This past season there was nobody who the defense had to really pay extra attention to, but if just have that 1 guy to get them offbalance...wham bam Scheyer will be draining 3s, Paulus will look like Bob Cousy, and Demarcus will be throwing down nasty dunks, yeah baby it's gonna be awesome! :)

[ikiru36]

The attitude towards Paulus by the general Duke fan base is pathetic.

Yes, the guy has weaknesses. So does everybody else on the team. Why don't you guys trash talk Demarcus for being a god-awful free throw shooter? What about Zoubek, who is an automatic turnover whenever he touches the ball on offense? Lance, who can't stay in a game more than 20 seconds without picking up four fouls? McRoberts, for successfully posting up once every ten games?

But for some reason, everyone loves trash talking Paulus, even though the weaknesses of some of our other players contributed just as much or more to our disappointing season. It's one of the things I really don't like about Duke fans.

Was this post meant to be ironic? (if so, please disregard the rest ;0)

What don't you like about Duke fans, the unnecessary negativity about our own players? What, exactly, is your second paragraph about (as it overstates the extent of each player's relative weaknesses)?

In any event, I agree with your general point that much criticism of Paulus this year is unfair, especially considering the health obstacles he faced. I also think that many will be pleasantly surprised with his lateral quickness on offense and defense, should he be able to fully heal. I could be wrong, but he was definitely quicker and more assertive in HS than what he was able to demonstrate this year.

Go Greg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Duke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GTHCGTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JJweMISSu]

but he was definitely quicker and more assertive in HS than what he was able to demonstrate this year.




That part above might have been right,but you got to consider he was playing maybe against 1 all american a game not 5 each game. You tend to look a littler worse when your playing against college people than highschool

[MrBisonDevil]

We will have two capable ball handlers (Paulus + Smith). Paulus will start most games but Smith will probably start some games as a 2nd ball handler next to Paulus. (See: J. Williams + C. Duhon or D. Ewing + S. Dockery).

Duke doesn't play the same lineup every week. As long as we have 1 ball handler on the court, we will be fine. Each ball handler has different skill sets to contribute to the whole.

I think people get way too wrapped up in the “PG, SG, SF, PF, C” argument. All we need are basketball players that can: Defend, Ball Handle, Shoot.

[Chicago 1995]

I think people get way too wrapped up in the “PG, SG, SF, PF, C” argument. All we need are basketball players that can: Defend, Ball Handle, Shoot.

That may be true, but there are, I think, serious questions as to what extent Greg can do two of those three things.

[Boston Dukie]

Agree that Paulus can't create easy shots for other players, but maybe he gets better at this when 100% healthy, plus I don't think Humphries on FLA created easy shots for other players, but he was very successful in his role (granted Humphries is a better shooter than Paulus, and a better defender, but you see where I am going)

[JJweMISSu]

I think people get way too wrapped up in the “PG, SG, SF, PF, C” argument. All we need are basketball players that can: Defend, Ball Handle, Shoot.

thats not true you always need someone on the floor that does all the dirty work that doesnt involve defending ball handling and shooting.

[Wander]

I am not calling out each of you guys individually and saying you're being unfair. I'm saying the Duke fan base as a whole treats Greg like crap and it should stop.

Yes, Zoubek didn't play that much - don't you think part of the reason is because he traveled every time he touched the ball? And, yes, when Demarcus goes 1-3 or 1-4 in games that went down to the final minutes (FSU, UNC), yes, I do think it's reasonable to speculate that his poor free throw shooting cost us some games.

I am not one of those guys who thinks that we should just bow down to all the Duke players and coaches and I'm not the kind of guy to argue that Lance Thomas is more skilled than Tyler Hansbrough. I have no problem criticizing Duke players. But the criticism of Greg has been unreasonable (and, no, Demarcus and Josh did not get as much crap as Greg has gotten from Duke fans).

[Wander]

Was this post meant to be ironic? (if so, please disregard the rest ;0)

What don't you like about Duke fans, the unnecessary negativity about our own players? What, exactly, is your second paragraph about (as it overstates the extent of each player's relative weaknesses)?


I'm just saying that all players have strengths and weaknesses, and that I don't see why Greg deserves more blame than others. I did overstate the other players' weaknesses a little bit just to get the point across.

[Troublemaker]

Agree that Paulus can't create easy shots for other players, but maybe he gets better at this when 100% healthy, plus I don't think Humphries on FLA created easy shots for other players, but he was very successful in his role (granted Humphries is a better shooter than Paulus, and a better defender, but you see where I am going)

Is Greg going to have the same role as Humphries, though? I doubt it. Greg will need to be able to defend PGs, be the primary ball-handler on the team, and create/make plays, in addition to his stellar shooting. Humphries didn't have to do any of that and could basically just focus on the shooting in order to create space for the 3 lottery picks in the frontcourt. We'll see if Greg can be successful as the PG, which is a far different role than what Humphries played. I'll buy into the injury thing. Hopefully Greg stays healthy and shows much more quickness next year.

[ikiru36]

but he was definitely quicker and more assertive in HS than what he was able to demonstrate this year.




That part above might have been right,but you got to consider he was playing maybe against 1 all american a game not 5 each game. You tend to look a littler worse when your playing against college people than highschool

Not an unfair point. However, as noted above, he did notably excel against the best competition (McDonald's game and Nike Hoops Summit) as well. Perhaps, even without any injuries to his lower extremities, he was destined to mildly regress as regards his athleticism (while most tend to continue improving through their 20's, if they work at it)? Could be, but I'm simply reminding people that the specific thing he has most struggled with (lateral quickness/explosiveness) is precisely what might be most hampered by injuries to one's foot/ankle...etc.

Go Greg!!!!!!!!!!! Go Nolan!!!!!!!!!!!! Go Duke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GTHCGTH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Troublemaker]

I am not calling out each of you guys individually and saying you're being unfair. I'm saying the Duke fan base as a whole treats Greg like crap and it should stop.

Yes, Zoubek didn't play that much - don't you think part of the reason is because he traveled every time he touched the ball? And, yes, when Demarcus goes 1-3 or 1-4 in games that went down to the final minutes (FSU, UNC), yes, I do think it's reasonable to speculate that his poor free throw shooting cost us some games.

I am not one of those guys who thinks that we should just bow down to all the Duke players and coaches and I'm not the kind of guy to argue that Lance Thomas is more skilled than Tyler Hansbrough. I have no problem criticizing Duke players. But the criticism of Greg has been unreasonable (and, no, Demarcus and Josh did not get as much crap as Greg has gotten from Duke fans).

I think Josh has received more criticism than Greg actually. Even Greg's harshest critics complement him about his grittiness/heart/toughness. Josh, meanwhile, got the basketball-related criticisms but also had people questioning his heart, manhood, toughness, and worth as a teammate.

[Boston Dukie]

"I'm wondering why people aren't more critical of Scheyer. He didn't have an injury but he looked every bit as slow on defense as did Paulus. I could see Henderson playing more than Scheyer because of this issue. Scheyer looks to be as great of a potential as Redick in the 3 point shooting but his defense lacks a lot as far as speed goes. I could see him sitting more because of his lack of speed and Coach K going more towards Henderson and Smith."

I agree completely with CaptACC above. Scheyer is very slow on defense and can't stop dribble penetration at all. Having him and Paulus out on the court at the same time killed us at the end of games. This is part of why we lost all the close games. The guys being gaurded by Paulus and Scheyer would just take their man of the dribble and score. Go back and look at the tape, it was scary.

I don't think you can have both Paulus and Scheyer on the court at the same time for long stretches because neither can create a shot and neither can stop dribble penetration.

So if I have to choose who gets more minutes, I go with Paulus - better outside shooter by far, better ball handler, better leader.

It may be the case that both of them have thier minutes come way down, but I just can't see it. If so that means Smith and Henderson really step up.

[6th Man]

I guess Paulus gets the abuse since Coach K always talks about the importance of the PG position at Duke. It is one of the more prestigious positions in any sport. Like being a QB at Notre Dame(which he could have been). Quite amazing really that he had the chance to be either. There have been many other frustrating topics.

[CDu]

Agree that Paulus can't create easy shots for other players, but maybe he gets better at this when 100% healthy, plus I don't think Humphries on FLA created easy shots for other players, but he was very successful in his role (granted Humphries is a better shooter than Paulus, and a better defender, but you see where I am going)

I think Paulus would be just fine in the Humphrey role. There are just a few major problems with that comparison:

1) Humphrey was not the team's best (or only) option at PG. UF had an All-SEC point guard named Taurean Green, and Hodge backed up Green. So Humphrey never had to play point guard.

2) We don't have multiple (debatable if we'll have even one) post presences capable of drawing the defense's attention completely away from the perimeter. UF had Horford, Noah, and Richard, all of whom commanded lots of attention. And they played them two at a time, thus drawing 2-3 defenders into the paint and creating openings.

Humphrey played exclusively off the ball, and did nearly all of his damage by drifting around, getting lost by the defense, and hitting catch-and-shoot open 3s. We don't have a point guard to replace Paulus there, and we don't have the talent in the post to draw teams' attentions from the perimeter. Thus, Paulus won't get to play the role Humphrey did.

[Boston Dukie]

Well, I think you are right on the Humphrey comparison, probably a bad one

I guess the real point I am trying to make is that Paulus can play more of a 2G like role with less ball handling responsibility when Smith is in the game

[Classof06]

I am not calling out each of you guys individually and saying you're being unfair. I'm saying the Duke fan base as a whole treats Greg like crap and it should stop.

I have no problem criticizing Duke players. But the criticism of Greg has been unreasonable (and, no, Demarcus and Josh did not get as much crap as Greg has gotten from Duke fans).


When I started this post, I didn't make any disparaging remarks about Greg Paulus. The main theme I'm trying to reiterate is that whoever they may be, whether it be Paulus, Singler, McClure, Lance Thomas, or even Jordan Davidson, Coach K is going to start the 5 kids who give us the best chance to win. With that premise comes the notion that nobody is handed a starting spot, which is something I thought a lot of fans on this site were discounting. I used Greg as an example, because with the amount of players coming into next season that can play the 2-5, Greg is the only starter from this year that will have no more than one other player competing at his position. Thus, when I saw what the assistant coaches said, it hit home because I had been saying the exact same thing for weeks.


Neither I nor anyone else on this board (I think) have anything against Greg Paulus. But being the PG, especially in Duke's system, comes with a lot of responsibility and astute fans are going to call it like they see it; that doesn't mean it's a personal vendetta. I don't think anyone can deny that there were instances where Greg held us back with his poor/inconsistent play early on. Contrarily, when you look at the last 10-15 games, you see that Greg was the best player on our team (IMO). In both cases, I and many other fans made the appropriate observations. I know I had plenty of great things to say about Greg the last month or so of the season. I also think some of the negative observations of Paulus come from the fact that fans know he can play better than he showed at times. As bad as you think the fans rode him, it'd be worse if we never thought he had what it took.

I honestly could care less who starts at the beginning of next season, because I know whoever it is will be the best our roster has to offer. That being said, the mere presence of kids like Smith, Singler and King, will make our team better because internal competition is so beneficial to any basketball team. I certainly expect Paulus to play even better than the way he finished the season, which was admirable in itself. But if he is not better, we will have other ballhandling options, which we didn't fully have this year.

[MrBisonDevil]

thats not true you always need someone on the floor that does all the dirty work that doesnt involve defending ball handling and shooting.

True. I should have stated: defending, ball handling, shooting and bionic elbows for UNC.

(just kidding Gerald) :D

[JJweMISSu]

True. I should have stated: defending, ball handling, shooting and bionic elbows for UNC.

(just kidding Gerald) :D

i guess you could say that but i meant, diving on the floor, setting screens, pass the ball in, tell people where to go on the floor.

I forget who said but someone said scheyer couldnt drive, if i remeber correctly he wasnt that bad at it.

[Houston]

I'm wondering why people aren't more critical of Scheyer. He didn't have an injury but he looked every bit as slow on defense as did Paulus. I could see Henderson playing more than Scheyer because of this issue. Scheyer looks to be as great of a potential as Redick in the 3 point shooting but his defense lacks a lot as far as speed goes. I could see him sitting more because of his lack of speed and Coach K going more towards Henderson and Smith.



Greg is our PG and he should get a pass for this past season. He was arguablely the most improved player during the course of the season despite the broken foot. I think Greg would be better served with quicker players on the perimeter. Duke is at its best when they can defend the perimeter, create turnovers and run to create easy baskets. Greg's assists would definitely increase.

Greg is the team's best 3 point shooter. If the wings can penetrate and prove they can score, the threes become a lot easier.

[mapei]

By the end of the season, Georgetown had evolved into a team with two point guards on the floor, sometimes also with a point forward. Jon Wallace was more like (perhaps a slightly more seasoned) Paulus, a bit slow but with great court vision, a very good passer, largely devoid of turnovers. Not as good a passer as Greg at his best, maybe, but a better defender. And he also had a deadly 3-point shot, making almost 60% of them in the NCAAs, including the one that sent the UNC game into overtime. Like all of the Hoyas' three junior leaders (and unlike Greg), he was more serene than fiery.

Jessie Sapp was quicker, more athletic, not as great a shooter or leader, but a good penetrator and passer, and an excellent defender. Either one could bring the ball up and did, and either one could distribute in the half-court offense. Opponents basically didn't know who was going to do what, and I think it was a huge advantage down the stretch when they won 17 out of 18 games and got to the Final Four.

Duke had a double-PG capability when Jason and Duhon were both on the floor, although both were more athletic than either of the Georgetown guards or anyone on the current Duke team other than Henderson and Nelson, neither of whom seems like PG material. But I wonder if Duke might be able to run a 2-PG system at times next year with Greg, Scheyer and Smith, and reap the same strategic advantages as the Hoyas did this year.

[CDu]

Greg is our PG and he should get a pass for this past season. He was arguablely the most improved player during the course of the season despite the broken foot. I think Greg would be better served with quicker players on the perimeter. Duke is at its best when they can defend the perimeter, create turnovers and run to create easy baskets. Greg's assists would definitely increase.

Greg is the team's best 3 point shooter. If the wings can penetrate and prove they can score, the threes become a lot easier.

Quicker players than Nelson and Henderson? I doubt you're going to find that anywhere. Those guys are really quick.

I'm hopeful that Paulus' foot was the problem all year, and that being (hopefully) healthy next year will turn him into the All-ACC point guard we all envisioned him to be out of high school. But having quickness around him on the perimeter was not a problem for Paulus last year. Nor will it be a problem this year.

[1Devil]

75% is a higher FT percentage than we should expect. But last year's free throw shooting was abysmal. I look forward to seeing Paulus, Scheyer, Singler and King leading the way at the line. We should be much improved. Josh's departure will help in this regard.

I hope Nelson figures out how to shoot the FT's. Otherwise I don't want to see him in the game in the last few minutes with a slim lead.