Duke Backcourt the Best in the Country?

[airowe]

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/238934-scheyer-smith-dawkins-duke-back-court-the-best-in-the-country

Big ? there, IMO. How does Duke go from thinnest backcourt in the country to best backcourt in the country? In an article on Bleacher Report, that's how.

[TaiAdmiral]

*With royal blue glasses on*
Yeah, sure why not! We've got Nolan Smith, an upperclassman who's poised to have a huge breakout year. We've got Jon Scheyer, who's a consistent jump shooter who will only up his ppg from 15. We've got Andre Dawkins, an athletic freshmen who is thought to have a JJ-esque jump shot! And if you include Kyle Singler, who is supposed to be spending a lot more time on the perimeter this year, then sure!

*With royal blue glasses off*
Uh...let's see. We have 3 scholarship guards on the team next year. We are not deep at all at the guard position. We. Don't. Have. A. True. Point. Guard. If someone gets injured, watch out. And can we be compared to, say, Villanova's backcourt, which trampled us last season?

[trinity92]

I must say, the comments after the article were particularly even-handed and collegial, which surprised me after such a strange claim about our backcourt. On the strength of the level of discussion at the bleacherreport, I'll be visiting there more often.

[SilkyJ]

I must say, the comments after the article were particularly even-handed and collegial, which surprised me after such a strange claim about our backcourt. On the strength of the level of discussion at the bleacherreport, I'll be visiting there more often.

I guess that's fair Re: the comments. I dont read BR articles too much as they are usually written by homers, as is the case with this article. He's a duke fan, so of course he's looking at it glass half-full (or in this case overflowing...)

Just read the full article. What terrible writing.

[Greg_Newton]

I must say, the comments after the article were particularly even-handed and collegial, which surprised me after such a strange claim about our backcourt. On the strength of the level of discussion at the bleacherreport, I'll be visiting there more often.

I think that's because they are from friends he sent the link to, rather than random 13-year olds trolling around yahoo ("DOOOOK SUCKS, UK RULEZ!!!").

Off the top of my head, KU, UK, MSU, UConn, and Nova probably have us beat in backcourt department. However, I would probably take our forwards and bigs over all of those except maybe KU or UK. Of course, I'm biased...:D

[Aditya]

In all fairness to Smith and Scheyer, they have never had the luxury of playing with a true post threat. If Mason Plumlee is the real deal and with Lance moving back to his true position, their assist numbers should go up, and that's not even considering their improvement over the summer.

Avery had Brand, and Jason Williams and Duhon had Boozer. Duhon later had Sheldon Williams. We haven't had a consistent true post threat since then.

[chrisheery]

That article seems like it was written by a middle or high school student. I don't mean to be be impolite, but it lacks any logical progression toward the final assertion. It just states some facts that do not overwhelmingly point one in any particular direction and then gives an opinion.

For instance:
There are three bears in the woods. One bear is fast, one is faster, one is larger.

I think these are the best three bears in world.


How is this a real website that people link and quote? Its just a bunch of guys with no credentials spouting off opinions. Isn't that just what we do here? Can we link each other's posts?

[airowe]

That article seems like it was written by a middle or high school student. I don't mean to be be impolite, but it lacks any logical progression toward the final assertion. It just states some facts that do not overwhelmingly point one in any particular direction and then gives an opinion.

For instance:
There are three bears in the woods. One bear is fast, one is faster, one is larger.

I think these are the best three bears in world.


How is this a real website that people link and quote? Its just a bunch of guys with no credentials spouting off opinions. Isn't that just what we do here? Can we link each other's posts?

http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?p=309982#post309982

[Greg_Newton]

That article seems like it was written by a middle or high school student. I don't mean to be be impolite, but it lacks any logical progression toward the final assertion. It just states some facts that do not overwhelmingly point one in any particular direction and then gives an opinion.

For instance:
There are three bears in the woods. One bear is fast, one is faster, one is larger.

I think these are the best three bears in world.


How is this a real website that people link and quote? Its just a bunch of guys with no credentials spouting off opinions. Isn't that just what we do here? Can we link each other's posts?

Lol... perfectly said. This post should be linked any time anyone asks about bleacher report.

[Memphis Devil]

http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?p=309982#post309982

post of the month!

[airowe]

That article seems like it was written by a middle or high school student. I don't mean to be be impolite, but it lacks any logical progression toward the final assertion. It just states some facts that do not overwhelmingly point one in any particular direction and then gives an opinion.

For instance:
There are three bears in the woods. One bear is fast, one is faster, one is larger.

I think these are the best three bears in world.


How is this a real website that people link and quote? Its just a bunch of guys with no credentials spouting off opinions. Isn't that just what we do here? Can we link each other's posts?


post of the month!

I have to give it to Heery. I just followed-up...

[chrisheery]

http://www.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/showthread.php?p=309982#post309982


So funny. Of course, I was asking that rhetorically. As in, should we start linking our posts on other websites and passing them off as insightful journalism?

Still, hilarious followup post.

[gwwilburn]

While trying to take a load off after a long, hot summer day, I went on Google looking for information about UNC's depth at the 1 and 2 spots this year. I stumbled upon their Scout.com page (Never do this when trying to relax.) and ran into a thread about this particular bleacher report article. Believe me, they are having a field day over this one.

[DukieInBrasil]

if you could honestly claim that Kyle was a guard and not a forward, then the 4some of Singler, Scheyer, Smith and Dawkins should get some consideration for "among the best" backcourts in the ACC or country. Not particularly deep but extremely talented. However, i don´t think that you can honestly claim that Singler is a G, he is very obviously a F.
Which eerily echoes a discussion from last year, from an SI article i believe, that Duke had the a top-10 frontcourt, despite having only one good player, Kyle, and then a bunch of role players who had yet to prove very much. But the article included Gerald as a F rather than a G, even though he is very much a guard.
Duke´s backcourt is far from the best, even in the ACC. The addition of Dawkins makes them a credible bunch, but with only 3 players, extremely shallow.

[jimsumner]

"But the article included Gerald as a F rather than a G, even though he is very much a guard."

last year, at the college level, Gerald Henderson was very much a forward.

Basketball teams have one center, two forwards, two guards. They can and do use them in different ways.

[miramar]

Well if Scheyer, Smith, and Dawkins make up potentially the best backcourt in the country, having Jordan Davidson on the bench and Seth Curry leading the cheers should give us the best backcourt in the world. And if there had been a natural point guard in the bunch, we would have had the best backcourt in the universe.

[UrinalCake]

Well if Scheyer, Smith, and Dawkins make up potentially the best backcourt in the country, having Jordan Davidson on the bench and Seth Curry leading the cheers should give us the best backcourt in the world. And if there had been a natural point guard in the bunch, we would have had the best backcourt in the universe.

And if Elliot Williams hadn't transfered, we'd have had the best backcourt in the multiverse. It would have literally been infinitely better!

[trinity79]

And what if Gerald Henderson had not gone pro AND Williams had not gone to Memphis AND Dawkins had still come early? Would all of creation have imploded back down to a singularity by now? Scary scary stuff. Basketball coaches have much more power than we ever realized. Whew! I guess we got "lucky" on that one.

[cwaugh]

and what if BOTH John Wall and Kenny Boynton had commited to duke...ok now I'm taking this too far (as if it hasn't already).

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

What if kobe bryant and/or lebron james came to duke and stay four years each.

Whew at least 6 titles

[slower]

What if kobe bryant and/or lebron james came to duke and stay four years each.

Whew at least 6 titles

I always heard that Lebron would have gone to Ohio State

[speedevil2001]

In all fairness to Smith and Scheyer, they have never had the luxury of playing with a true post threat. If Mason Plumlee is the real deal and with Lance moving back to his true position, their assist numbers should go up, and that's not even considering their improvement over the summer.

Avery had Brand, and Jason Williams and Duhon had Boozer. Duhon later had Sheldon Williams. We haven't had a consistent true post threat since then.

duke has not had a true post player since sheldon and not a top notch point guard since duhon.....which leads to duke's failures in the tournament. coach k needs to address those 2 areas every year.

[johnb]

What if kobe bryant and/or lebron james came to duke and stay four years each.

Whew at least 6 titles

and not just 6 consecutive titles, 6 titles in 4 years

[MChambers]

and not just 6 consecutive titles, 6 titles in 4 years

This is the alternative universe in which I choose to spend most of my time.

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

I always heard that Lebron would have gone to Ohio State

it was between Duke Unc and Ohio State. But he said in an interview right after the draft he would have went to duke.

[UrinalCake]

Wasn't Dwight Howard also a Duke lean? Getting him would have caused a sure disruption in the space-time continuum. A multitude of heavenly hosts would have descended, annointing Duke as the greatest team ever. We would have had to shield our eyes, lest they be damaged from exposure to the infinite brilliance.

[slower]

Wasn't Dwight Howard also a Duke lean? Getting him would have caused a sure disruption in the space-time continuum. A multitude of heavenly hosts would have descended, annointing Duke as the greatest team ever. We would have had to shield our eyes, lest they be damaged from exposure to the infinite brilliance.

I thought Howard was a UNC lock, had he not gone pro.

[Welcome2DaSlopes]

NO Georgia tech

[dukeballer2294]

I thought Howard was a UNC lock, had he not gone pro.

haha i thought i read somewhere he made a verbal to memphis

[Azdukefan]

it was between Duke Unc and Ohio State. But he said in an interview right after the draft he would have went to duke.

I thought he said during the olympics that he would have gone to PUNC?

[airowe]

There's almost as much speculation and conjecture in this thread as there was in the original article. ;)

[Indoor66]

It is obvious to me that some here have way too much time on their hands. Speculation on this topic constitutes mental masturbation!

[airowe]

It is obvious to me that some here have way too much time on their hands. Speculation on this topic constitutes mental masturbation!

We don't want anyone's third eye going blind.

[ice-9]

Well if Scheyer, Smith, and Dawkins make up potentially the best backcourt in the country, having Jordan Davidson on the bench and Seth Curry leading the cheers should give us the best backcourt in the world. And if there had been a natural point guard in the bunch, we would have had the best backcourt in the universe.


You should write a Bleacher Report about that. I'll link to it and arguments will echo into all of eternity. :)

[eightyearoldsdude]

Articles like that lead to articles like the one in the most recent issue of GQ. Someone should tell that dude to reign it in a little.

[airowe]

Articles like that lead to articles like the one in the most recent issue of GQ. Someone should tell that dude to reign it in a little.

You mean this one?

http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/ot-gqs-americas-25-douchiest-colleges

Scroll down to comment number 17 but read the ones on the way. They're pretty funny...

More links: http://www.sportsinferno.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49894

http://www.850thebuzz.com/blog/?p=11140

[eightyearoldsdude]

Yeah, but as a Tar Heel I wasn't about to link it here.

This is off-topic (though the "best backcourt in America and/or dreamland" thread seems to have run its course), but I'm actually kind of interested in the whole "douche" phenomenon--I can't remember the last time a term vaulted so dramatically into the national lexicon. It's an umbrella term for all kinds of unfashionable attributes, but it seems to center around pretentious, rich, ideological, arrogant, ambitious, or what Salinger would label "phony." The opposite of douche seems to be slacker and jaded, or basically any star of a Judd Apatow movie. Some sociologist needs to figure this out for us.