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bird
11-17-2009, 08:07 PM
It's not just that Nolan had a great individual game, it's that the whole team looked a lot better with him out there. The comparison to last night is amazing.

JaMarcus Russell
11-17-2009, 08:07 PM
This was just a great all-around effort. Nolan and Miles look like they have really improved and may have put Duke in the driver's seat for the ACC title.

Does anyone know who was sitting next to Mason Plumlee? He was wearing a black sweater and appeared pretty tall, just a few inches shorter than him. I'm not aware of any injured walk-ons so I am a little confused.

Spam Filter
11-17-2009, 08:08 PM
It was MP3 who has sitting next to Mason tonight.

And we looked really good tonight, Nolan really made a difference, yes all the points he got but I was more impressed on the defensive end where Charlotte got no dribble penetration at all from a supposedly very quick PG.

Once we get Mason back we will have a very solid 9 man rotation, with 4 guys off the bench who can contribute. Despite all the talk of being thin this year I think our depth will be fine (as long as our guards stay healthy).

JaMarcus Russell
11-17-2009, 08:13 PM
Are you sure? The guy next to Mason was tall, but definitely shorter. Marshall is listed as being 6'11" or so, and I doubt that Rivals is adding 3 or 4 inches to his height.

Welcome2DaSlopes
11-17-2009, 08:15 PM
It was MP3 who has sitting next to Mason tonight.


That was not Marshall sitting next to Mason, that's someone else.

ice-9
11-17-2009, 08:15 PM
Very impressive. Our motion offense was MUCH smoother compared to the CC game -- no doubt as a result of Nolan and a more traditional defense.

juise
11-17-2009, 08:16 PM
OK, so who's got the responsibility to start the man of the match polls this year? I wasn't going to complain after the first two because it seemed like we could just put Kyle down for MotM every game. This game was a little different. :)

So is it Jumbo? A non-mod? Anyone?

NSDukeFan
11-17-2009, 08:16 PM
Swagga having a great game. That dunk on the Scheyer block (yah i know) was vicious.

That sequence was easily my favorite play of the game. I had to do a double take to make sure it was Jon that had that HUGE block. I also liked the Ryan Kelly high-low pass to Miles for the jam after Ryan had just hit a 3. I guess most of the game was a highlight. Very exciting.

Saratoga2
11-17-2009, 08:17 PM
Smith answered any doubts, if there were any. He is definitely a top notch ACC guard with excellent defensive pressure and a offensive game with all the moves in his arsenal. Singler and Scheyer continued with their excellent play.

What was special about this game was how well Plumlee played. He has athletic ability and showed he can score and rebound tonight and his defense wasn't bad either. He is clearly the leading candidate for center with Zoubek showing as a capable backup. When Mason returns, he will also challenge his brother for playing time or maybe play aside of him.

Perhaps the most disappointing performance was by Thomas. His offense wasn't there and he picked up fouls at too great a rate. I realize he can provide defensive pressure against quicker opponents, but other than that, Kelly showed more tonight.

Dawkins looked good tonight and will see more PT as the season goes on. He has a nice shot and it will stretch the defenses when he is in. Czyz got a little PT and has some good qualities.

This is a better Duke team than I expected. They should be in every game and win the majority.

Spam Filter
11-17-2009, 08:17 PM
Well, it was the ESPN announcer who said MP3 was sitting next to Mason so they had to crop him out of the picture for NCAA regulation reasons.

Welcome2DaSlopes
11-17-2009, 08:22 PM
Well, it was the ESPN announcer who said MP3 was sitting next to Mason so they had to crop him out of the picture for NCAA regulation reasons.

That was for a childhood photo they showed when he said that. Only to avoid trouble with the ncaa.

flyingdutchdevil
11-17-2009, 08:23 PM
Smith answered any doubts, if there were any. He is definitely a top notch ACC guard with excellent defensive pressure and a offensive game with all the moves in his arsenal. Singler and Scheyer continued with their excellent play.

What was special about this game was how well Plumlee played. He has athletic ability and showed he can score and rebound tonight and his defense wasn't bad either. He is clearly the leading candidate for center with Zoubek showing as a capable backup. When Mason returns, he will also challenge his brother for playing time or maybe play aside of him.

Perhaps the most disappointing performance was by Thomas. His offense wasn't there and he picked up fouls at too great a rate. I realize he can provide defensive pressure against quicker opponents, but other than that, Kelly showed more tonight.

Dawkins looked good tonight and will see more PT as the season goes on. He has a nice shot and it will stretch the defenses when he is in. Czyz got a little PT and has some good qualities.

This is a better Duke team than I expected. They should be in every game and win the majority.

Like the assessment. IMO, MP1 will not compete with MP2 - they will more likely complement each other than compete with one another. Also, on Thomas - I think he is most affective against bigger, slower players (true SFs, not SGs). I wouldn't worry about LT - what he brings to the table is leadership and McClure-ship (ie, defense, hustle plays, some rebounding, a little bit of offense, and badass-ness).

Great game. Enjoyed it all. MP2 looks so much more comfortable.

Two completely random points:
1) Dawkins looks like he is 12. Sorry, there is no disputing this.
2) K has aged greatly in the past 12 months. Just pointing it out. Or it might be my HD TV.

BlueDster
11-17-2009, 08:23 PM
The person next to Mason on the bench was definitely not MP3, and he has been on the bench for every game. Not only that, but when I went to an open practice a few weeks ago, he was practicing with the team. At first I thought he was some sort of unannounced walk-on, but he hasn't dressed for any of the games. Anyone have any insights?

P.S. The game was great, very encouraging. I feel like this team is much more well rounded than those of the past two or three years.

GMR
11-17-2009, 08:25 PM
Duke should can their game, and not open the can until mid March. They will not play much, if any, better than they did tonight. As much as I loved watching them play so well tonight, I cringed a little thinking back over the past 7 years. We have looked like world beaters virtually every one of those years in November/December, and not looked as good in March.

I thought it was a poor decision by K not to play Olek until about the 11 or 12 minute mark remained in the second half. This is a guy that started the last two games, and although he did not play well last night, neither did Lance Thomas, and he started tonight. I don't understand that. I thought Olek looked fine tonight.

I was also very impressed with Miles game. We have read on this site how he has improved so much, but really not seen much of that improvement in a game until tonight. That is very encouraging, even if the effort came against a much smaller, inferior team.

I don't think the "3 amigoS", the S boys, will improve very much over the year from their performance tonight. It was outstanding.

I like Dawkins and his game, and I think Kelly has looked good the last two nights, although his long range shot is very flat. He is a very good passer. Zoubek looked good in streaks, but still has silly fouls.

The play of Lance Thomas does not impress me. He can't score, he doesn't rebound well unless he is uncontested for a board. Yes, he has quickness for a 6'8" player, but I saw him burned a few times tonight on defense. And stupid fouls for a senior, like Zoubek. I think Thomas' best weapon is at the middle of the 3/2 zone behind the circle, where he can get help from the big guys underneath if the opposition penetrates the zone, and he can use his 6'8" frame and quickness to his advantage.

GMR

sagegrouse
11-17-2009, 08:39 PM
Well, it was the ESPN announcer who said MP3 was sitting next to Mason so they had to crop him out of the picture for NCAA regulation reasons.

Lets see if I have this right. So if ESPN, a division of the Walt Disney Co., decides to show a picture of the three Plumlee brothers as little kids during a Duke game, then someone incurs a violation. Wha? Is ESPN suspended for the college basketball season? Is Duke penalized because ESPN showed a picture of three brothers, two of whom already play for Duke?

What is this about?

sagegrouse

Newton_14
11-17-2009, 08:43 PM
:)Ok guys. This has been covered 3 times now. The guy beside Mason is a walk-on/practice player that will not dress for games this year. His name is Todd Zafirowski.....He was recruited by Penn but chose to come to Duke to walk on. Plus he has a older brother either at Duke now or he graduated last year. Can't remember..:)

Welcome2DaSlopes
11-17-2009, 08:45 PM
Lets see if I have this right. So if ESPN, a division of the Walt Disney Co., decides to show a picture of the three Plumlee brothers as little kids during a Duke game, then someone incurs a violation. Wha? Is ESPN suspended for the college basketball season? Is Duke penalized because ESPN showed a picture of three brothers, two of whom already play for Duke?

What is this about?

sagegrouse

LOL@ suspend Espn for the basketball season.

But I don't think they even knew why they couldn't but they said just to be safe we are not going to show you the third one.

SupaDave
11-17-2009, 08:54 PM
:)Ok guys. This has been covered 3 times now. The guy beside Mason is a walk-on/practice player that will not dress for games this year. His name is Todd Zafirowski.....He was recruited by Penn but chose to come to Duke to walk on. Plus he has a older brother either at Duke now or he graduated last year. Can't remember..:)

Actually - YOU need to pay attention. They are referring to a picture showed during the game of the brothers - Miles and Mason. You can see an elbow of a third person - and it is Marshall. This is the question that was originally asked. ESPN can not broadcast a minor without their consent in some shape or form - which is why Marshall was not displayed.

Newton_14
11-17-2009, 08:56 PM
I was also very impressed with Miles game. We have read on this site how he has improved so much, but really not seen much of that improvement in a game until tonight. That is very encouraging, even if the effort came against a much smaller, inferior team.
I don't think the "3 amigoS", the S boys, will improve very much over the year from their performance tonight. It was outstanding.
GMR

Actually I disagree with this part of your assessment. Miles has shown the improvement he gained over the summer in every game they have played this year. Tonight was just the first night his improvement showed in points scored. He is averaging almost 10 boards a game and playing really solid defense which has been a constant in every game...

Miles is vastly better than he was last year as is Nolan and to a slightly lesser degree Olek. Very encouraging to see.

As you stated the team looked really good tonight and were still missing a key component. So I don't think they have yet scratched the surface of how good they "possibly" be. The ceiling is still high. We saw tonight what the addition of Nolan meant. Mason will help the team as a whole on both ends of the floor inch even higher towards that ceiling.

And Digger Phelps, I hate it for you old friend. If you and others think this team is no different than the last 2 Duke teams you are in for a big shock down the road...The 3 will be a weapon but not a dependency. Plus even if it were, we have 5 guys that can really do damage from 3 once Kelly gets a little more comfortable out there with his shot..

The future is bright!

MChambers
11-17-2009, 08:59 PM
Lets see if I have this right. So if ESPN, a division of the Walt Disney Co., decides to show a picture of the three Plumlee brothers as little kids during a Duke game, then someone incurs a violation. Wha? Is ESPN suspended for the college basketball season? Is Duke penalized because ESPN showed a picture of three brothers, two of whom already play for Duke?

What is this about?

sagegrouse

They'd probably T up Daniel Ewing.

FireOgilvie
11-17-2009, 08:59 PM
Actually - YOU need to pay attention. They are referring to a picture showed during the game of the brothers - Miles and Mason. You can see an elbow of a third person - and it is Marshall. This is the question that was originally asked. ESPN can not broadcast a minor without their consent in some shape or form - which is why Marshall was not displayed.

The original question was asking who was sitting next to Mason tonight (on the bench). The question was referring to the tall guy in a sweater sitting next to him, not the elbow from the childhood picture. The answer is actually "Todd Zafirovski."



I thought we looked great tonight. I'm not surprised at all that Nolan came out and played the way he did. He's going to be huge for us this year.

juise
11-17-2009, 09:04 PM
I don't know if the ESPN box score is correct, but it shows that Charlotte had zero blocks (after 15 last night). I realize that Duke is much better than Elon and that we shot a bit from the perimeter, but I still think that this is one (of many) impressive point of tonight's game.

Hermy-own
11-17-2009, 09:07 PM
I don't know if the ESPN box score is correct, but it shows that Charlotte had zero blocks (after 15 last night). I realize that Duke is much better than Elon and that we shot a bit from the perimeter, but I still think that this is one (of many) impressive point of tonight's game.

Not that it is a big deal, but I think I remember Sheyer getting blocked once tonight. Then he ran back and got a steal, which he passed forward for a dunk. :). But I'm pretty sure there was a block or two in the game. Still, it is another impressive statistic.

Bluedog
11-17-2009, 09:12 PM
Overall, gotta be satisfied with any 101-59 victory. My thoughts:

Nolan - he looked greatly improved and will be the key player in this season. Confidence on the court, swagger, driving to the hoop, dribbling, shooting, all were running on high cylinders today although against a decidedly inferior opponent from a talent level. Still, it was an impressive show and his 24 points seemed to come from nowhere; it wasn't a showy display necessarily, but rather steady, smart basketball and high percentage shots. If we want to be a Final Four or NC-caliber team, we need Nolan to play an All-ACC type season. If he's on the fringe of that, I think Scheyer and Singler can only take us so far in the NCAA tourny - that is, the Sweet 16 or so.

Scheyer - always impresses me with his smarts on the court. Great court awareness, vision, and crafty rebounder. He's certainly not the fastest or highest jumping (read: athletic) guard, but he's in incredibly good shooter, a smart passer, great at getting fouled, is able to create his own shot more than many would lead you to believe, and rarely makes mistakes with handling the ball (i.e. doesn't turn it over). He seems to be great shape and we'll need him to be as he's going to be playing 37+ a game.

Singler - Didn't completely take over the game, but he didn't need to. Looked for his shot when it was there and passed it to his teammates when they were open. For such a talent, seems to be incredibly unselfish. But, yeah, we're also going to need Singler to rip it up and have a ACC POY-type year to be a Final Four team. And I expect him to. It's just too tough to guard a 6'8" guy on the perimeter who can shoot the three ball and drive to the hoop with considerably force and speed. There aren't many defenders that can do it, and Singler will certainly be the matchup nightmare for our opponents throughout the course of the season.

Miles Plumlee - He seems to have taken his game to a whole 'nother level this season. I like that he actually dunks the ball with athleticism and authority when he has the ball in the open court, something we'd NEVER see from Zoubek (who certainly had a reasonable game, but I'd rather see Miles on the court, personally). Also, seemed like a fairly good passer with good foot speed and leaping abilities for such a big guy. The muscle he put on in the offseason also will help us in the post, and I think him playing big minutes (instead of Z) is going to be a good omen for the team since I think his ceiling is higher.

Andre - Definitely a solid contributor, but I don't think when push comes to shove we'll see him playing down the stretch (we'll have Nolan, Scheyer, and Singler on the perimeter for sure). But we don't need him to. Giving our other guards some rest with solid smart play that the opponents must respect is all we need. I'm certainly glad to have him on the team, especially if foul trouble or injuries arise. Andre seems to be the opposite player of EWill almost. That is, Ewill's weaknesses (i.e. shooting) seem to be Andre's stengths (he has a nice stroke) and Ewill's strengths toward the end of the season (defense, driving to the hoop and creating his own shot) as of right now seem to be Andre's weaknesses. Although hard to tell much from these opponents and so early in the season. But I'm certainly happy with where Andre is right now.

Lance - ACC DPOY? Really? While he's definitely a versatile defender, I was pretty shocked the announcers thought he could contend for ACC DPOY. He is still picking up too many stupid fouls, and great defenders just don't do that. He definitely gives us energy and leadership on the court, but as of right now, unfortunately, I don't see Lance as leading us to the promise land. He can certainly improve and one game is too small of a sample size, but I wasn't thrilled with his play tonight.

Zoubs - effective, Zoub-like game. Got garbage baskets, picked up a few nice rebounds, only turned the ball over once. Nothing spectacular, but certainly a good effort from Zoubs. He pretty much did what we need him to do; get the easy baskets, defend the post, and get rebounds. I still like Miles in the 5 spot more than Zoubs right now...

Kelly - Still a bit raw...hard to really figure him out. I definitely think they'll be an adjustment period for Kelly (as there is with most freshman). I realize his shot is supposed to be his strongest asset, but to me, many of his shots look like laser beams instead of nice arcs...But it works for some I guess. I don't see him getting that many minutes throughout the season, but is certainly a reasonable backup to Singler when he needs some rest at the 3 spot, assuming he can defend it, which I think he can.

Olek - he looks improved definitely. Seems more confident on the court, is aware of what's going on, playing decent D, so I'd like to see him get some minutes, but not sure if there will be enough to go around. His athleticism is nice though and he is actually shooting the three ball pretty decently. So, I've been pleased with what I've seen from him.

Overall, definitely a promising start to the season! The team is hitting another gear with Nolan in the lineup. It will be interesting to see how it goes when we play opponents closer to our talent level, but I expect it will be a fun show! Go Duke!

Wander
11-17-2009, 09:15 PM
With all the usual caveats about it being ridiculously early, here's the real reason I think we can actually be better than last year: we don't need to start Lance or Zoubek. I don't mind them as role players, but they just don't bring enough to the table to be starters for a legitimate Final Four team.

Newton_14
11-17-2009, 09:20 PM
Actually - YOU need to pay attention. They are referring to a picture showed during the game of the brothers - Miles and Mason. You can see an elbow of a third person - and it is Marshall. This is the question that was originally asked. ESPN can not broadcast a minor without their consent in some shape or form - which is why Marshall was not displayed.

If my post came across as snarky that was not my intent. That was why I added the smiley's in. And my second mistake was not quoting the posts I was referring to.

Todd was seated on the bench tonight beside Mason. Earlier in the thread one or more folks asked who the guy sitting beside Mason on the bench was. That is who I was referring to. I also saw the childhood photo they showed with MP3's arm in view. I was not referring to that question.

But even though I was not clear on the post I was referring too, your shot at me was a bit harsh. Especially coming from a moderator.

rhcpflea99
11-17-2009, 09:23 PM
With all the usual caveats about it being ridiculously early, here's the real reason I think we can actually be better than last year: we don't need to start Lance or Zoubek. I don't mind them as role players, but they just don't bring enough to the table to be starters for a legitimate Final Four team.

Both players bring defensive presents, Big Z can get push around but still not easy going over a 7 footer and Lance his defense intensity speaks for itself.

arnie
11-17-2009, 09:24 PM
Hey Blue Devils. I'm looking forward to a good game tonight in our first ever showdown. We are a very young team coming into tonight's game, so I'm hoping that Harris can keep the rest of the guys disciplined enough to use our talent wisely. I'm a bit concerned about who can guard Singler, Phil Jones is a monster shot blocker (7 last night) but he's not too quick and Spears, as you know, is a beast but is a bit short. I'm interested in seeing who Bobby matches him up with.
Tonight's game is huge for us because it gives us a chance to prove on the big screen that we are back in the world of good college hoops programs like in Bobby Lutz's first few seasons. Everyone on campus is excited. I'm hoping for an upset. We'll see how it goes!

Everyone on Charlotte campus still excited?? Best I've seen Duke play since last year at Purdue.

SupaDave
11-17-2009, 09:38 PM
If my post came across as snarky that was not my intent. That was why I added the smiley's in. And my second mistake was not quoting the posts I was referring to.

Todd was seated on the bench tonight beside Mason. Earlier in the thread one or more folks asked who the guy sitting beside Mason on the bench was. That is who I was referring to. I also saw the childhood photo they showed with MP3's arm in view. I was not referring to that question.

But even though I was not clear on the post I was referring too, your shot at me was a bit harsh. Especially coming from a moderator.

Well thankfully - it seems both questions have been answered.

BlueintheFace
11-17-2009, 09:39 PM
I saw a light go on in Miles' head tonight. Anybody else?

roywhite
11-17-2009, 09:44 PM
I saw a light go on in Miles' head tonight. Anybody else?

Sure looked like it....hard to beat confidence and a comfort level on the floor. He's got the tools---size, strength, good leaping ability, and a decent touch on a short jumper. I get a little nervous when I see him handling the ball more than a few feet from the basket, but his game is inside and I think he knows it.

Loved that ally-oop from Jon Scheyer to Miles. Hope we see more of that, and from brother Mason, too.

Welcome2DaSlopes
11-17-2009, 09:44 PM
Miles played well, but i do expect him to continue to grow throughout the year and get a whole lot better. (Not that he was bad)

Kedsy
11-17-2009, 09:45 PM
MP2 looks so much more comfortable.

MP2 was on the bench in street clothes. He didn't look so comfortable to me.

Welcome2DaSlopes
11-17-2009, 09:48 PM
MP2 was on the bench in street clothes. He didn't look so comfortable to me.

LOL same thing i thought when i first read it. But i decided to let it go.

Poincaré
11-17-2009, 09:49 PM
For those of you who said the team would look very different with Nolan in the lineup: You were absolutely right. I feel pretty hopeful. Scheyer looked pretty liberated by being able to share the burden with Nolan. If the rebounding holds up, then we might be able to run more than in years past despite the lack of depth in the backcourt. This was the kind of game I wanted to see from our team.

Trying to find a negative: Z and LT each averaged one PF every 4 minutes. Those two our a big part of our frontcourt depth. Can they stay on the floor versus ACC competition? On the other hand, Miles had only one foul, so that's good, right?

jacone21
11-17-2009, 09:51 PM
:)Ok guys. This has been covered 3 times now. The guy beside Mason is a walk-on/practice player that will not dress for games this year. His name is Todd Zafirowski.....He was recruited by Penn but chose to come to Duke to walk on. Plus he has a older brother either at Duke now or he graduated last year. Can't remember..:)

You are wrong. That person is Patrick Davidson. He has been training at an isolated Shaolin temple where he has increased his height to 6'7.5" and decreased his body fat to 0% through a diet consisting completely of a species of rare Chinese scorpion.

watzone
11-17-2009, 09:55 PM
http://bluedevilnation.net/ Nolan's post game thoughts after his career high 24 points against Charlotte.

Kedsy
11-17-2009, 09:58 PM
LOL same thing i thought when i first read it. But i decided to let it go.

I probably should have shown your restraint. We looked great tonight; I'm glad to see there haven't been too many quibbling criticisms here on the board.

I do think people should lighten up on Lance, though. He has the potential to be a very important defensive stopper for us this year, and I actually think he looks more comfortable on offense. The foul trouble screwed him up today. Hopefully he'll be able to keep that in check most of the time.

Wander
11-17-2009, 10:03 PM
Both players bring defensive presents, Big Z can get push around but still not easy going over a 7 footer and Lance his defense intensity speaks for itself.

Yes, Lance has a lot of defensive intensity and that's good, but it's not enough to just have intensity. He fouls too much and is not good enough at rebounding to be contending for ACC DPOY like the announcers tried to assert. He is a good defender, but doesn't bring nearly enough to the offensive end of the floor to be starting for a top 5 team. As for Zoubek, I actually think higher of him than most people do (underrated defender and good at getting tips), but you can't be starting someone who makes you close your eyes and cringe whenever he's passed the ball.

I'm very, very happy that we have the Plumlees - Miles' improvement is the main thing I'm taking out of our first three games. These two are what make us better than what I expected we would be months ago.

SMO
11-17-2009, 10:07 PM
Sure looked like it....hard to beat confidence and a comfort level on the floor. He's got the tools---size, strength, good leaping ability, and a decent touch on a short jumper. I get a little nervous when I see him handling the ball more than a few feet from the basket, but his game is inside and I think he knows it.

Loved that ally-oop from Jon Scheyer to Miles. Hope we see more of that, and from brother Mason, too.

I thought he looked sharp. He hit a few mid-range shots too, right? He's the type of 4-yr player that will be very good.

Newton_14
11-17-2009, 10:09 PM
You are wrong. That person is Patrick Davidson. He has been training at an isolated Shaolin temple where he has increased his height to 6'7.5" and decreased his body fat to 0% through a diet consisting completely of a species of rare Chinese scorpion.

Way to go Patrick! The Davidson family really have super powers and their sons can be who they want to be when they want to. Thanks for correcting me...

jipops
11-17-2009, 10:09 PM
Some nice looking offense on display tonight. Great ball movement and lots of catch and shoot looks from both sets and motion.

I'm one that doesn't mind seeing Lance shooting 20 footers. His role reminds me of Brian Davis as a defender and possible extra offensive option. Brian developed an extremely reliable 18-20ft jumper by his senior year. I get the impression Lance has been working on this part of his game and don't see anything wrong with him firing away early on trying to develop some confidence. The shots haven't looked bad, they just haven't been going down. Definitely a rough night for him tonight, but I'm not the least bit worried about it.

How about Miles' 10-15 footers? That could be quite a nice weapon as well. He looks very comfortable with it.

Guys like Kelly and Dawkins are getting some nice burn early on. This may help us down the road.

Pernell
11-17-2009, 10:09 PM
Lance - ACC DPOY? Really? While he's definitely a versatile defender, I was pretty shocked the announcers thought he could contend for ACC DPOY. He is still picking up too many stupid fouls, and great defenders just don't do that. He definitely gives us energy and leadership on the court, but as of right now, unfortunately, I don't see Lance as leading us to the promise land. He can certainly improve and one game is too small of a sample size, but I wasn't thrilled with his play tonight.


Definitely was surprised by the ACC DPOY comment. But then again, I'm not very familiar with the other top defenders within the ACC. But still I was a bit surprised.

Although Charlotte was a weaker opponent, what I really liked in this game is that everyone seemed to be able to offensively contribute in this game. That's probably made easier because there isn't a Gerald, J.J., or Luol to rely upon, but I think as the season goes on it will be essential that we can receive offensive production from a variety of people. Obviously Kyle, Jon, and Nolan are the premier guys, it's good to see Miles shooting jumpers and Andre looking for his shot as well.

Rudy
11-17-2009, 10:26 PM
I didn't watch the game but just looked at the game stats. Nolan at 60% from the floor, very nice. Scheyer's assist to turnover ratio is infinity, very nice too. Z had 13 rebounds in 16 minutes. Even though he had 4 fouls, I'll take those for 13 rebounds a game, especially if he makes them hard, not-in-my-neighborhood fouls (yeah, too much to hope for).

BlueintheFace
11-17-2009, 10:32 PM
Scheyer's 1 turnover was given to Smith on further review. He still hasn't turned the ball over. Wow.

CameronBornAndBred
11-17-2009, 10:41 PM
My overall game thought is this...Nolan lets the team be comfortable. With him back on the floor, the team returns to their natural positions. Jon is readily available to play the point, but he doesn't have to be there. Singler doesn't have to be up top and outside. Andre fouled less (1 instead of 4) and played better. On both sides of the court, we played better. I don't think Charlotte was any less of a team than UNCG, I think we just played looser and reaped the benefits. Very happy to have you back, Mr. Smith.

dukelifer
11-17-2009, 10:44 PM
Duke played a surprisingly sharp game for the second game in two nights. Let's not get too carried away - but there is room for optimism. The team played much, much better with Nolan in the lineup. With him, teams cannot try to stop Scheyer. letting Singler get his and then take their chances with the rest of the team. He also helps with the team speed. He looks to be a different player- and much more confident. I was most impressed with Miles tonight. He uses his body and strength well- a bit like Boozer did. He also is showing a little range on his jumpshot and is a very strong rebounder in traffic. If he gets the ball in good position- he can be a consistent option. I am not sure why folks are down on Kelly. He is one of the best passers on this team. He makes passes when guys are open and understands angles. He also seems to have a knack for blocking/altering shots and even getting a few boards in traffic. He is not a liability out there and I think he can spell Singler which will be key. Yes- he is not a finished product- but you can see talent there. Olek had a few nice moments as did Zoubs. This team will need some punch off the bench- Dawkins may be that guy as he gets used to the speed of the game. He also showed a little toughness tonight. I think having Plumlee the younger will add another weapon- if nothing but a shot blocker and more mobile big guy. This is a solid team for sure- looking forward to the continued growth of the young guys. K is getting a lot of guys involved which is nice to see.

RepoMan
11-17-2009, 10:46 PM
I thought it was a poor decision by K not to play Olek until about the 11 or 12 minute mark remained in the second half.

Yep. He really botched that coaching move.

RepoMan
11-17-2009, 10:51 PM
Trying to find a negative: Z and LT each averaged one PF every 4 minutes. Those two our a big part of our frontcourt depth. Can they stay on the floor versus ACC competition? On the other hand, Miles had only one foul, so that's good, right?

We have three other players who are 6' 10". I think we want to see Zoubek and Lance play aggressively when they are in there, without fear of fouls. Sure, eliminating the cheap fould would be ideal, but we have plenty depth if they foul out (esp if Zoubek fouls out)

BlueintheFace
11-17-2009, 10:57 PM
Nolan [Smith] is playing with swagger and that gives our whole team swagger too.”

- Jon Scheyer

I think we pretty much have to go with my Nolan Smith Nickname now ;)

airowe
11-17-2009, 11:01 PM
I think we pretty much have to go with my Nolan Smith Nickname now ;)

I don't like it.

BlueintheFace
11-17-2009, 11:07 PM
I don't like it.

Yah, im actually not crazy about it either the more I say it. Worth a try...

airowe
11-17-2009, 11:10 PM
Yah, im actually not crazy about it either the more I say it. Worth a try...

He'll earn a nickname soon enough with his play on the court. I'm amazed that one player can have such an impact on our team. Hopefully the Big 3 can stay healthy and out of "nonsanctioned" events all year...

Kedsy
11-17-2009, 11:13 PM
Z had 13 rebounds in 16 minutes.

Z had 9 points, an assist, and a steal, to go with those 13 rebounds in 16 minutes. Putting aside style points (and the fact that a lot of the points and rebounds happened during garbage time) that's amazing production. I'll be interested to see if his plus/minus numbers are good again.

I know it's because he looks clumsy and he rarely dunks, but Z ought to get more credit for what he does. Check out these per 40 minute stats for last year and this year:

BRIAN ZOUBEK (per 40 minutes)
2008-09: 13.7 points; 12.5 rebs; 1.4 assts; 2.7 blks; 1.4 stls; FG%=57.5%
2009-10: 22.5 points; 20.8 rebs; 2.5 assts; 0.8 blks; 3.3 stls; FG%=75.0%

Obviously he fouls too much to play 40 minutes, but these are pretty stellar numbers (for comparison's sake, Ed Davis last year was 14.1 points per 40 minutes and 14.0 rebs, and this year so far is 20.3 and 14.5).

We complain about Z getting beat on defense, but his plus/minus numbers suggest he helps a lot more than he hurts. And he does turn the ball over a bit (2.34 per 40 last year and 3.33 per 40 this year), but again his numbers aren't so different from Ed Davis (2.23 last year and 2.90 this year). And, yes, I know K uses him mostly in favorable matchups, but doesn't every coach do that with every player, at least to a certain extent?

My point is, no matter how bad he may look, statistically speaking Brian Zoubek is a really good player. At least he is when he's in the game...

oldnavy
11-17-2009, 11:51 PM
How about a little fun? What if the over/under on Nolan's total points tonight is 15, whatca got, over or under??

I think he will have a great game after sitting two nights in a row. I suspect he will go off and I am taking the OVER.

Predicition, 18 points 4 assists, 2 rebounds...

Anybody think he would get 24? I thought I might be a little optimistic with 18, but I guess I underestimated how fired up he would be. Nolan is just "Nasty"!

"Nasty Nolan" has a nice ring to it...

Duke4life92
11-17-2009, 11:51 PM
No Olek tonight. Nada. I understand Ryan Kelly is probably a lot better...but how is a guy supposed to improve?


He has to get it done in practice to improve and earn more pt.I like seeing his energy when he comes in but his pt will only diminish more when mason gets back-me thinks :D Maybe we play this well more times this yr and he gets some more garbage time ;).Overall very impressed seeing the devils bring it tonight.Nolan makes a world of difference to this team.Glad yall got that kid sitting next to mason figured out :).He definately was alot bigger weight wise and shorter than mp3.

Greg_Newton
11-18-2009, 12:06 AM
It's funny how clueless commentators are sometimes. There was comment yesterday about how the difference between the Plumlees is that "Mason has an edge to his game that Miles doesn't." Errrrr, seriously?

I don't think it can be overstated how huge it is to have the biggest/most athletic guy on the court. Miles is the first big guy we've had in a while that has both the physical gifts and desire to have an "own the paint" mentality on defense and the boards. (I forget how awesome this is until Lance and Z are in, and there's no one waiting above the rim for penetrators and rebounds. Ryan and Kyle are also quite long, I can't wait until we can have both Plumlees in along with one or both of Kyle and Ryan.)

My favorite play Miles had tonight was when posted up, received the entry, spun baseline aggressively and finished strong at the rim. I don't like when he settles for shooting 5-10 footers over defenders, because he's so hard to guard when he sets his mind on attacking the defender and just "scoring the ball".

It's going to be really, really fun to watch him this season as he learns how to exploit his physical gifts... I wouldn't be surprised to see him putting him putting up 10-12 ppg and 8 rbs pretty consistently if he continues to gain confidence. He's physically gifted enough that confidence and maturity are the only things holding him back from being a 15 and 10 guy night in and night out... way to early to annoint him, but don't be shocked.

And it's funny how Andre and Olek remain our best post entry passers...

Jumbo
11-18-2009, 12:11 AM
Holy. Crap.
I'll have more later when I have some time, but I am very, very excited.

BlueintheFace
11-18-2009, 12:25 AM
Three Biggest Stories:

1) Light bulb turning on in Miles' head (this is what got me most excited)

2) "allow me to reintroduce myself" (Nolan's Tweet after the game). Nolan Smith looks like a completely different player and makes the team 10x better as expected.

3) DEFENSE. Lance and Ryan did great at containing Harris like Duke used to with Lawson on the break. We forced outside shots (which is the goal of the defense. Rotation off of the Spears double was very good. On the ball pressure was great. All around, very impressive in both defensive sets.

Secondary Stories:

4) Singler CONTINUES to look great and that stroke is just oh-so sweet.

5) Jon Scheyer with ZERO turnovers through 2 games. Wow.

Tertiary Stories:

Zoubek hits a hophook, Dawkins and Kelly look more comfortable on defense every game, Olek back to the bench. Lance shooting the midrange (I think its good and expect Mason to do the same when he comes back at that position and has the space... or drive his post defender which is a specialty of his).

BlueDster
11-18-2009, 01:20 AM
Just a quick fun fact...according to ESPN, the 57 points Duke scored in the first half is more than Duke scored in any half during the whole season last year. So much for a slower, more deliberate offense (not that I think this will be the norm).

Saratoga2
11-18-2009, 07:22 AM
Yes, Lance has a lot of defensive intensity and that's good, but it's not enough to just have intensity. He fouls too much and is not good enough at rebounding to be contending for ACC DPOY like the announcers tried to assert. He is a good defender, but doesn't bring nearly enough to the offensive end of the floor to be starting for a top 5 team. As for Zoubek, I actually think higher of him than most people do (underrated defender and good at getting tips), but you can't be starting someone who makes you close your eyes and cringe whenever he's passed the ball.

I'm very, very happy that we have the Plumlees - Miles' improvement is the main thing I'm taking out of our first three games. These two are what make us better than what I expected we would be months ago.

Some have compared Lance to McClure because both have gravitated to the role of defensive stopper. Both are good but not great athletes but I think McClure was a better rebounder than Lance has shown. Lance still has a place to contribute by guarding the quicker large guards or small forwards but he still is fouling way too much. With Mason back and Kelly developing, Lance could see his PT go down. Coach K still believes in him and he obviously knows more than a casual observer, so I will wait and see how things go forward.

RelativeWays
11-18-2009, 07:57 AM
Olek may be back towards the end of the bench but he'll get more burn this year than last. He got a quick 5 points and doesn't look as clueless as last year. He'll be fine.

flyingdutchdevil
11-18-2009, 08:09 AM
Olek may be back towards the end of the bench but he'll get more burn this year than last. He got a quick 5 points and doesn't look as clueless as last year. He'll be fine.

True. And his defense is much better. Also, he is a decent insurance policy in case (knock on wood) that a guard goes down.

whereinthehellami
11-18-2009, 09:08 AM
The 49ers were not sharp. There were alot of unnecessary TOs.


Spears was a good player and Duke did a good job on him. Held him to 6-16 from the floor, 4 rebounds, and he had 3 TOs.


Braswell for the 49ers had 9 rebounds and some nice drives to the hoop. Duke struggled with his combination of height/athletiscm. keep an eye on teams with simliar athletes (Clemson and GT).


Singler had one of his least impressive performances in awhile and ended up with 17 pts (5-12), 3 rbs, only 1 bk/stl, and 1 TO.


Miles and Zoobs combined for 24 points (11-18) and 24 rebounds in 40 minutes. That makes for a nice line for the 5 position.


Nolan and Jon combined for 44 points (16-28), 11 rebounds, 10 assists, and 4 steals in 61 minutes of action. If they can be anywhere close to that kind of consistency than Duke is going to be a force all season.


Kelly and Czyz played within their limits and contributed nicely. If they can keep that up, than they will be part of the regular lineup. I get the impression that Czyz is still trying to figure things out while constantly reigning himself in. And Kelly has alot of savy and IQ but just needs to figure out how to use it. In other words Czyz does not lack confidence but Kelly could use some more.


Lance had a HS freshman stat line. O points, 1 rebounds, and 4 fouls in 16 minutes of action.

superdave
11-18-2009, 09:24 AM
Doesnt it seem like Lance and Brian will be more situational players this year? I can see them having big minutes depending on the other team's personnel or 8-10 minutes where they dont have an obvious matchup.

I continue to be amazed at how much better Miles is this year. It's like everyhting came together for him over the summer. I cannot recall such a big jump for player.

Pernell
11-18-2009, 09:32 AM
Overall, gotta be satisfied with any 101-59 victory. My thoughts:

Nolan - he looked greatly improved and will be the key player in this season. Confidence on the court, swagger, driving to the hoop, dribbling, shooting, all were running on high cylinders today although against a decidedly inferior opponent from a talent level. Still, it was an impressive show and his 24 points seemed to come from nowhere; it wasn't a showy display necessarily, but rather steady, smart basketball and high percentage shots. If we want to be a Final Four or NC-caliber team, we need Nolan to play an All-ACC type season. If he's on the fringe of that, I think Scheyer and Singler can only take us so far in the NCAA tourny - that is, the Sweet 16 or so.

Scheyer - always impresses me with his smarts on the court. Great court awareness, vision, and crafty rebounder. He's certainly not the fastest or highest jumping (read: athletic) guard, but he's in incredibly good shooter, a smart passer, great at getting fouled, is able to create his own shot more than many would lead you to believe, and rarely makes mistakes with handling the ball (i.e. doesn't turn it over). He seems to be great shape and we'll need him to be as he's going to be playing 37+ a game.

Singler - Didn't completely take over the game, but he didn't need to. Looked for his shot when it was there and passed it to his teammates when they were open. For such a talent, seems to be incredibly unselfish. But, yeah, we're also going to need Singler to rip it up and have a ACC POY-type year to be a Final Four team. And I expect him to. It's just too tough to guard a 6'8" guy on the perimeter who can shoot the three ball and drive to the hoop with considerably force and speed. There aren't many defenders that can do it, and Singler will certainly be the matchup nightmare for our opponents throughout the course of the season.

Miles Plumlee - He seems to have taken his game to a whole 'nother level this season. I like that he actually dunks the ball with athleticism and authority when he has the ball in the open court, something we'd NEVER see from Zoubek (who certainly had a reasonable game, but I'd rather see Miles on the court, personally). Also, seemed like a fairly good passer with good foot speed and leaping abilities for such a big guy. The muscle he put on in the offseason also will help us in the post, and I think him playing big minutes (instead of Z) is going to be a good omen for the team since I think his ceiling is higher.

Andre - Definitely a solid contributor, but I don't think when push comes to shove we'll see him playing down the stretch (we'll have Nolan, Scheyer, and Singler on the perimeter for sure). But we don't need him to. Giving our other guards some rest with solid smart play that the opponents must respect is all we need. I'm certainly glad to have him on the team, especially if foul trouble or injuries arise. Andre seems to be the opposite player of EWill almost. That is, Ewill's weaknesses (i.e. shooting) seem to be Andre's stengths (he has a nice stroke) and Ewill's strengths toward the end of the season (defense, driving to the hoop and creating his own shot) as of right now seem to be Andre's weaknesses. Although hard to tell much from these opponents and so early in the season. But I'm certainly happy with where Andre is right now.

Lance - ACC DPOY? Really? While he's definitely a versatile defender, I was pretty shocked the announcers thought he could contend for ACC DPOY. He is still picking up too many stupid fouls, and great defenders just don't do that. He definitely gives us energy and leadership on the court, but as of right now, unfortunately, I don't see Lance as leading us to the promise land. He can certainly improve and one game is too small of a sample size, but I wasn't thrilled with his play tonight.

Zoubs - effective, Zoub-like game. Got garbage baskets, picked up a few nice rebounds, only turned the ball over once. Nothing spectacular, but certainly a good effort from Zoubs. He pretty much did what we need him to do; get the easy baskets, defend the post, and get rebounds. I still like Miles in the 5 spot more than Zoubs right now...

Kelly - Still a bit raw...hard to really figure him out. I definitely think they'll be an adjustment period for Kelly (as there is with most freshman). I realize his shot is supposed to be his strongest asset, but to me, many of his shots look like laser beams instead of nice arcs...But it works for some I guess. I don't see him getting that many minutes throughout the season, but is certainly a reasonable backup to Singler when he needs some rest at the 3 spot, assuming he can defend it, which I think he can.

Olek - he looks improved definitely. Seems more confident on the court, is aware of what's going on, playing decent D, so I'd like to see him get some minutes, but not sure if there will be enough to go around. His athleticism is nice though and he is actually shooting the three ball pretty decently. So, I've been pleased with what I've seen from him.
!


Agree with everything you said.

What's most promising is that we seem to have a balanced offensive output. In years past, our O was focused on one to two or three players, but tonight it appears that we will be able to find production from a variety of sources. This should bode well for competition within the ACC and for a deeper NCAA run

HCheek37
11-18-2009, 09:46 AM
Doesnt it seem like Lance and Brian will be more situational players this year? I can see them having big minutes depending on the other team's personnel or 8-10 minutes where they dont have an obvious matchup.

I continue to be amazed at how much better Miles is this year. It's like everyhting came together for him over the summer. I cannot recall such a big jump for player.

Let's not get way ahead of ourselves here, Zoubek and Thomas still have alot of productive minutes out there, but both need to realize their strengths. And Miles does look better but you are going to base a "big jump" off of several games against lesser opponents?

Last night was obviously a strong night for Miles and a down night for Lance but it is a long season and we are lucky to have this depth. I don't see any of the post guys really asserting themselves to get 30-35 min but the good news is that we don't look like a slow grind it out Big-10 team with our sizable roster.

Once again I want to point out that the high low play was run successfully and this will be a key for our season since we have players that might not be loaded with post moves.

NSDukeFan
11-18-2009, 09:52 AM
Doesnt it seem like Lance and Brian will be more situational players this year? I can see them having big minutes depending on the other team's personnel or 8-10 minutes where they dont have an obvious matchup.

I continue to be amazed at how much better Miles is this year. It's like everyhting came together for him over the summer. I cannot recall such a big jump for player.

IMO, Lance will still be a sixth starter when MP2 comes back and BZ will get significant minutes as Miles' backup. We have an exciting amount of front court depth this year.

ScreechTDX1847
11-18-2009, 11:25 AM
I guess my post was deleted because I said somethign Nolan said in a Webcast? Or perhaps, becuase it may be perceived to paint a bad picture of Kansas State University?

This place is ridiculous. Any moderator care to tell me why the post was deleted so that I can avoid whatever should have been censored in the first place?

NSDukeFan
11-18-2009, 11:41 AM
I guess my post was deleted because I said somethign Nolan said in a Webcast? Or perhaps, becuase it may be perceived to paint a bad picture of Kansas State University?

This place is ridiculous. Any moderator care to tell me why the post was deleted so that I can avoid whatever should have been censored in the first place?

Are you being forced to post here?

Kedsy
11-18-2009, 01:29 PM
Singler had one of his least impressive performances in awhile and ended up with 17 pts (5-12), 3 rbs, only 1 bk/stl, and 1 TO.

If Kyle's least impressive games continue to look like this one, we're going to be OK.

jipops
11-18-2009, 01:35 PM
If Kyle's least impressive games continue to look like this one, we're going to be OK.

I also thought Kyle's footwork on defense was very impressive. He looked equally as comfortable guarding the perimeter.