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Jumbo
02-10-2010, 11:21 PM
Figure we'll need a thread on this if/when there is news. I'm holding out hope that it's not as serious as I fear.

Reisen
02-10-2010, 11:25 PM
I've played soccer for a long time, and as crazy as this sounds, I'll take an impact injury over a twisting injury any day of the week.

Most impact injuries I've seen usually swell up the size of a grapefruit for a few days, but the player is back within a week or two.

The impact of twisting injuries is pretty well known...

Newton_14
02-10-2010, 11:26 PM
Figure we'll need a thread on this if/when there is news. I'm holding out hope that it's not as serious as I fear.

It looked bad. Every time they tried to straighten it, he winced in pain. I pray it is not a MCL injury and just a bad bruise.

Prayers to LT our ROCK ON D!!

ChrisP
02-10-2010, 11:26 PM
K just said in the post game presser that it "is not a minor injury" or something very much like that. He went on to say he did NOT think it was an ACL but that it did appear somewhat serious :(

DevilHorns
02-10-2010, 11:26 PM
Please oh please just be a deep bruise. No ligaments, fingers crossed!

oldnavy
02-10-2010, 11:27 PM
I am hoping it is a bruise that can heal within the week. Looked like he and Drew bumped knees which I have done and it hurts like crazy, but usually gets better fairly quickly.

Worst case scenario is that he twisted and tore something.

proelitedota
02-10-2010, 11:28 PM
I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope is a bruise.
I pray to the (Blue) Devil for a fast recovery.

DevilHorns
02-10-2010, 11:29 PM
K just said in the post game presser that it "is not a minor injury" or something very much like that. He went on to say he did NOT think it was an ACL but that it did appear somewhat serious :(

I didnt get to see this presser, but is that just his impression, or did Lance get an MRI on his knee? MRIs take some time.... so I kind of doubt any diagnosis has been made yet...

A deep bruise can be incredibly painful. lets hope its just that.

chrisheery
02-10-2010, 11:29 PM
In the replay, it actually looked like he hyper-extended it a bit. I am concerned about it based on his reaction.

geraldsneighbor
02-10-2010, 11:29 PM
He also stepped on Drew's foot I thought so that's why I'm very worried. It makes it even more imperative that Mason steps up.

6th Man
02-10-2010, 11:29 PM
Listening to Coach K in postgame. Says they are worried and it is serious, but they won't know for 24 hours. Hopes it's not season ending.

flyingdutchdevil
02-10-2010, 11:30 PM
Ignorant question - can a bruised knee look that bad? Lance was on the floor for a while and winced in pain A LOT. I have no sports medicine experience, so I have no idea how bad a bruised knee can be. Due to Lance's reaction, and I hate to be the pessimist, but I would have thought it to be much more serious, like an ACL or MCL.

Jumbo
02-10-2010, 11:31 PM
Listening to Coach K in postgame. Says they are worried and it is serious, but they won't know for 24 hours. Hopes it's not season ending.

When I saw the replay, I was worried about a dislocated kneecap. That seems like something they'd know right away, though. If they won't know for 24 hours, it sounds like they'll need the swelling to go down and an MRI. Fingers crossed for Lance -- hopefully everyone can send him a little good will.

Reisen
02-10-2010, 11:31 PM
An impact injury is going to be serious in the sense that it's going to swell up and keep the player from putting any weight on it for several days. So I'd be worried about that as a coach as well. It can also cause some nagging pains even after you can run on it.

That said, the healing time is dramatically faster. I'm hoping it's that until I hear otherwise.

Chicago 1995
02-10-2010, 11:32 PM
I didnt get to see this presser, but is that just his impression, or did Lance get an MRI on his knee? MRIs take some time.... so I kind of doubt any diagnosis has been made yet...

A deep bruise can be incredibly painful. lets hope its just that.

In most instances, they won't do an MRI until the swelling is down a little, not immediately.

I think the concern is that the knee flexed laterally when Drew hit him. MCL maybe? That's a complete guess.

Reisen
02-10-2010, 11:32 PM
Ignorant question - can a bruised knee look that bad? Lance was on the floor for a while and winced in pain A LOT. I have no sports medicine experience, so I have no idea how bad a bruised knee can be. Due to Lance's reaction, and I hate to be the pessimist, but I would have thought it to be much more serious, like an ACL or MCL.

Absolutely. In fact, a bruised kneed could be much more painful than an ACL tear, to be honest.

M B Walker
02-10-2010, 11:35 PM
K just said in the post game presser that it "is not a minor injury" or something very much like that. He went on to say he did NOT think it was an ACL but that it did appear somewhat serious :(

To follow up, K also said that if Lance is out, Duke would probably play some with Singler at the 4 and Andre as the third guard. He was very complimentary of Andre's play (saying he played good defense) and also singled out Mason for praise, commenting on how many minutes he played and how well, and that he would probably do that more if Lance can't play.

Even though K said it would be 24 hours before he would know Lance's status, the fact that he was talking about playing without him suggests K's already figuring Lance won't be back for a while. I think it was also notable that K brought all this up on his own, not in response to a direct question about Lance's status.

DevilHorns
02-10-2010, 11:36 PM
In most instances, they won't do an MRI until the swelling is down a little, not immediately.

I think the concern is that the knee flexed laterally when Drew hit him. MCL maybe? That's a complete guess.

Definitely. An MRI like this is no urgent matter. It can be done in the morning for a layperson, but this is Lance Thomas baby! Im not sure how fast they can be on imaging for an athlete.

My impression is that it would be difficult to cause a ligament tear with very little to no rotation. A direct impact is more indicative of a deep and severe bruise. Did he rotate his knee though? Would have to see the replay.

Jumbo
02-10-2010, 11:36 PM
Absolutely. In fact, a bruised kneed could be much more painful than an ACL tear, to be honest.

Right. But (and this is pure speculation), I don't think K would say that it was serious if it weren't a potential season-ender. Guess I should just shut up and wait, since I have no clue what's going on.

BlueintheFace
02-10-2010, 11:38 PM
Ryan and Andre, in to fire you go

DevilHorns
02-10-2010, 11:40 PM
Right. But (and this is pure speculation), I don't think K would say that it was serious if it weren't a potential season-ender. Guess I should just shut up and wait, since I have no clue what's going on.

very wise. as you always are. sigh. lets hope for the best.

got to say something though, lance always gives his A+ effort, and it will be something as a duke fan that i will always treasure. i remember during the smackdown last year against clemson when lance got a late rebound and took it back up with authority (realize we are down by +20 pts at this point). the rest of the team looked lost in a daze, he was still focused. he always shows so much heart.

Philadukie
02-10-2010, 11:43 PM
Lance gives everything he has to this team and Duke Basketball.

Let's all hope for the best.

pamtar
02-10-2010, 11:46 PM
Ive blown a knee out and I've also fallen into a rail wakeskating at 25mph and gotten a "deep bruise." I was scared to look at my leg after the deep bruise. It was by far the worst pain of my life. I hit the rail again two days later though, so hopefully Lance will be back in action soon!

coldriver10
02-10-2010, 11:54 PM
I agree with the majority here. My guess would be deep bruise, which can be tremendously painful and have some morbidity associated with it (development of an effusion that needs draining, for example), but compared to a ligament tear it's a walk in the park. Seeing the replay I'm not too worried about his ACL, but his MCL definitely could have been affected.

Hope you're okay, Lance! We need you!

CameronBornAndBred
02-10-2010, 11:55 PM
Best wishes Lance..I think the game would have been in hand long before the three minute mark if we had his defense in there for the second half.

DU82
02-10-2010, 11:57 PM
Absolutely. In fact, a bruised kneed could be much more painful than an ACL tear, to be honest.

From experience (unfortunately) that's absolutely true. Other than the initial shock, it's didn't hurt that much after hearing (or feeling) the ACL pop (not that I knew it was the ACL at the time.) I felt almost good enough to go back into the game. The next day, however, the knee was about twice the size, hurt like Chapel Hill, and I could barely move.

flyingdutchdevil
02-11-2010, 12:00 AM
An impact injury is going to be serious in the sense that it's going to swell up and keep the player from putting any weight on it for several days. So I'd be worried about that as a coach as well. It can also cause some nagging pains even after you can run on it.

That said, the healing time is dramatically faster. I'm hoping it's that until I hear otherwise.

Thanks for the response. Hope it's a deep bruise, then. If it is, LT can certainly take the pain. He's a beast.

Son of Jarhead
02-11-2010, 12:05 AM
Here's to the news being better than anyone could hope for. I've really loved the way this kid has been playing & leading. Get healthy soon, Lance.

arydolphin
02-11-2010, 12:15 AM
In terms of an MRI, it would be nice if the swelling went down, but it's not a necessity before getting the MRI. I said this in the chat during the game, Lance will probably get an MRI at some point tomorrow. I would assume that there would be some type of update on his status prior to the Maryland game on Saturday. The Duke staff will know the extent of the injury; whether they reveal it to the rest of us remains to be seen. Usually they will disclose an injury that is going to keep a player out for a few weeks (like Mason Plumlee's wrist injury earlier this year), but won't reveal details on injuries that guys can play with (like Kyle's wrist).

A dislocated patella would have been a pretty serious injury, but also would have probably been able to be seen on the court. K said in his post-game comments that he doesn't think it's an ACL, he's probably basing it on the fact that the trainer can do an exam on Lance's knee that focuses on the stability of the ACL. He could just have a simple contusion to the knee, but the way that K was talking after the game, I'd be surprised if there wasn't some ligament damage going on with Lance.

CameronBornAndBred
02-11-2010, 12:18 AM
From K...and talking about the possibility of not having LT, and how Andre filled in.

“Andre gave us good minutes,” Krzyzewski said. “. . .If Lance is out, it’s probably one of the looks we’ll have, with Kyle at the four.”

This article from the N&O does a good job of breaking down some of K's decisions, and how they worked out, including how he found the silver lining in Lance's absence.
http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/duke/story/332117.html

Dukeface88
02-11-2010, 12:27 AM
A girl in my dorm was around when the team got back; Lance was on crutches. According to her, K said Lance will be out for "a while", and while he didn't mention what it was, he did say it was NOT an ACL injury.

BlueintheFace
02-11-2010, 12:30 AM
"MRI Tomorrow"

... that's all we will get tonight.

DevilHorns
02-11-2010, 12:32 AM
To see any definitive structural damage to the knee they need an MRI. He hasnt had that done yet. But there are definitely physical exam maneuvers that can be employed to check the status of different knee ligaments. If K says the ACL looks fine, that makes me feel pretty secure. Hopefully we are dealing with a deep patellar bruise.

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 12:32 AM
A girl in my dorm was around when the team got back; Lance was on crutches. According to her, K said Lance will be out for "a while", and while he didn't mention what it was, he did say it was NOT an ACL injury.

I guess it all comes down to what "a while" means. I guess I'm inclined to assume the worst, as I've basically been treating this as a season-ender in my mind since he went down. Anything less -- anything that enables him to return at some point this season -- will be absolutely fine with me. Come on, Lance, let it not be too serious!

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 12:34 AM
To see any definitive structural damage to the knee they need an MRI. He hasnt had that done yet. But there are definitely physical exam maneuvers that can be employed to check the status of different knee ligaments. If K says the ACL looks fine, that makes me feel pretty secure. Hopefully we are dealing with a deep patellar bruise.

Would a deep bruise like that be something a coach/trainer would deem "serious?" I know athletes have missed significant stretches of time with those deep bruises, but from K's comments, he seemed particularly concerned ...

BlueintheFace
02-11-2010, 12:38 AM
I would hate for this to be the way his Duke career ended. I would just hate it.

DevilHorns
02-11-2010, 12:41 AM
Would a deep bruise like that be something a coach/trainer would deem "serious?" I know athletes have missed significant stretches of time with those deep bruises, but from K's comments, he seemed particularly concerned ...

From what I understand, a deep bone bruise can sometimes take a few months to heal completely as a worst case scenario.

I believe Carmelo had a deep knee bruise this year?

HateCarolina
02-11-2010, 12:44 AM
I'll be praying to the B-Ball gods that LT recovers quickly b/c he is bringing it every game this year and we need him!!!

:confused:

loldevilz
02-11-2010, 12:48 AM
Lance is a warrior. I have been so impressed by his constant effort and leadership this year. Even if he is out I know he will still be a leader on the bench. Its a real shame, however, that so much experience will be lost, not only in games but in practices. Other players will have to step up to fill his void.

BD80
02-11-2010, 12:49 AM
"Dammit Jim, I'm a basketball coach, not a doctor!"

This is Duke University for goodness sakes, site of one of the best medical facilities on the planet, and home of an elite biomedical research facility.

You're telling me we haven't invented the Star Trek tricorder yet?

We at least have sensors implanted in the players for instant biofeedback; no?

At least we have a coach with bionic hips :)

FishStick
02-11-2010, 12:50 AM
At the game tonight some UNC fans behind me were yelling that they should break Lance's other leg when he was down on the floor. I turned to them and said "real classy guys" which at least shut them up for the rest of the game. Here's wishing the best to Lance for a quick recovery - he definitely looked in a lot of pain.

Andre Buckner Fan
02-11-2010, 12:54 AM
At the game tonight some UNC fans behind me were yelling that they should break Lance's other leg when he was down on the floor. I turned to them and said "real classy guys" which at least shut them up for the rest of the game. Here's wishing the best to Lance for a quick recovery - he definitely looked in a lot of pain.


That's why they call it the University of No Class.

DevilHorns
02-11-2010, 12:55 AM
At the game tonight some UNC fans behind me were yelling that they should break Lance's other leg when he was down on the floor. I turned to them and said "real classy guys" which at least shut them up for the rest of the game. Here's wishing the best to Lance for a quick recovery - he definitely looked in a lot of pain.

First off, incredibly jealous that you got to the game.

2nd, I haven't ever met a UNC fan that is as classless as you say. Im guessing they were students? sad, but have to say that there are fans like this everywhere, even on our side.

PumpkinFunk
02-11-2010, 01:05 AM
I was at Cameron to greet the team after they got back. Coach K said that it's not a torn ACL, but he's out for a few games. The MRI is at 7 AM tomorrow so we'll know more then.

FishStick
02-11-2010, 01:06 AM
First off, incredibly jealous that you got to the game.

2nd, I haven't ever met a UNC fan that is as classless as you say. Im guessing they were students? sad, but have to say that there are fans like this everywhere, even on our side.

Nope, not students. 50-60 year old men wearing all smurf blue. I've gone to many, many games at the Dean Dome and I can definitely say that I've always been frustrated at the lack of class expressed by a few fans without any other fans voicing disapproval. I'm sure the students are better and at least more informed (although they chanted "rat rat rat" as Coach K left the court). I actually started my life as a UNC fan and changed when I realized how spoiled and ignorant the fans were - every call against UNC was the wrong call, and when UNC was losing they were the quickest to leave rather than stay and support the team; it was clearly more important to escape the crowds (tonight included).

CameronBornAndBred
02-11-2010, 01:06 AM
First off, incredibly jealous that you got to the game.

2nd, I haven't ever met a UNC fan that is as classless as you say. Im guessing they were students? sad, but have to say that there are fans like this everywhere, even on our side.
I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt, and assume they were caught up in the moment. That being said...the applause was audibly light when Lance was finally helped off the court.

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 01:09 AM
I was at Cameron to greet the team after they got back. Coach K said that it's not a torn ACL, but he's out for a few games. The MRI is at 7 AM tomorrow so we'll know more then.

Was there any sense that he could be out for the season?

gep
02-11-2010, 01:17 AM
After all that Lance has been through, I really hope that Lance can get back on the court soon. But as others have posted, he will not stop being the leader he is, whether on or off the court. Who knows... we might have our own "Willis Reed moment"...

BlueintheFace
02-11-2010, 01:25 AM
On Crutches. No pressure on the leg at all. Best Case scenario at this point seems to be partial tear for 3-4 weeks out. I believe that is the staff's hope right now. It's not just a bruise. Something aint right.

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 01:35 AM
On Crutches. No pressure on the leg at all. Best Case scenario at this point seems to be partial tear for 3-4 weeks out. I believe that is the staff's hope right now. It's not just a bruise. Something aint right.

On what are you basing the part about the staff hoping it's just a partial tear of some part f the knee and that it's not a bruise? (FYI, a bad bone bruise can keep someone out a long time and keep someone from being able to put any pressure on the leg.)

Starter
02-11-2010, 01:42 AM
On what are you basing the part about the staff hoping it's just a partial tear of some part f the knee and that it's not a bruise? (FYI, a bad bone bruise can keep someone out a long time and keep someone from being able to put any pressure on the leg.)

I'm with you, I think it's a bone bruise, or maybe just a bad sprain. Granted, I'm no doctor -- though I do play one at parties -- but I feel like a straight-up knee-on-knee collision probably wouldn't tear anything most of the time. It's not like someone fell into him from the side, where you'd be pretty certain it's an ACL tear. I watched a remarkably similar play live when St. Pat's Michael Gilchrist banged knees with someone, and it turned out to be a sprain that cost him a couple weeks. Let's hope that's the worst possible extent of it, and as long as he's back by the ACC's, I'm fine with that. I'm not ruling out something terrible, but it seems unlikely to me.

Greg_Newton
02-11-2010, 02:02 AM
On Crutches. No pressure on the leg at all. Best Case scenario at this point seems to be partial tear for 3-4 weeks out. I believe that is the staff's hope right now. It's not just a bruise. Something aint right.

I would be shocked if he was putting pressure on his leg and/or not on crutches tonight, even with a bruise... I'm still holding out hope. I would also just hate to see Lance's career end like this, just when he's really starting to blossom and become an integral part of the team.

In an attempt to think positive... if it's not a season ender (knock on wood, etc.), I would think Lance could get back into peak form relatively quickly when he returns, since he's such a warrior and doesn't rely on superior athleticism to be effective anyway.

Also, I could see this setback having a silver lining a la 2001 if Lance can heal in a few weeks... our young big guys will have to carry the load for the foreseeable future without the knowledge that 2 experienced seniors can come in and bail them out if they play foolishly... hopefully they will rise to the challenge, and Lance will return by tournament time. We can only hope...

heyman25
02-11-2010, 05:58 AM
Here is a observation about 3 levels of MCL injuries. None are good, but if its level 1 Lance could be back soon. If its 3 not good for a return unless its about the third week in March and the healing goes well.

http://orthopedics.about.com/cs/kneeinjuries/a/mclinjury.htm

flyingdutchdevil
02-11-2010, 06:10 AM
Ignorant question #2: it seems that knee injuries are the worst kind in sports. Can someone, briefly please (:)), explain the different types? Bruise, deep bruise, ACL tear, MCL tear, anything esle? I think it would be great for us non-doctors and out-of-the-loop fans to understand the severity of each type of injury. Thanks in advance!!

RockLobster
02-11-2010, 06:27 AM
At the game tonight some UNC fans behind me were yelling that they should break Lance's other leg when he was down on the floor. I turned to them and said "real classy guys" which at least shut them up for the rest of the game. Here's wishing the best to Lance for a quick recovery - he definitely looked in a lot of pain.

Ugh...one of the reasons I can't stand the majority of their fan base, and their teams.

However, I will say, on TV, MOST of the Dean Dome applauded when Lance left the court, including when he walked right by the student section.

oldnavy
02-11-2010, 06:56 AM
he will receive the best medical care available. And Duke's track record on getting players back on the court is pretty darn good, so if there is the potential for intraseason rehab and return, he is at the right place to make it happen.

coldriver10
02-11-2010, 08:18 AM
Ignorant question #2: it seems that knee injuries are the worst kind in sports. Can someone, briefly please (:)), explain the different types? Bruise, deep bruise, ACL tear, MCL tear, anything esle? I think it would be great for us non-doctors and out-of-the-loop fans to understand the severity of each type of injury. Thanks in advance!!
A bruise is like any other bruise, associated with some tissue bleeding and swelling. But a bad bruise can be incredibly painful, especially in such a sensitive area as the knee. They can cause effusions (fluid to collect in the joint space) or hematomas (local collections of blood) and may need to be drained.

You most often hear about ACL tears. The ACL is the ligament that connects the femur to the tibia (shin bone) at the front of the knee and is usually injured on rotational injuries or with significant frontal impact (ala Willis McGahee). Rehab of a torn ACL can last a year. The MCL is at the inside aspect of the knee and isn't as bad as an ACL tear. Depending on the type of injury, people can be back within a a week or two (for a sprain) or a few months. The LCL is at the outside of the knee. The PCL is like the ACL only at the back of the knee. These last two are rarely injured without other ligaments being torn.

Other knee injuries including tearing the meniscus (medial or lateral), which is cartilage that is found in the knee that provides support and cushioning to the joint. You'll usually see medial meniscus injuries along with ACL and MCL tears.

Did that answer your question?

Matches
02-11-2010, 08:23 AM
Hopefully it will not be a season-ender. Lance has really worked his butt off over the last four years to become a big contributor. Though he's not a big scorer his presence on the court is very valuable, and we will be a lesser team without him. I'd hate to see his college career end with an injury.

flyingdutchdevil
02-11-2010, 08:26 AM
A bruise is like any other bruise, associated with some tissue bleeding and swelling. But a bad bruise can be incredibly painful, especially in such a sensitive area as the knee. They can cause effusions (fluid to collect in the joint space) or hematomas (local collections of blood) and may need to be drained.

You most often hear about ACL tears. The ACL is the ligament that connects the femur to the tibia (shin bone) at the front of the knee and is usually injured on rotational injuries or with significant frontal impact (ala Willis McGahee). Rehab of a torn ACL can last a year. The MCL is at the inside aspect of the knee and isn't as bad as an ACL tear. Depending on the type of injury, people can be back within a a week or two (for a sprain) or a few months. The LCL is at the outside of the knee. The PCL is like the ACL only at the back of the knee. These last two are rarely injured without other ligaments being torn.

Other knee injuries including tearing the meniscus (medial or lateral), which is cartilage that is found in the knee that provides support and cushioning to the joint. You'll usually see medial meniscus injuries along with ACL and MCL tears.

Did that answer your question?

Absolutely! Thanks for that. Gotta love the smart folks on DBR!

coldriver10
02-11-2010, 08:43 AM
Absolutely! Thanks for that. Gotta love the smart folks on DBR!
haha, no no, it's not intellect. I just pay a lot of money to get people to teach me that :p

theAlaskanBear
02-11-2010, 08:59 AM
Any updates on Lance?? Someone let us know as soon as something is heard!!!

Praying for the best.

lpd1982
02-11-2010, 09:22 AM
Not a report but if we're looking for any rays of hope, check out Duke Blue Planet's latest video which includes a whole segment on the team working out. Lance is the baddest Devil in the weight room and benched his personal best last week of 300. Zoubs leads the intro that says Lance is the team beast. Lets hope all that conditioning serves as protection and helps in faster healing.

lmb
02-11-2010, 09:23 AM
Wishful thinking, but I hope he can be back for the next Carolina game. I would hate for a guy like that to miss his final game in Cameron. He deserves that experience.

Bluedog
02-11-2010, 09:36 AM
Goodman says:

"Lance Thomas walked out of arena on crutches; However, initial thought from Duke camp is that it's not a season-ending injury."

http://twitter.com/GoodmanOnFox

trinity79
02-11-2010, 10:08 AM
but what about the possibility of patellar (sp) fracture?

SupaDave
02-11-2010, 10:10 AM
but what about the possibility of patellar (sp) fracture?

I'm no doctor but they were definitely not playing with the knee cap.

mehmattski
02-11-2010, 10:53 AM
Ugh...one of the reasons I can't stand the majority of their fan base, and their teams.

However, I will say, on TV, MOST of the Dean Dome applauded when Lance left the court, including when he walked right by the student section.

Yes. I wandered onto this thread to point out quite the opposite of the earlier poster. I was not at the game, but judging by the TV, the arena as a whole showed a rather respectful silence to Thomas' injury, and then applause when they brought him to his feet.

Compare to, say, Maryland, whose fans chanted "F**k You Scheyer" (I think it was Scheyer?) when he got injured at their place last year. There are certainly numskulls among the light blue faithful, but the overall level of class is still above that of a stadium full of Maryland fans.

devildeac
02-11-2010, 10:56 AM
A friend of mine heard Coach Collins on 620 this AM and he did not think LT would be out long. Any one else listening to that today?

BlueintheFace
02-11-2010, 11:11 AM
On what are you basing the part about the staff hoping it's just a partial tear of some part f the knee and that it's not a bruise? (FYI, a bad bone bruise can keep someone out a long time and keep someone from being able to put any pressure on the leg.)

information from a student. However, perhaps I should have been more judicious with my words. I believe the staff FEARS it is much worse than a bone bruise and the impression from that student is that the staff would be relieved to hear that it is only a minor/partial tear that would not end his season, given the pain and range of movement. It could still very well be a bone bruise, but that prognosis would seem to surpass expectations at this point. I have no inside information from the actual staff. Only second-hand.

I'd like to emphasize though, that the day after is the one that counts and a deep bone bruise is not out of the question.

-bdbd
02-11-2010, 11:25 AM
Yes. I wandered onto this thread to point out quite the opposite of the earlier poster. I was not at the game, but judging by the TV, the arena as a whole showed a rather respectful silence to Thomas' injury, and then applause when they brought him to his feet.

Compare to, say, Maryland, whose fans chanted "F**k You Scheyer" (I think it was Scheyer?) when he got injured at their place last year. There are certainly numskulls among the light blue faithful, but the overall level of class is still above that of a stadium full of Maryland fans.

I was at the game last year that Duke played at MD. One event really struck me. In what was, to that point, a tough but clean and close game, Smith was guarding their PG bringing the ball up after a made Duke basket. As they cut diagonally across the Duke key one of the big, burly (6'8" apx 235 lbs) MD forwards set a very tough (some would say nasty - leaning in, leading with forearms) pick that knocked Smith out cold. He lay prone on the floor while play contined for over 30 seconds at the other end, with MD on offense, not moving much. Eventually the Duke staff was allowed to come on and attend to him. It was still another 5+ minutes that he was on the floor. I think the diagnosis eventually was some sort of concussion. Here's the thing: Comcast has a huge jumbo-tron above the court. During the game it is constantly showing replays of good Terp plays, or close calls that go against them. As Smith lay on the court being attended to, the MD student section began loudly chanting "Re-play! Re-play! Re-play!" while looking up at the jumbotron. I just looked at my host, a Diamondback Club big donor, and he simply sighed, shook his head, and looked down.

So, yes, the MD students/fans can and frequently are incredibly crass. But we all knew that already anyway. :(

But do give credit (to the Dome fans) where credit was due last night. (Funny, growing up, you just expected that "class" as a simple, basic courtesy. Apparently not so anymore.

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 11:30 AM
I was at the game last year that Duke played at MD. One event really struck me. In what was, to that point, a tough by clean and close game, Smith was guarding their PG bringing the ball up after a made Duke basket. As they cut diagonally across the Duke key one of the big, burly (6'8" apx 235 lbs) MD forwards set a very tough (some would say nasty - leaning in, leading with forearms) pick that knocked Smith out cold. He lay prone on the floor while play contined for over 30 seconds at the other end, not moving much. Eventually the Duke staff was allowed to come on and attend to him. It was still another 5+ minutes that he was on the floor. I think the diagnosis eventually was some sort of concussion. Here's the thing: Comcast has a huge jubo-tron above the court. During the game it is constantly showing replays of good Terp plays, or close calls that go against them. As Smith lay on the court being attended to, the MD student section began loudly chanting "Re-play! Re-play! Re-play!" while looking up at the jumbotron. I just looked at my host, a Diamondback Club big donor, and he simply sighed, shook his head, and looked down.

So, yes, the MD students/fans can and frequently are incredibly crass. But we all knew that already anyway. :(

Yeah, that was Dave Neal who set the screen. And Nolan missed a few games with the resulting concussion. And then G dunked on the Terps out of the timeout and it was goodnight for Maryland.

Devil07
02-11-2010, 11:50 AM
Yeah, that was Dave Neal who set the screen. And Nolan missed a few games with the resulting concussion. And then G dunked on the Terps out of the timeout and it was goodnight for Maryland.

I remember that dunk very well - it may have been my favorite moment of the entire season. The passion G had after watching Nolan go down was just amazing to watch as a fan. And of course, the dunk wasn't too shabby either ;) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckLHEUkNOgE

jimsumner
02-11-2010, 11:52 AM
OFFICIAL UPDATE

"Senior Lance Thomas suffered a severe bone bruise to his right knee early in the second half of Wednesday’s game against North Carolina. He is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Maryland."

Could have been worse. A lot worse.

91_92_01_10_15
02-11-2010, 11:53 AM
OFFICIAL UPDATE

"Senior Lance Thomas suffered a severe bone bruise to his right knee early in the second half of Wednesday’s game against North Carolina. He is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Maryland."

Could have been worse. A lot worse.

Thanks for the scoop, Jim. Get better soon, Lance!

superdave
02-11-2010, 11:55 AM
This can force the brothers Plum to step up.

BlueDevilCorvette!
02-11-2010, 11:56 AM
That Henderson dunk against Maryland is my favorite of all-time. It was a spot on response to what happen to Nolan on the previous play..."that's the way to have your teammates' back!"

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 11:56 AM
OFFICIAL UPDATE

"Senior Lance Thomas suffered a severe bone bruise to his right knee early in the second half of Wednesday’s game against North Carolina. He is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Maryland."

Could have been worse. A lot worse.

Giant sigh of relief. Rest up Lance. Take your time. Get healthy. The guys will take care of you in the meantime.

Devil07
02-11-2010, 11:57 AM
All things considered, I'm just happy that nothing is fractured or torn. Is there a usual timeline for a recovery from something like this or is it just completely varied depending on the player and the bruise?

91_92_01_10_15
02-11-2010, 11:58 AM
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/index.jsp?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3AInjury+PreventionForum%3A67 8106477Discussion%3A4791067184

Sounds like it may take a long time for it to heal completely, but others' doctors have recommended that they stay active during the healing process.

My guess is that Lance will be fighting to get on the court Saturday.

ChicagoCrazy84
02-11-2010, 11:59 AM
I have no inside knowledge, but I am guessing Lance will be back by the beginning of March. He probably sprained his MCL or something. I have done anything and everything to my right knee since my junior year of college in 2004. I tore my ACL then, got it repaired, re-tore it in 2006 along with my meniscus. I got my meniscus tear removed (didn't feel like going through another ACL reconstruction at the time) and I was back on the treadmill in 2 weeks. As long as the tear in the MCL is small, it is really no big deal. I think many football players have actually played with MCL tears. I am currently scheduled for my 2nd ACL surgery March 14th along with a small microfracture operation to re-build some cartilage. It's gonna be fun!!

Good luck to Lance though! Let's hope he doesn't have to go under the knife at all and he'll only miss a few games!

watzone
02-11-2010, 12:01 PM
And the official word on Lance is - http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/02/lance-thomas-injury-update-severe-bone-bruise/

Not as bad as many thought.

oldnavy
02-11-2010, 12:01 PM
Sweet! Go LT!! Get well soon!

CDu
02-11-2010, 12:02 PM
OFFICIAL UPDATE

"Senior Lance Thomas suffered a severe bone bruise to his right knee early in the second half of Wednesday’s game against North Carolina. He is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Maryland."

Could have been worse. A lot worse.

That's about as good news as could be reasonably hoped for given the situation! With home games (albeit tough ones) against Maryland and VT, a road game against Miami, and then a home game against Tulsa, this isn't the worst time in the schedule for Thomas to miss a few games. If anything, maybe it's a blessing in disguise if Mason/Dawkins/Kelly can take advantage of the added playing time.

I'm just glad that it doesn't sound season threatening. I'd feel very bad for Thomas if his season ended so soon. Hopefully he gets well soon and hopefully we can use this as an opportunity to build the team.

91_92_01_10_15
02-11-2010, 12:03 PM
http://www.runnersworld.com/community/forums/index.jsp?plckForumPage=ForumDiscussion&plckDiscussionId=Cat%3AInjury+PreventionForum%3A67 8106477Discussion%3A4791067184

Sounds like it may take a long time for it to heal completely, but others' doctors have recommended that they stay active during the healing process.

My guess is that Lance will be fighting to get on the court Saturday.

A better link:

http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/02/knee-bone-bruise-treatment-diagnosis/

ChicagoCrazy84
02-11-2010, 12:03 PM
OFFICIAL UPDATE

"Senior Lance Thomas suffered a severe bone bruise to his right knee early in the second half of Wednesday’s game against North Carolina. He is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Maryland."

Could have been worse. A lot worse.


Even better! Thanks for the update.

Rest up Lance! We'll take care of Maryland while you're on the mend.

Remember R.I.C.E!!

Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

:D

Battierfan01
02-11-2010, 12:04 PM
WOW, a HUGE sigh of relief!! Get well LT and get back on the court where you belong.

MChambers
02-11-2010, 12:11 PM
OFFICIAL UPDATE

"Senior Lance Thomas suffered a severe bone bruise to his right knee early in the second half of Wednesday’s game against North Carolina. He is doubtful for Saturday’s game with Maryland."

Could have been worse. A lot worse.

Thanks for the official news, Jim. That's about as good as we could have hoped.

I hope he doesn't play Saturday, both for his health and because I think we can match up okay with Maryland inside without him. He'll be missed somewhat on Milbourne, but it will be a good experience for our other bigs.

BlueintheFace
02-11-2010, 12:11 PM
Thank God.... we will really really miss him against Gary's Flex though.

Lord Ash
02-11-2010, 12:12 PM
If anything, maybe it's a blessing in disguise if Mason/Dawkins/Kelly can take advantage of the added playing time.



I agree with this entirely. While I certainly want to win games, this is not a bad time to force a little Ryan Kelly/Andre Dawkins/Plumlee time... they get used to playing a bit more and get a chance to play a bit, and when Thomas comes back they have had that extra experience.

lpd1982
02-11-2010, 12:16 PM
Thank God. Could have been so much worse. Count me in with the folks who think Lance is a major contributor. Like Coach K has said numerous times this season, Lance contributes in so many ways that don't show up in a stat sheet and in a way that those who dont know what they are looking at cant see. We would not want to go the rest of the season without Lance. That said, I thought the bench stepped up big time and brought it home for us. Good confidence builder for them.

OldSchool
02-11-2010, 12:21 PM
Could have been a lot worse.

I hope Lance listens to his doctors and trainers and doesn't try to overdo it and play on it before the joint has had a chance to heal. We're going to need Lance at 100% for the big dance if we want to go far.

He'll need to figure out a way to keep in conditioning for the next couple of weeks - maybe his doctors will let him hit the pool for laps.

RoyalBlue08
02-11-2010, 12:26 PM
This is great news. I would have hated to have Lance's Duke career to end like this. I'm sure he will have top notch treatment and rehab and be back in no time. We are going to need all hands on deck to make a deep run in March!

SilkyJ
02-11-2010, 12:42 PM
And the official word on Lance is - http://bluedevilnation.net/2010/02/lance-thomas-injury-update-severe-bone-bruise/

Not as bad as many thought.

Thanks, Wat. This thread was a waste until this post.

Would be great to have him for the MD game since its for 1st place in the conference, but I'll take him being back in a week two.

Billy Dat
02-11-2010, 12:45 PM
As long as Lance is able to come all the way back, or at least a large percentage of the way back, I, too, think this is a unique and well timed opportunity for MP1 and MP2 to get better. There will be 24 extra minutes to split up between the bigs and I am curious to see if the knowledge that they will be seeing more PT will relax them. Mason, especially, has the potential to be a real offensive weapon and those extra minutes will help him find that aspect of his game - like last night. Let's hope the D doesn't suffer too much as a result.

jipops
02-11-2010, 12:49 PM
This is a huge relief. I could see him sitting out the next couple games and bring him back on the 21st for the VTech game. After 10 days I would think he'd have full range of motion back by then. Just a guess here, ofcourse I guessed it was just a bone bruise last night so hopefully I can keep this successful guessing streak going.

For anyone who has been whacked square in the knee, it is an extremely painful event. But of all the possible injuries that can happen to a knee, this is one of the best of the scenarios.

arnie
02-11-2010, 12:50 PM
Great news for Thomas, and this injury should give Mason a lot of minutes to feel the flow of the game. Hope he's able to finally finish inside numerous times on Saturday.

jipops
02-11-2010, 12:52 PM
If anything, maybe it's a blessing in disguise if Mason/Dawkins/Kelly can take advantage of the added playing time.


Seems like Mason has been gaining a lot of confidence lately and seems to be a little more with it on the floor. This is the perfect time to capitalize on this development. The fact that K singled out Andre's good defensive play in the post game could be telling as well.

91_92_01_10_15
02-11-2010, 12:55 PM
Thanks, Wat. This thread was a waste until this post.



Guess you missed post #73. Thanks, Jim!

SoCalDukeFan
02-11-2010, 12:58 PM
That's about as good news as could be reasonably hoped for given the situation! With home games (albeit tough ones) against Maryland and VT, a road game against Miami, and then a home game against Tulsa, this isn't the worst time in the schedule for Thomas to miss a few games. If anything, maybe it's a blessing in disguise if Mason/Dawkins/Kelly can take advantage of the added playing time.

I'm just glad that it doesn't sound season threatening. I'd feel very bad for Thomas if his season ended so soon. Hopefully he gets well soon and hopefully we can use this as an opportunity to build the team.

I agree that it is a blessing that Lance's injury is not as bad as was feared and am happy for him and the team that his season is not over.

I have a big problem with the ideas that forcing Lance to miss a game or two is a "blessing in disguise" as it gives other players more playing time. If that were the case then maybe coaches should have one starter just sit out each game and rotate the player to not play. Of course the team would play at full strength in the tournament. I think any coach who tried that would be laughed at.

Lance - get well quick.

SoCal

grossbus
02-11-2010, 01:20 PM
someone called the bruise last night. :D

DUKIE V(A)
02-11-2010, 01:58 PM
I agree that it is a blessing that Lance's injury is not as bad as was feared and am happy for him and the team that his season is not over.

I have a big problem with the ideas that forcing Lance to miss a game or two is a "blessing in disguise" as it gives other players more playing time. If that were the case then maybe coaches should have one starter just sit out each game and rotate the player to not play. Of course the team would play at full strength in the tournament. I think any coach who tried that would be laughed at.

Lance - get well quick.

SoCal

Huge LT fan and supporter. Thrilled to hear LT will be back this season as he is an important component to the team. No one wants anyone hurt, but in the end it may help us by forcing Dawkins, Mason, Miles, and Kelly to step up even more. They will all have have a great opportunity and I think some of the pressure to perform will actually be lower (as they all know they are going to play more whether or not they are playing their best). Also, Zoubs needs to find a way to stay in the game.

When Boozer got hurt, Sanders and Love became valuable components to our ACC and NCAA championship runs. Lost in that I think was Dunleavy stepping up bigtime as a rebounder. Hopefully, our guys will each step up in his own way.

It seems that Coach K is pulling a lot of the right strings lately.

Dawkins -- Took the pressure off of him as a scorer by complimenting his D and big rebound last night. Dawkins likely just needs a couple shots to drop and then he will be ready to be a key scorer down the stretch. His confidence is key. Coach K's comment just gave Andre permission to focus on D and rebounding and not worry so much about offense. Nice move. Yet in the previous game Coach K also communicated his confidence in Andre's shooting by putting him in at the end of the BC game.

Mason -- Coach K knows how good Mason is, but required him to focus on his decision making by taking him out late in the BC game. Mason played a smart and very good game last night. His pump fakes were beautiful and he was able to maintain his aggression while playing within himself. In the heat of the battle, Mason seemed very composed last night.

Miles -- Coach K is taking him out early when his D is not there. I thought Miles responded with a solid second half last night. Hope he can build on it. Love his offensive game. Lots of potential.

Kelly -- Played him at the end of the BC game and he delivered a key foul shot and solid D. I have been watching Ryan closely and he really knows how to play the game. He is very much a team guy of offense and defense. We are lucky to have him. He is going to be a solid scorer before his time in Durham ends.

Can't wait for LT to come back, but this is a great opportunity for our other guys to develop so that when Lance comes back we will be that much stronger.

duke4life32182
02-11-2010, 02:02 PM
I was thinking the same thing. Never want to see anyone get hurt, but now we have to ask some other guys to step up. This may be our blessing in the sky.

greybeard
02-11-2010, 02:31 PM
Seeing a good osteopath couldn't hurt. They are expert at noninvasive, gentle procedures that help bring the joint and connective tissue into a relaxed alignment which facilitates the elimination of swelling and improves blood flow, while eliminating continued strain on connective tissue, all of which allows smoother movement in the joint as healing occurs so as not to continue minor bruising that will occur even in an immobilized knee (nothing's ever completely immobile). Of equal importance, visits to a D.O. will keep the rest of the body from getting completely out of whack while Lance navigates around with a bum wing.

Will the Duke doctors necessarily send him to a good D.C. for such treatment? Some MD's understand and respect the help that a good D.O. can provide and know who to contact, and some don't.

I should also think that the physical therapist at the University's hospital who is a Feldenkrais practitioner, is she knows what she is doing in the latter capacity, could be extremely valuable in similar ways.

Hope he gets well enough to play soon.

jpfrizzle
02-11-2010, 03:00 PM
Get better soon, Lance!

SilkyJ
02-11-2010, 03:05 PM
Guess you missed post #73. Thanks, Jim!

Oops, sorry Jim! Guess I got lazy after filtering through 3.5 pages of no new and skipped that last half page...

HateCarolina
02-11-2010, 03:25 PM
Here's to hoping Lance is able to get better in time for the last game against Crapolina in Durham!!

georg004
02-11-2010, 03:31 PM
Seeing a good osteopath couldn't hurt. They are expert at noninvasive, gentle procedures that help bring the joint and connective tissue into a relaxed alignment which facilitates the elimination of swelling and improves blood flow, while eliminating continued strain on connective tissue, all of which allows smoother movement in the joint as healing occurs so as not to continue minor bruising that will occur even in an immobilized knee (nothing's ever completely immobile). Of equal importance, visits to a D.O. will keep the rest of the body from getting completely out of whack while Lance navigates around with a bum wing.

Will the Duke doctors necessarily send him to a good D.C. for such treatment? Some MD's understand and respect the help that a good D.O. can provide and know who to contact, and some don't.

I should also think that the physical therapist at the University's hospital who is a Feldenkrais practitioner, is she knows what she is doing in the latter capacity, could be extremely valuable in similar ways.

Hope he gets well enough to play soon.

Hey Greybeard,

appreciate your many fine contributions to the Board, and agree with your last sentence. Otherwise, I can't agree at all. Though I hope you will still be my friend. Will you still be my friend?

Let's let DUMC ortho, and the great therapists on their staff and the basketball program handle this. LT's in great hands.

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 04:44 PM
He'll be missed somewhat on Milbourne, but it will be a good experience for our other bigs.

I'm pretty sure he would have been on Vasquez, actually. Makes a lot of sense -- bother Vasquez with his length, don't force any of the big 3 to expend that kind of defnsive energy, etc. And Maryland plays small, so Singler could have taken Milbourne, Scheyer on Mosley, Smith on Hayes. Now, I'm guessing we'll rotate on Vasquez. Not sure whether we'll want Smith to try to pressure him (I worry about foul trouble) or if we'll be willing to ask Scheyer to use that kind of energy on D while also being our K offensive player. Tough call.

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 04:46 PM
Thanks, Wat. This thread was a waste until this post.

Would be great to have him for the MD game since its for 1st place in the conference, but I'll take him being back in a week two.

I'm pretty sure Jim Sumner had it first. And I learned a lot about knee injuries even before Lance's news finally broke, so I certainly found it beneficial. It's nice to know that you've declared it a "waste" though.

calltheobvious
02-11-2010, 04:56 PM
Hey Greybeard,

appreciate your many fine contributions to the Board, and agree with your last sentence. Otherwise, I can't agree at all. Though I hope you will still be my friend. Will you still be my friend?

Let's let DUMC ortho, and the great therapists on their staff and the basketball program handle this. LT's in great hands.

Because MDs and PTs know everything there is to know about health and healing?

Greybeard didn't argue, in the same sort of way you did, that DUMC ortho shouldn't be involved, he humbly (imo) suggested that there might be some other health practicioners whom Lance might benefit from consulting. Why so dismissive?

oldnavy
02-11-2010, 05:02 PM
I agree that it is a blessing that Lance's injury is not as bad as was feared and am happy for him and the team that his season is not over.

I have a big problem with the ideas that forcing Lance to miss a game or two is a "blessing in disguise" as it gives other players more playing time. If that were the case then maybe coaches should have one starter just sit out each game and rotate the player to not play. Of course the team would play at full strength in the tournament. I think any coach who tried that would be laughed at.

Lance - get well quick.

SoCal

I agree with you. The only way it could become a blessing would be that the other players improve adding depth and improving the team overall when LT returns.

I think it is really more of looking for a silver lining than it being a blessing.

LSanders
02-11-2010, 06:15 PM
I'm pretty sure he would have been on Vasquez, actually. Makes a lot of sense -- bother Vasquez with his length, don't force any of the big 3 to expend that kind of defnsive energy, etc. And Maryland plays small, so Singler could have taken Milbourne, Scheyer on Mosley, Smith on Hayes. Now, I'm guessing we'll rotate on Vasquez. Not sure whether we'll want Smith to try to pressure him (I worry about foul trouble) or if we'll be willing to ask Scheyer to use that kind of energy on D while also being our K offensive player. Tough call.

Couldn't agree more ... 6'6" and skills is a match-up nightmare. LT could have handled Vasquez. Not sure what I'd do. If you put Kyle on Vasquez and rotate the Plumlees on Milbourne, how big a hit do we take on Singlar's offense? I'm glad K gets to figure it out.

MChambers
02-11-2010, 06:25 PM
I'm pretty sure he would have been on Vasquez, actually. Makes a lot of sense -- bother Vasquez with his length, don't force any of the big 3 to expend that kind of defnsive energy, etc. And Maryland plays small, so Singler could have taken Milbourne, Scheyer on Mosley, Smith on Hayes. Now, I'm guessing we'll rotate on Vasquez. Not sure whether we'll want Smith to try to pressure him (I worry about foul trouble) or if we'll be willing to ask Scheyer to use that kind of energy on D while also being our K offensive player. Tough call.
I had assumed that Lance would have drawn a post. In the games I've seen,
Lance hasn't been assigned a perimeter player, but you've more games than I have. I'd guess Scheyer gets him, but we switch a lot, so it doesn't matter.

coldriver10
02-11-2010, 07:03 PM
Seeing a good osteopath couldn't hurt. They are expert at noninvasive, gentle procedures that help bring the joint and connective tissue into a relaxed alignment which facilitates the elimination of swelling and improves blood flow, while eliminating continued strain on connective tissue, all of which allows smoother movement in the joint as healing occurs so as not to continue minor bruising that will occur even in an immobilized knee (nothing's ever completely immobile). Of equal importance, visits to a D.O. will keep the rest of the body from getting completely out of whack while Lance navigates around with a bum wing.

Will the Duke doctors necessarily send him to a good D.C. for such treatment? Some MD's understand and respect the help that a good D.O. can provide and know who to contact, and some don't.

I should also think that the physical therapist at the University's hospital who is a Feldenkrais practitioner, is she knows what she is doing in the latter capacity, could be extremely valuable in similar ways.

Hope he gets well enough to play soon.
Do you mean a DC (chiropractor) or a DO (osteopath)? They're different. It sounds like you're talking about a chiropractor. I will say that people in the medical field are generally wary about chiropractors. There are some good ones out there, but there are also plenty of ones who basically weasel people out of their money by performing techniques (often weekly) and measuring lab values (I was told by one that they measure all the minerals in the body...?) whose effectiveness have not been supported by evidence-based medicine. That's why you probably won't see the ortho docs sending Lance to a chiropractor.

I want to repeat that there are certainly good chiropractors out there. But the above is generally why doctors are wary of them (bad eggs and all that).

Edit: I don't think I've ever used the word "chiropractor" so many times in a single paragraph. It just rolls off the tongue. Chiropractor.

BlueintheFace
02-11-2010, 07:17 PM
I think we will see Jon on Vasquez. Jon's offensive production might go down, but the same could be said of Nolan if he were to take on the task and with Jon, fouls are less of a concern. The net benefit is better (provided that Nolan snows up against MD).

sagegrouse
02-11-2010, 07:21 PM
I think we will see Jon on Vasquez. Jon's offensive production might go down, but the same could be said of Nolan if he were to take on the task and with Jon, fouls are less of a concern. The net benefit is better (provided that Nolan snows up against MD).

I believe Jon will take Greivis. They are close in height, and Grevis is clearly not more athletic than Jon, but probably less so.

sagegrouse

CDu
02-11-2010, 07:25 PM
I had assumed that Lance would have drawn a post. In the games I've seen,
Lance hasn't been assigned a perimeter player, but you've more games than I have. I'd guess Scheyer gets him, but we switch a lot, so it doesn't matter.

Yeah, Thomas really hasn't drawn a perimeter assignment for extended periods this year. In theory, I think Jumbo's idea is an interesting and creative one. In practice though, I think that Thomas would have guarded Milbourne primarily.

Since that's not a possibility, I suspect we'll see a rotating assignment on Vazquez. It's going to be a tough matchup because he's a very good player and his size is tricky.

I think a big key will be preventing Maryland from getting the game up-tempo. They're an extremely good team in the open floor, with Hayes and Vazquez really looking to push tempo and their other players being very willing to run run run. If we can make it a halfcourt game and keep a hand in their faces, I think we can be okay. But those are big "ifs".

Jumbo
02-11-2010, 07:34 PM
Yeah, Thomas really hasn't drawn a perimeter assignment for extended periods this year. In theory, I think Jumbo's idea is an interesting and creative one. In practice though, I think that Thomas would have guarded Milbourne primarily.

Since that's not a possibility, I suspect we'll see a rotating assignment on Vazquez. It's going to be a tough matchup because he's a very good player and his size is tricky.

I think a big key will be preventing Maryland from getting the game up-tempo. They're an extremely good team in the open floor, with Hayes and Vazquez really looking to push tempo and their other players being very willing to run run run. If we can make it a halfcourt game and keep a hand in their faces, I think we can be okay. But those are big "ifs".

I'm not idly speculating. I'm pretty darn sure Thomas was going to guard Vasquez. Duke has said all along that he'd guard the opposing team's best player -- including guards. We've just almost always played post-dominant teams this season.

CDu
02-11-2010, 07:47 PM
I'm not idly speculating. I'm pretty darn sure Thomas was going to guard Vasquez. Duke has said all along that he'd guard the opposing team's best player -- including guards. We've just almost always played post-dominant teams this season.

Well, we've already played at least a few teams whose best player was a guard or perimeter player (UConn, St John's) and Thomas wasn't primarily assigned to a perimeter guy those games. So that kind of goes against the theory that we're simply playing Thomas against the opposing team's best player. Seems more like he's been assigned to the other team's best big man.

So unless you have specific insider knowledge that he was going to guard Vazquez (certainly possible), I'm not sure I agree that this is what would have happened. It's not like Maryland's bigs are chopped liver. Milbourne is a very tough defensive assignment, and Thomas would match up quite well against him.

Regardless, it's moot now anyway (at least until we play @Maryland).

BD80
02-11-2010, 07:50 PM
This also leaves us much more vulnerable to the press, as Lance was a key figure in handling presses.

I would imagine we may see a lot of Andre as Coach K likes players he can trust with the ball. It might actually be easier for Andre to chase Vasquez for a while rather than be counted on to sag off of his man to provide defensive help.

soccerstud2210
02-11-2010, 08:49 PM
wish LT the best of recoveries! we will need him come tourney time!

this also could really be a blessing in disguise!! this will allow RK and AD and other guys more burn getting them more comfortable and more PT as the year winds down and tourney time comes around.

Go DUKE!

Indoor66
02-11-2010, 09:47 PM
wish LT the best of recoveries! we will need him come tourney time!

this also could really be a blessing in disguise!! this will allow RK and AD and other guys more burn getting them more comfortable and more PT as the year winds down and tourney time comes around.

Go DUKE!

I too wish the best for Lance.

Rather than a blessing in disguise, I think of it as an unfortunate event that may provide an opportunity that may give us some benefits that will make us a stronger team when Lance returns.

JaMarcus Russell
02-11-2010, 09:48 PM
This also leaves us much more vulnerable to the press, as Lance was a key figure in handling presses.

This is a very good point, and it shows yet another skill that Thomas brings to the team that isn't necessarily covered in the stat sheet. I suppose that Ryan Kelly or Mason Plumlee can try to take over his role because they both have decent handles (probably better than Dawkins) and Kelly is a very good passer.

However, are there any other teams left in our schedule that utilize the press nearly as much as Clemson or Georgia Tech?

MarkD83
02-11-2010, 09:52 PM
This is a very good point, and it shows yet another skill that Thomas brings to the team that isn't necessarily covered in the stat sheet. I suppose that Ryan Kelly or Mason Plumlee can try to take over his role because they both have decent handles (probably better than Dawkins) and Kelly is a very good passer.

However, are there any other teams left in our schedule that utilize the press nearly as much as Clemson or Georgia Tech?

Gary is known to throw a press in once in a while. Could we see a press on Saturday?

94duke
03-01-2010, 12:42 PM
How lucky are we that Lance has been able to play.
Luke Harangody has been out with a bone bruise to his knee since Feb 11.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4956347

91_92_01_10_15
03-01-2010, 01:03 PM
How lucky are we that Lance has been able to play.
Luke Harangody has been out with a bone bruise to his knee since Feb 11.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4956347

We are very lucky that Lance has decided to play through the pain, and that he is on our team in general.