How good is Duke?

[hurley1]

With all the crying that has been going on in here, one has to ask himself, how good is Duke ? Take Irving out of the equation entirely. With what's left, how good is Duke? I know my opinion, but, i will let someone else go first. :D

[Kedsy]

With all the crying that has been going on in here, one has to ask himself, how good is Duke ? Take Irving out of the equation entirely. With what's left, how good is Duke? I know my opinion, but, i will let someone else go first. :D

Without Kyrie, I'd guess Duke is top five, probably top three, and possibly number one. But there are so many intangibles in play, especially with the loss of our most talented player, that we're just going to have to wait and see whether they can play up to expectations for as long as Kyrie is out. I'm looking forward to the journey.

[striker219]

Two answers, dependent on time frame.

(1) Immediately following the loss of Irving (http://www.kitchenroundtable.com/i/smiley/candle.gif) I would probably say top 3, interchangeable with Kansas and Ohio State, half a step above teams like Michigan State and 'Cuse.

(2) Once the best coach in the game has had a change to reconfigure the talent that he has and establish a new game plan, I would probably say top 1, maybe a hair higher.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Just as if we had Irving, we are number one until someone beats us. (Which I think happens whether Irving is on the court or not.)

By the way, to seriously answer your question, Duke is very, very good.

[RoyalBlue08]

Without Irving, we are out of the running for best team in the last ten years. We are still very much in the running for best team this year.

[NSDukeFan]

With all the crying that has been going on in here, one has to ask himself, how good is Duke ? Take Irving out of the equation entirely. With what's left, how good is Duke? I know my opinion, but, i will let someone else go first. :D

IMO, with Irving this Duke team was the best team in the country with the potential to be a great team by the end of the year, if guys continued to improve and the coaches and players figured out the best way to mesh their talents offensively and defensively. Without Irving, this team is currently in the top 3 teams in the country with the potential to be a great team by the end of the year, if guys continue to improve and the coaches and players figure out the best way to mesh their talents offensively and defensively.
This team with or without Irving is not currently good enough to win a national championship, but if they improve as much or more than the other top teams, they have the potential to be in the mix and/or favored.

[Starter]

Personally? Despite the possibilities for gloom and doom, I'd actually be pretty surprised if Irving doesn't come back. As such, I don't even want to bother thinking about this question yet, though I don't blame others for doing so.

[dukemac]

This year's team is that good!!! Even though we lost Kyrie (hopefully temporarily), he is only a freshman with a toe problem (which I think is being over analyzed), we have the greastest college bball coach in history to make the necessary adjustments. Watch the younger guys play and develop. Watch the Plumlees, Curry, Kelly, Hairston, Dawkins, Etal. All these guys have shining moments, and there will be more moments! And, do not forget about Singler and Smith. Watch the rest of the ACC, they are average teams at best. Plus, we already beat some highly rated teams. We are going far this year! Merry Xmas and Happy Holidays! GO DUKE!!! PS- When Kyrie comes back, perhaps we should schedule some games with a few NBA teams for practice!

[camion]

With Irving I think Duke is in the top third of the top 3.

Without Irving I think Duke is in the top half of the top 10.

We have great talent. How far we go depends on how that talent develops into a team, on injuries and on luck.

[hq2]

We're probably in the top 2 or 3 teams. Remember, folks, we have two senior All Americans who won a championship last year, three sophomores who may play in the NBA, and some other pretty good players. We'll have games where we struggle on offense, and probably lose a few; I'd say no more than four, but at the end, we'll be in contention, with or without Kyrie. It's just a question of making necessary adjustments.

[UrinalCake]

Kansas and Ohio State are the only other teams that are in the conversation right now. Of course, that may change before the end of the season. I think it's a coin flip between these teams to determine which is the best (not really a coin, since it would need to have three sides, but you know what I mean).

Something that we'll have to watch as the season progresses is how Duke's team adapts itself to playing without Kyrie. If he does in fact return, will we then adapt back? There will be a real adjustment period as he works himself back into the team and gets back into playing shape. If that period happens to fall in late february or march, then the coaching staff will have some real decisions to make.

[slower]

With all the crying that has been going on in here, one has to ask himself, how good is Duke ? Take Irving out of the equation entirely. With what's left, how good is Duke? I know my opinion, but, i will let someone else go first. :D

Yes, you've made your opinion clear, over and over again.

Duke may very well be the best team in the country without Kyrie, but I'd be willing to bet that a majority of us feel that we're better WITH him.

And although we may be the best team, that's not to say that there aren't more than a couple of teams who could beat us on any given night (which, of course, is true for ANY other team, as well).

Just trying to balance things out between the Chicken Littles and the Pollyannas. :)

Now, if Miles can start reliably hitting the Duncan bank shot, we're unstoppable!

[dukelifer]

With all the crying that has been going on in here, one has to ask himself, how good is Duke ? Take Irving out of the equation entirely. With what's left, how good is Duke? I know my opinion, but, i will let someone else go first. :D

As good as the Plumlees play. Duke has a ton of weapons- but the big guys need to be on the floor, bounding, clogging up the middle and hitting throws. If the Plumlees get in foul trouble or are out-positioned inside, Duke will be challenged. That said- Duke should be in every game they play.

[Edouble]

As good as the Plumlees play. Duke has a ton of weapons- but the big guys need to be on the floor, bounding, clogging up the middle and hitting throws. If the Plumlees get in foul trouble or are out-positioned inside, Duke will be challenged. That said- Duke should be in every game they play.

As well as they play, we should be in every game.

[DeBlueDevil]

I personally think we're better. Not because losing KI makes us a better team or that we are a better team without him. But because while I'm sad the fact that we lost our great pg and I love our brand of basketball with him on the court, we are going to be even more hungry due to all the duke haters and analysts saying we're beatable and we aren't the favorites anymore. Sure just give Coach K even more ammunition to fire our guys up. Thanks to all the haters.

I think of the last game when Nolan took the ball baseline early in the game and dunked it so aggressively and then stared into the camera as to say "We're still here" to all the doubters. We'll be fine.

But Kansas and Ohio State are very good. But in my eyes I agree with a previous poster...to be the best you have to beat the best....and my friends until proven otherwise...with or without KI...we are the best.

[sagegrouse]

I don't find it useful to speculate on which team might be better than Duke. Duke will be very, very good. It needs to have a strong consistent effort in every game especially in post-season. That performance could and should produce a Final Four team. When you get to the FF, who knows who we will face? Only one-half of the No. seeds make the FF, and in 2010 only one #1 did. Kansas, Ohio State, a resurgent Michigan State? We'll see when they (and we) get there.

If Duke is a #1 seed, the other scary teams are likely to be in other brackets.

I just want to get to the Final Four, and I'll take my chances there.

BTW, I like the fact that Duke has three upperclassmen starting (or maybe two if Miles comes off the bench) and the potential for dramatic improvement in Mason and Ryan. And a guy like Andre who can light it up. With Kyrie we can be amazingly good, and I would like to see him return. Without him, Duke is a very competitive team against anyone.

sagegrouse

[mo.st.dukie]

In the offseason between the 2009 and 2010 seasons Duke lost it's two most athletic players that could've returned for the following year: Gerald Henderson and Elliot Williams. Had those two players been on the 2010 team would that team surely would be better/more talented than the actual 2010 team that took the floor. And we all know how that turned out. Players stepped up, Smith became a stud SG and Scheyer became one of the most effecient PG's in Duke history. Zoubek broke the all-time Duke single season offensive rebounding record while Lance Thomas cracked the top 10 of that list. The style of play changed, the team mentality changed and Duke won the title with a less talented team than it could've had if Henderson and Williams returned.

Duke is very fortunate to be in a position to where the team does not all of a sudden become an average team due to losing their most talented player. Just like with the 2010 team, somebody needs to step up and I'm confident that will happen. Whether it's Nolan becoming more confident and comfortable at PG, Dawkins continue to improve his game, and the Plumlees becoming more consistent I think we'll see the team adapt. Duke still is a top 5 team with a very good chance of winning it all.

[hurley1]

Yes, you've made your opinion clear, over and over again.

Duke may very well be the best team in the country without Kyrie, but I'd be willing to bet that a majority of us feel that we're better WITH him.

And although we may be the best team, that's not to say that there aren't more than a couple of teams who could beat us on any given night (which, of course, is true for ANY other team, as well).

Just trying to balance things out between the Chicken Littles and the Pollyannas. :)

Now, if Miles can start reliably hitting the Duncan bank shot, we're unstoppable!

Funny, I haven't even given my opinion on this topic yet.....:D

[elvis14]

I think that losing Kyrie closes the gap between us and the other top 5 teams. I still think we are the best team in the country and should be favored to win every individual game we play. On any given night, anything can happen and the smaller the gap is the more likely we are to take some losses.

What I really like about this year's team, especially with Kyrie, is our flexibility. We have so many ways we can play: big, bigger, small, smaller, more defensive, etc. Kyrie is one of those guys that can make things happen on his own. When applied correctly that's a great thing to have. Without Kyrie, we aren't as flexible and will need more teamwork to overcome adversity.

I'm really hoping that we get Kyrie back and that in the mean time Andre, Curry and Josh gain valuable experience and confidence that carry them through the season.

[Devilsfan]

Losing G and EWill doesn't come close to losing Kyrie. We went from standing all alone and being GREAT to clustered in a pack of 5 or 6 and being very good.

[hedevil]

SIMPLE!!

Duke is still the best team (currently #1) in the country.

Just with a little less room for error.

[sleepybear]

Without Kyrie we are the best team in the ACC and a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. With Kyrie we are the best team in the ACC and a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

[dukestheheat]

Two answers, dependent on time frame.

(1) Immediately following the loss of Irving (http://www.kitchenroundtable.com/i/smiley/candle.gif) I would probably say top 3, interchangeable with Kansas and Ohio State, half a step above teams like Michigan State and 'Cuse.

(2) Once the best coach in the game has had a change to reconfigure the talent that he has and establish a new game plan, I would probably say top 1, maybe a hair higher.

.....20 turnovers by the Spartans and THIRTY-ONE points from Kyrie Irving for Duke to hang, in Cameron, a five point win on the Spartans!!

Right now, Duke without Irving is a top 8 team in my opinion. With Irving at full speed, Duke is the consensus #1 team in the land and IS the team to beat in the Final Four.

If this current team is forced to go the rest of the season without Irving then I do believe that we'll move UP from a top 8 to a top 4 team as the season progresses and the team gets used to that chemistry set, but I don't believe that we'd be the prohibitive favorite to win the Final Four. Would we win it? Maybe so, we just wouldn't be the odds-on favorite, in my opinion.

Disclaimer: I make mistakes every day, and this post is no exception. And, you know what they say about opinions.

dth.

[OldPhiKap]

I fully expect/hope that Kyrie will be back, and before the first Carolina game. But I'll play along:

Without Kyrie, we have:

- two legitimate AA candidates (Kyle, Nolan)
- A solid front court player who has stepped up his game (Miles)
- Two more solid front court players with serious offensive upside (Mason, Ryan)
- the two best guards coming in as a second wave (Andre, Seth)
- several other players who are ready to fill key roles
- the best damn college coach and coaching staff of the current generation
- a somewhat down conference (to be polite) which gives us time to experiment.

With, Kyre, we have all that plus:

- one of the most exciting players I have seen in my 30 years of watching hoops.


So, we have the potential to be very, very good if Kyrie doesn't make it back. We have the potential to be very, very, very good if he does. But in either event, we have THE BEST COACH and A BOATLOAD OF TALENT either way.

So my first hope is that Kyrie heals and has a wonderful pro career, and college is a bonus for him and us. But, at the end of the day -- NEXT PLAY. Please get better, Kyrie!!! But in the final analysis, do what is best for your long-term interests. Duke will be Duke, and you will always be a big part of the family no matter what happens.

[hurley1]

Without Kyrie we are the best team in the ACC and a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament. With Kyrie we are the best team in the ACC and a #1 seed in the NCAA tournament.

thats as simple as it gets......if this duke team wants to win another ring ( and they do ) they have everything they need, and more to make that become a reality.... there is a passion among these players that runs through the veins of every one of them...these kids play really hard...effort and focus is there........this is a confident bunch, and they should be......this is also a very hard working bunch.......no team in america will improve more than the duke blue devils from christmas to march......write it down.....;).......beating these kids with everything on the line will be the tallest task in the tournament......when you can put 3 guards on the floor that are smart, quick, and can shoot the lights out from 3 land, you are very hard to beat...add in great defense and you get really tough.......duke can do that and a whole lot more.....best team in america......no doubt in my book.....

[Saratoga2]

thats as simple as it gets......if this duke team wants to win another ring ( and they do ) they have everything they need, and more to make that become a reality.... there is a passion among these players that runs through the veins of every one of them...these kids play really hard...effort and focus is there........this is a confident bunch, and they should be......this is also a very hard working bunch.......no team in america will improve more than the duke blue devils from christmas to march......write it down.....;).......beating these kids with everything on the line will be the tallest task in the tournament......when you can put 3 guards on the floor that are smart, quick, and can shoot the lights out from 3 land, you are very hard to beat...add in great defense and you get really tough.......duke can do that and a whole lot more.....best team in america......no doubt in my book.....

We have a lot of very skilled players who play hard every game and will have us in the mix even without Kyrie, who is a great young player. What we will need from our kids is for them to continue to improve this season. In particular, our front court needs to develop. A wild card here may also be Josh, who looks like he has an offensive game that we may need going forward. I would like to see both Mason and Ryan pick up their offensive games and like to see Andre diversify his. These are still very young players, so there is every reason to believe their games will improve a lot during the season.

[snowdenscold]

thats as simple as it gets......if this duke team wants to win another ring ( and they do ) they have everything they need, and more to make that become a reality.... there is a passion among these players that runs through the veins of every one of them...these kids play really hard...effort and focus is there........this is a confident bunch, and they should be......this is also a very hard working bunch.......no team in america will improve more than the duke blue devils from christmas to march......write it down.....;).......beating these kids with everything on the line will be the tallest task in the tournament......when you can put 3 guards on the floor that are smart, quick, and can shoot the lights out from 3 land, you are very hard to beat...add in great defense and you get really tough.......duke can do that and a whole lot more.....best team in america......no doubt in my book.....

Big fan of the ellipsis?

[SuperTurkey]

Big fan of the ellipsis?

Been..........watching......moonpie ;)

[slower]

Big fan of the ellipsis?


maybe.....his.....period.....key.....sticks

[hurley1]

maybe.....his.....period.....key.....sticks

I am 52 years old with 2 college degress........from 1980........back then there wasn't a computer on the entire campus........i have never had a typing course in my life , so, i found this to be the easy way to type........why do you guys care ???.......the bigger question is, why do some of you guys freeze with fear everytime a challenge presents itself ???.......you won't get far like that.......duke is absolutely loaded with or without irving.......wipe the snot off of your faces,quit crying and let's get on with this basketball season.......injuries are all a part of the game........it is what it is......

[camion]

I am 52 years old with 2 college degress........from 1980........back then there wasn't a computer on the entire campus........i have never had a typing course in my life , so, i found this to be the easy way to type........why do you guys care ???.......the bigger question is, why do some of you guys freeze with fear everytime a challenge presents itself ???.......you won't get far like that.......duke is absolutely loaded with or without irving.......wipe the snot off of your faces,quit crying and let's get on with this basketball season.......injuries are all a part of the game........it is what it is......


I'm reminded of the following, "Real Programmers don't comment their code. If it was hard to write, it should be hard to understand."

In any event, as I've said before Duke in the elite class with or without Kyrie. With Kyrie we have more margin for error though. Besides he's a blast to watch on the court.

[stillcrazie]

I am 52 years old with 2 college degress........from 1980........back then there wasn't a computer on the entire campus........i have never had a typing course in my life , so, i found this to be the easy way to type........why do you guys care ???.......the bigger question is, why do some of you guys freeze with fear everytime a challenge presents itself ???.......you won't get far like that.......duke is absolutely loaded with or without irving.......wipe the snot off of your faces,quit crying and let's get on with this basketball season.......injuries are all a part of the game........it is what it is......

hursley1, I am from the same era as you and I still wonder how we got through college without computers. I could not go back to handwriting papers, using white out with a typewriter, and using a telephone that is physically plugged into a wall. Without the high quality hallucinogens, I don't think I could have survived it.

That being said, I think you are underestimating the loss of Irving to this team. I am not sure if we hold guards like Pullen and Lucas at bay without him. I love our guys, but Irving is the X factor, the guy who paralyzes defenses, the guy who does something amazing just about every time he touches the ball and makes everyone else better. I am not going to harp on this or whine about it, but I missed him against Bradley and SLU. The effects of his absence will not show up vs. easier teams and I am hoping we don't have to contemplate what it will be like w/o him come tournament time.

In the meantime...keep...those...ellipses...coming....

[slower]

I am 52 years old with 2 college degress........from 1980........back then there wasn't a computer on the entire campus........i have never had a typing course in my life , so, i found this to be the easy way to type........why do you guys care ???.......the bigger question is, why do some of you guys freeze with fear everytime a challenge presents itself ???.......you won't get far like that.......duke is absolutely loaded with or without irving.......wipe the snot off of your faces,quit crying and let's get on with this basketball season.......injuries are all a part of the game........it is what it is......

What is your obsession with the word "crying"? We're not crying, we're just expressing our opinions. And my opinion happens to be that we're a better team WITH Kyrie and you acting like it's not going to make any difference in a glorious march to a repeat championship strikes me as somewhat delusional.

We're not "freezing with fear", we're just discussing basketball. NOTHING we say on here makes even the slightest impact on the performance of the team. Drop the tough guy act and take care of your own snot.

[-jk]

OK, folks. Let's not be jumping on everyone. I know it's slow during exam time.

Maybe everyone should have an eggnog and relax by the fire. (It's bloody cold enough!)

-jk

[_Gary]

With Kyrie the title was Duke's to lose. We were easily the odds on favorite to win, with emphasis on the word "easily." Without Kyrie we are still one of the top 3-5 teams in the country and certainly have a great chance to win. Where I part ways with some of you here is in the evaluation of this 2010/2011 Blue Devil team sans Kyrie. I just think a large percentage of posters are severely underestimating what Irving brought to this team and what we are going to miss no matter how well the team gels together without him.

Kyrie has the ability to create high percentage scoring all by himself whenever needed. If the offense bogged down or a certain set was defended perfectly, he could simply take the ball to the hoop and either finish himself or create an easy bucket for a teammate. We do NOT have anyone on this team who has that particular skill set. We have guys who can drive and finish on occasion, but no one who can do it with the consistency and excellence of Kyrie. And that's not a dis on anyone else on this team. It's just the truth. Not only that, but we were able to pressure the ball better on defense with Kyrie. His quickness is unrivaled on this team and there's simply no replacing that no matter how many practices are held.

I just really believe some of the folks here are undervaluing and underestimating just how great this kid is. In my 30+ years of following Duke basketball I've never seen a freshman come in and have the skill set Kyrie has. That first month of basketball, against high level competition, was beyond impressive. I've seen many great players come thru this program, but I just don't remember a freshman who was so dominant, so quickly, right out of the gate. If you weren't blown away by Irving's play during that span, I'm not sure what to say. The kid has greatness written all over him and he will be missed (hopefully for only a month or two at the most).

Don't mistake my comments to mean I think we've had it and can't compete for a national title. Of course we can. And we've got as good a chance at winning as anyone else in the nation at this time. My heart and soul will always be with the Blue Devils and that will never change no matter the circumstances. But I'm also not going to delude myself into thinking that losing Kyrie is only a small inconvenience. It would be foolish to think Irving's absence only slightly hinders the team.

My two cents.

[jv001]

With Kyrie the title was Duke's to lose. We were easily the odds on favorite to win, with emphasis on the word "easily." Without Kyrie we are still one of the top 3-5 teams in the country and certainly have a great chance to win. Where I part ways with some of you here is in the evaluation of this 2010/2011 Blue Devil team sans Kyrie. I just think a large percentage of posters are severely underestimating what Irving brought to this team and what we are going to miss no matter how well the team gels together without him.

Kyrie has the ability to create high percentage scoring all by himself whenever needed. If the offense bogged down or a certain set was defended perfectly, he could simply take the ball to the hoop and either finish himself or create an easy bucket for a teammate. We do NOT have anyone on this team who has that particular skill set. We have guys who can drive and finish on occasion, but no one who can do it with the consistency and excellence of Kyrie. And that's not a dis on anyone else on this team. It's just the truth. Not only that, but we were able to pressure the ball better on defense with Kyrie. His quickness is unrivaled on this team and there's simply no replacing that no matter how many practices are held.

I just really believe some of the folks here are undervaluing and underestimating just how great this kid is. In my 30+ years of following Duke basketball I've never seen a freshman come in and have the skill set Kyrie has. That first month of basketball, against high level competition, was beyond impressive. I've seen many great players come thru this program, but I just don't remember a freshman who was so dominant, so quickly, right out of the gate. If you weren't blown away by Irving's play during that span, I'm not sure what to say. The kid has greatness written all over him and he will be missed (hopefully for only a month or two at the most).

Don't mistake my comments to mean I think we've had it and can't compete for a national title. Of course we can. And we've got as good a chance at winning as anyone else in the nation at this time. My heart and soul will always be with the Blue Devils and that will never change no matter the circumstances. But I'm also not going to delude myself into thinking that losing Kyrie is only a small inconvenience. It would be foolish to think Irving's absence only slightly hinders the team.

My two cents.

Some great points regarding this edition of our Duke Blue Devils. With Kyrie we are the favorites because we have 3 guys that can go off for 20-30 points in any given game. Without Kyrie we have two with some other very good scorers in Curry and Dawkins. But we don't have anyone that can create their shot and shots for others like Kyrie. Without Kyrie I believe Duke will play a similar style as last years team. The improved play of Andre, Miles, Ryan and Mason will help make up for Zoubs, Jon's and Lance's graduation. Then throw Curry into the mix and we should be a very good team that is capable of winnning it all. But I like our chances better with Kyrie in our lineup come NCAA time. Go Duke!

[Kedsy]

But I like our chances better with Kyrie in our lineup come NCAA time. Go Duke!

Everyone likes our chances better with Kyrie in our lineup than without him. Who has said otherwise?

But at this point if Kyrie's done for the year (and I'm cautiously optimistic that he's not, and we'll see him sometime in February, but if I'm wrong...) that's like saying we'd like our chances better with LeBron in our lineup than without him.

I think what people are trying to say is, "next play." We all want Kyrie to get better and lead our team. If he's unable to do so then we still have a great team to root for. By saying that I don't think I'm "underestimating what [Kyrie] brought to this team," I'm simply saying we're going to be pretty damn good without him. Let's move on.

[jv001]

Everyone likes our chances better with Kyrie in our lineup than without him. Who has said otherwise?

But at this point if Kyrie's done for the year (and I'm cautiously optimistic that he's not, and we'll see him sometime in February, but if I'm wrong...) that's like saying we'd like our chances better with LeBron in our lineup than without him.

I think what people are trying to say is, "next play." We all want Kyrie to get better and lead our team. If he's unable to do so then we still have a great team to root for. By saying that I don't think I'm "underestimating what [Kyrie] brought to this team," I'm simply saying we're going to be pretty damn good without him. Let's move on.

I wasn't trying to get in the middle of any disagreement you had with another poster. My point is that we have the players to win it all this year. But I think we will play a different style of play without Kyrie. More like last year. Sorry if I offended you. Sure was not my intent. Go Duke!

[johnb]

we're beatable by 25-30 teams without him. we're beatable by 5-8 teams with him. difference between losing a couple games during the season and losing 6. difference between flipping a coin that we get to the elite 8 and flipping a coin for the championship.

still comes down to the playing, and we'll do great, but I'm rooting hard for a January return...

[jipops]

With Kyrie the title was Duke's to lose. We were easily the odds on favorite to win, with emphasis on the word "easily." Without Kyrie we are still one of the top 3-5 teams in the country and certainly have a great chance to win. Where I part ways with some of you here is in the evaluation of this 2010/2011 Blue Devil team sans Kyrie. I just think a large percentage of posters are severely underestimating what Irving brought to this team and what we are going to miss no matter how well the team gels together without him.

Kyrie has the ability to create high percentage scoring all by himself whenever needed. If the offense bogged down or a certain set was defended perfectly, he could simply take the ball to the hoop and either finish himself or create an easy bucket for a teammate. We do NOT have anyone on this team who has that particular skill set. We have guys who can drive and finish on occasion, but no one who can do it with the consistency and excellence of Kyrie. And that's not a dis on anyone else on this team. It's just the truth. Not only that, but we were able to pressure the ball better on defense with Kyrie. His quickness is unrivaled on this team and there's simply no replacing that no matter how many practices are held.

I just really believe some of the folks here are undervaluing and underestimating just how great this kid is. In my 30+ years of following Duke basketball I've never seen a freshman come in and have the skill set Kyrie has. That first month of basketball, against high level competition, was beyond impressive. I've seen many great players come thru this program, but I just don't remember a freshman who was so dominant, so quickly, right out of the gate. If you weren't blown away by Irving's play during that span, I'm not sure what to say. The kid has greatness written all over him and he will be missed (hopefully for only a month or two at the most).

Don't mistake my comments to mean I think we've had it and can't compete for a national title. Of course we can. And we've got as good a chance at winning as anyone else in the nation at this time. My heart and soul will always be with the Blue Devils and that will never change no matter the circumstances. But I'm also not going to delude myself into thinking that losing Kyrie is only a small inconvenience. It would be foolish to think Irving's absence only slightly hinders the team.

My two cents.

I'll concur with this sentiment as well. I've been watching for around 30 years as well I don't feel like I've ever seen a Duke freshman as talented and mature as Kyrie. We're still an excellent team with a chance to be great. We were still very much beatable WITH Kyrie. We do become an easier team to guard now. Creating buckets when sets become stagnant become far more difficult. We don't have the same kind of ball hawking like we did before. But there is an opportunity here for the bigs to become more involved as more sets will now be run. We may actually improve a bit in the post with some increased concentration down low. K always seems to figure out a way to compensate to some extent. Seth could gain a greater comfort level with increased minutes and the opportunity to score on the bounce instead of the catch and shoot like he had to fit into before.

[Kedsy]

we're beatable by 25-30 teams without him. we're beatable by 5-8 teams with him. difference between losing a couple games during the season and losing 6. difference between flipping a coin that we get to the elite 8 and flipping a coin for the championship.

still comes down to the playing, and we'll do great, but I'm rooting hard for a January return...

Everyone's entitled to his or her opinion, but I believe this year's team without Kyrie is still at least as talented as last year's team -- probably more talented -- and last year's team only lost 5 games, and went considerably further than the Elite Eight.

Also, while I agree our team with Kyrie is the best in the country and the favorite for the championship, to say it's "flipping a coin for the championship" is way over the top. The odds of a heavy favorite to actually win the NCAA tournament are something like 25%. (Which is also why I disagreed with Gary's statement, "[w]ith Kyrie the title was Duke's to lose" -- sometimes the best team just gets beat.)

Finally, while I'd love a January return, that looks really doubtful at this point. Any return at all would make me deliriously happy.


I wasn't trying to get in the middle of any disagreement you had with another poster. My point is that we have the players to win it all this year. But I think we will play a different style of play without Kyrie. More like last year. Sorry if I offended you. Sure was not my intent. Go Duke!

You didn't offend me at all. I agree with everything you say in this post.

[gumbomoop]

I just really believe some of the folks here are undervaluing and underestimating just how great this kid is.... If you weren't blown away by Irving's play during that span, I'm not sure what to say.

Don't mistake my comments to mean I think we've had it and can't compete for a national title. Of course we can.... But I'm also not going to delude myself into thinking that losing Kyrie is only a small inconvenience. It would be foolish to think Irving's absence only slightly hinders the team.

I've not quoted your entire post, Gary, which is heartfelt, articulate, and perceptive. But I do want to disagree slightly with a point or two; or perhaps just tease out a slightly different take.

I'm skeptical that many posters either undervalue or underestimate Kyrie's wonderful talents. Perhaps one might infer such from a few posts, but I'm hoping everyone can cut everyone else a little slack, as the potential for friendly fire may be higher just now. [And it's always distressingly high.] For Kyrie's injury seems to have struck us with a peculiarly intense force: it seems so unfair, to a sweet, innocent "kid," to the college basketball world generally, and, yes, to us, for whom Kyrie promised [promises, better] so much sheer joy-in-the-watching, to say nothing of the even-more-joy-in-the-winning.

To say that some posters don't fully appreciate what we've lost strikes me as highly unlikely. I'd guess only a tiny minority of DBR posters haven't been blown away by Kyrie's play, so that "charge" seems to me something of a straw man. Ditto for the suggestion that some posters see Kyrie's absence as "a small inconvenience."

Maybe a way to parse the different views of how good Duke can be without Kyrie would be to play around with the phrase "only slightly hinders." IMO, Kyrie's absence does lessen Duke's odds of another NC in '11. It does surely feel like a crushing blow, precisely because, as Gary and others have said [and with which few if any disagree], Kyrie's talents are multi and often astounding. His injury is, yes, literally a game-changer. I agree that to deny this "hindering factor" would be short-sighted. But to hinder is not to destroy. In the present circumstance, it requires rethinking, reconceiving, re-strategizing. K does this pretty well. [And I'm confident no one will disagree with that. Unless..... one thinks - hard for me to imagine, but not quite impossible - that Kyrie is so amazing that even K cannot recover from this blow. Anyone think that? If so, shoot, out with it; guaranteed to garner some comment.]

If one can get beyond the DBR-universally-shared disappointment and frustration [even these words seems inadequate to express what we feel], we are left with a season-plan that has surely been so significantly "hindered" as to necessitate some fundamental alteration. Again, trying myself to get beyond the frustration - not easy, so disappointing - my own normally loony optimism takes over, and I find myself anticipating with something like pleasure - fascination, at least - K's wizardry. Easy for me to say, and anticipate, but, true enough, K better be a wizard - every bit as good as I and hundreds of others here have claimed - because he has to reconceive the season without Merlin.

We've been deprived of Fantasia. Bummer. But Duke is no Mickey Mouse team.

[Greg_Newton]

I think what people are trying to say is, "next play." We all want Kyrie to get better and lead our team. If he's unable to do so then we still have a great team to root for. By saying that I don't think I'm "underestimating what [Kyrie] brought to this team," I'm simply saying we're going to be pretty damn good without him. Let's move on.

First, I completely sympathize with those that are heartbroken - as I am myself - and I think it has a lot to do with two things. First, that it's fairly possible one of the best players to ever pass through Duke only played eight games. But second, with Kyrie, we had such an overwhelming level of pure talent that people were downright scared of us. It was beginning to feel like the "old days" of 99-04, where we just absurdly powerful... we were running and gunning and we had our old swagger back.

But with Kyrie, I think we have to come down to earth a little bit. We probably slow down the pace a little bit, and some teams may be quicker and more athletic than us. We'll still be extremely good, we just probably won't be intimidatingly so.

-----

However, you're right, and I think the best way to do this is to start thinking about the new storylines that have been created by Kyrie's loss. Here are main three new storylines, in my eyes:

1. The emergence of Nolan Smith as an All-American PG. Can he become that player? He's a completely different entity than he was as a sophomore; can he learn to run a team now? Can he do so while still maintaining the attacking mindset that makes him an effective scorer? This, in my mind, is now the biggest key to our season.

Not to mention, if Nolan can exceed expectations in this role - and make that kind of special senior leap guys like Jon and Z did - it will be not only awesome to watch, it will completely change his ceiling as a player and his draft stock. He'll have all the motivation and opportunity in the world, can he capitalize on it?

2. The evolution of our offensive and defensive schemes. I have a hunch we'll become more of a halfcourt team as the season goes on, because that's where Kyle and Nolan are more comfortable. Will Ryan then become a bigger part of the offense, and might we curl him off the blocks some like I'm hoping? Will we continue our pressure defense and pressing, or will we pack it in some like last year?

3. The evolution of our lineup composition. This blends with the above a little, but mainly: who fills the void Kyrie leaves in PT and points? The early answer appears to be Dre, in both categories - might we see him become a legitimate offensive star this year, at least at times? Will Seth come on strong later in the year when he gets comfortable? Do we push Kyle to the 4 more or less often with Kyrie out?

Of course there are other storylines, like whether Kyle will come on strong down the stretch like he did last year and whether any of the post players will make the leap, but Kyrie being out doesn't really affect those.

[SoCalDukeFan]

To have a real successful season you need talent, coaching, experience, balance, and luck.

With Kyrie we had the most talent and coaching by a wide margin. With Kyle and Nolan we had the experience, and we had good or better players in all of the key roles. With a little luck we could win the NC/

Without Kyrie we still have the best coaching and the experience. I fully expect that between Nolan, Seth and Tyler we will have good or better primary ball handlers. The talent level is down of course. We are still solid and should have a successful season. Little more luck and we could win it all.

With or without Kyrie it will be a fun team to watch. Of course, more fun with him.

SoCal

[dcdevil2009]

While I think we're as talented as last year's team without Kyrie, a big difference between the two is that last year's team went into the season having prepared to run a certain style and this year's team is having to change on the fly. I know Coach K didn't put all his eggs in the Kyrie basket, but at the same time, this year's team has likely spent most of their practice time preparing to play a fast-paced end-to-end style. This is where I think Kyrie's uncertain return makes this a much more difficult coaching challenge for K than if he was out for the year. With Kyrie out for season, K could focus primarily on whatever style works best for everyone else. However, since it's possible that Kyrie will be back, Coach K has to have the guys running one style, while keeping the team ready to seamlessly transition to a different one if Kyrie is able to return. If anyone can do it, Coach K can, especially with the talent and experience we've got on our roster, but it's going to be significantly more difficult the longer Kyrie's status is uncertain.

[soccerstud2210]

not that i agree with everything that Evan Daniels says, but he had this to tweet tonight:

"You know what's crazy to think about? Duke may have the most talent in the country, even with their best player out..."

i know people are freaking out that we may not have kyrie ever again, but look at the team that we do have! we are STACKED!

i hope and pray that Kyrie gets well. and SOON. but we are still the reigning champs and we are still #1 in the country, and we are still undefeated. that being said we still have A LOT to work on before we can even think about repeating. like how will curry step up? how will nolan respond to being the PG now? is miles finally finding his potential? same for RK?

i love this team. a lot. with or without kyrie. i pray that it is WITH kyrie though : D

[OldPhiKap]

i love this team. a lot. with or without kyrie. i pray that it is WITH kyrie though : D

I think this about says it all.

Get well, Kyrie. Go Duke.

[_Gary]

Also, while I agree our team with Kyrie is the best in the country and the favorite for the championship, to say it's "flipping a coin for the championship" is way over the top. The odds of a heavy favorite to actually win the NCAA tournament are something like 25%. (Which is also why I disagreed with Gary's statement, "[w]ith Kyrie the title was Duke's to lose" -- sometimes the best team just gets beat.)

For the record, Kedsy, I wasn't thinking of you in my initial post. I've agreed with pretty much everything you've written.

When I said the title was Duke's to lose (w/Kyrie) I certainly didn't mean that the best team always wins. Of course not. Heck, we had the best team in the land in '99 and still didn't bring home a national title. I guess I was engaging in typical "sports speech hyperbole" with that statement. I thought everyone would understand the gist of my comments, but perhaps not.

And I'm all for "Next Play" too. In fact I'm so much for it I don't mind typing it out in triplicate: "Next Play." "Next Play." "Next Play." :D

The only thing I'm not going to back off on is that Kyrie brought this team something that it does not have the ability to replicate. And since I've mentioned those couple of things I'm not going to repeat myself. I guess the bottom line for me is that I've felt some posters have undervalued what Kyrie brought to the table for this edition of the Blue Devils. Anyone who thinks that there isn't a void on this team with Kyrie out of the lineup, especially on the offensive end, just hasn't been watching everything this kid did in November and December. His absence does take away a key component of what made us very good early on. Can we still be very good? Absolutely. And I'll be rooting the team on all the way!

Go Duke!

P.S. Get well soon, Kyrie.

[The Gordog]

While I think we're as talented as last year's team without Kyrie, a big difference between the two is that last year's team went into the season having prepared to run a certain style and this year's team is having to change on the fly. I know Coach K didn't put all his eggs in the Kyrie basket, but at the same time, this year's team has likely spent most of their practice time preparing to play a fast-paced end-to-end style. This is where I think Kyrie's uncertain return makes this a much more difficult coaching challenge for K than if he was out for the year. With Kyrie out for season, K could focus primarily on whatever style works best for everyone else. However, since it's possible that Kyrie will be back, Coach K has to have the guys running one style, while keeping the team ready to seamlessly transition to a different one if Kyrie is able to return. If anyone can do it, Coach K can, especially with the talent and experience we've got on our roster, but it's going to be significantly more difficult the longer Kyrie's status is uncertain.

Honestly, I think Duke does better when we have to change styles mid-season. Duke is SO MUCH in the spotlight and every opposing coach has the benefit of every analyst and sportswriter trying all year to figure out how to beat Duke. I was worried that somebody would figure out how to beat us with Kyrie about mid-February and that would make us vulnerable come tournament time. IMHO that was a contributing factor in several years since '98, but particularly in 2006.

Make no mistake, I want Kyrie back, I think we'll be better with him in the lineup, but if he comes back in late January to early February and can be full-strength by ACCT time, it may work to Dukes eventual advantage.

[hq2]

i know people are freaking out that we may not have kyrie ever again, but look at the team that we do have! we are STACKED!

You got it. People, this has all happened before. In '98, when Brand went down, we still had lots of talent and played at a high level until he returned. In '01, we made the final four without Carlos Boozer. And, when both players came back, K fit them right in.

The point is, we still have oodles of talent. For the rest of the players, this will be a blessing in disguise; it will force all of them to step up and develop their games and show what they can do. Also, the minutes log jam is now broken too; we now have a good 8 man rotation with just the right minutes (about) for all 8. Now that Andre and Seth are playing big minutes, I can't wait to see either one
of them go off for 20 or 25 on a consistent basis; they're up to it. And, Josh clearly can play, and will now get to develop too. We'll be a factor without Kyrie; we just won't be completely dominant. The talent to win it all is there; in K we trust!

[Olympic Fan]

While I think we're as talented as last year's team without Kyrie, a big difference between the two is that last year's team went into the season having prepared to run a certain style and this year's team is having to change on the fly.

I'm sorry, but this is flat out wrong.

Last year's team went into the season basically trying to play the same way Coach K's teams had played for the previous nine years -- up-tempo, pressure D, 3-point gunners.

The change to a defend-the-basket, hit-the-boards, halfcourt tempo team WAS made on the fly, after the first UNC game, when K inserted Zoubek into the starting lineup for the first time.

It's the second year in a row that the team has changed on the fly late -- the same happened in 2009 when Nolan broke down at point guard and Paulus was unable to step up as his replacement. That's when K moved Jon Scheyer to the point and inserted Elliot Williams -- who wasn't playing at all -- into the starting lineup.

And go back to 2001 -- it was forced on him by Boozer's injury in the next-to-last regular season game, but in Duke's previous championship season, it changed on the fly. That's when he installed the high flying, three-point oriented offense that Duke ran for the next nine years -- and he did it in three days, leading up to that amazing win in Chapel Hill.

Just understand folks that we have an amazing coach who IS able to tweek his team to best fit his available talent. I suspect that for the time being, Duke is going to basically play the same way it played with Kyrie -- both as he evaluates how it works and in case Kyrie does come back. But if we get to late January or February and things aren't running smoothly, he'll change style again, maybe in a way we can't imagine (could any of us have imagined Zoubek being the key to last year's transformation?).

For me, this is eeriely similar to 1992, when the best team in the country overcame a daunting series of crippling injuries -- especially Bobby Hurley's broken foot, followed by Grant Hill's high ankle sprain. But Laettner, Davis and Parks also missed games with injuries.

That team probably doesn't lose a game if it had stayed healthy all year, but even with a string of injuries that would have destroyed most other teams, it still managed to stay No. 1 every week and to win it all in the end.

[Saratoga2]

You got it. People, this has all happened before. In '98, when Brand went down, we still had lots of talent and played at a high level until he returned. In '01, we made the final four without Carlos Boozer. And, when both players came back, K fit them right in.

The point is, we still have oodles of talent. For the rest of the players, this will be a blessing in disguise; it will force all of them to step up and develop their games and show what they can do. Also, the minutes log jam is now broken too; we now have a good 8 man rotation with just the right minutes (about) for all 8. Now that Andre and Seth are playing big minutes, I can't wait to see either one
of them go off for 20 or 25 on a consistent basis; they're up to it. And, Josh clearly can play, and will now get to develop too. We'll be a factor without Kyrie; we just won't be completely dominant. The talent to win it all is there; in K we trust!

As long as Nolan and Kyle stay healthy, we have a consistent defensive and offensive presence, capable of putting up nearly 40 on anyone. The need is for the supporting players to improve their games. Certainly Mason needs to generate points inside and Miles and Kelly also have to improve offensively from where they are now. Miles is showing signs although we shall see against the top competition. Andre is a deadly 3 point shooter but disappeared from the offense when guarded at the 3 point line. Seth also seems to be coming along well. Maybe the ace in the hole is Josh, who has shown the ability to score from mid range around the basket. His defense needs to improve and he needs to keep the fouls down but there are good signs. Finally, I just expect Tyler to run the offense to give our ball handler a rest and to play aggressive defense. Any offense is gravy. So I also think the keys to this teams success is the improvement of the younger players. We need them to contribute 30 points night in and night out.

[OldPhiKap]

Honestly, I think Duke does better when we have to change styles mid-season.

Yup.

And for the comment that we had all of last year to get ready for a certain style, we changed the whole game radically when Zoubs emerged in the Maryland game. Then the interior rotation solidified into the platoon system we saw for the remainder of the year.

Coach said a few years ago, in relation to someone's injury (I don't recall who), that he did not want the team looking over their shoulder and waiting for the guy to come back. He's out, play with what you've got. When Kyrie can rejoin the team, he will join a group of kids who have had to rise to certain challenges and push themselves further than they otherwise would have.

We'll be okay.

[hurley1]

hursley1, I am from the same era as you and I still wonder how we got through college without computers. I could not go back to handwriting papers, using white out with a typewriter, and using a telephone that is physically plugged into a wall. Without the high quality hallucinogens, I don't think I could have survived it.

That being said, I think you are underestimating the loss of Irving to this team. I am not sure if we hold guards like Pullen and Lucas at bay without him. I love our guys, but Irving is the X factor, the guy who paralyzes defenses, the guy who does something amazing just about every time he touches the ball and makes everyone else better. I am not going to harp on this or whine about it, but I missed him against Bradley and SLU. The effects of his absence will not show up vs. easier teams and I am hoping we don't have to contemplate what it will be like w/o him come tournament time.

In the meantime...keep...those...ellipses...coming....

not to mention no cell phones, no texting ( i don't text ) or no twitter ( i don't tweet ).......back then we had to communicate one on one, not talk to an instrument........we got kids now dating on twitter.....lol..........that's ridiculous to me.....i give very high marks to irving.......very high........but, like bobby knight said, duke has all it needs with or without him.....and we do........i am just a guy who counts my blessings and remains optomistic when the future looks bright...... and right now, the future for duke looks very bright........they can be as successful as they want to be........what more can you ask for ???............even with irving, there are no guarantees........

[Kedsy]

...But second, with Kyrie, we had such an overwhelming level of pure talent that people were downright scared of us. It was beginning to feel like the "old days" of 99-04, where we just absurdly powerful... we were running and gunning and we had our old swagger back.

But with Kyrie, I think we have to come down to earth a little bit. We probably slow down the pace a little bit, and some teams may be quicker and more athletic than us. We'll still be extremely good, we just probably won't be intimidatingly so.

Well said. This is exactly what Kyrie brought to the team that we don't quite have without him -- the ability to instill terror in our opponents.



However, you're right, and I think the best way to do this is to start thinking about the new storylines that have been created by Kyrie's loss. Here are main three new storylines, in my eyes:

1. The emergence of Nolan Smith as an All-American PG. Can he become that player? He's a completely different entity than he was as a sophomore; can he learn to run a team now? Can he do so while still maintaining the attacking mindset that makes him an effective scorer? This, in my mind, is now the biggest key to our season.

Not to mention, if Nolan can exceed expectations in this role - and make that kind of special senior leap guys like Jon and Z did - it will be not only awesome to watch, it will completely change his ceiling as a player and his draft stock. He'll have all the motivation and opportunity in the world, can he capitalize on it?

Agreed. If Nolan can play the PG position at a high level while still attacking for his own points, we will still be the best team in the country and be pretty much unguardable once Kyrie comes back (please, please).


2. The evolution of our offensive and defensive schemes. I have a hunch we'll become more of a halfcourt team as the season goes on, because that's where Kyle and Nolan are more comfortable. Will Ryan then become a bigger part of the offense, and might we curl him off the blocks some like I'm hoping? Will we continue our pressure defense and pressing, or will we pack it in some like last year?

Yeah, we almost have to be more of a halfcourt team on offense, but my guess is we'll continue the pressure defense. First of all, none of our bigs have Z-like size and strength that can guarantee them the rebound if we pack it in; second, none of them are saddled with Z-like immobility that made pressuring the passing lanes so difficult last year. Finally, our perimeter players are all well-equipped for pressure this year. Adding Seth and a much improved Andre to Kyle and Nolan would call out for pressure D even if we hadn't had the opportunity to watch Kyrie wreak havoc over the first eight games.


3. The evolution of our lineup composition. This blends with the above a little, but mainly: who fills the void Kyrie leaves in PT and points? The early answer appears to be Dre, in both categories - might we see him become a legitimate offensive star this year, at least at times? Will Seth come on strong later in the year when he gets comfortable? Do we push Kyle to the 4 more or less often with Kyrie out?

Andre was already playing big minutes, but should pick up much of Kyrie's scoring load. I would guess a good number of Kyrie's minutes will go Seth (whose scoring will also increase) but also that a decent amount of Kyrie's minutes will go to Ryan and Miles. Which also speaks to your last question. In the 8 games with Kyrie, we played "small" 16+ minutes per game. In the 2 games without him we've played small only 4 minutes a game. I suspect that trend will continue.


Of course there are other storylines, like whether Kyle will come on strong down the stretch like he did last year and whether any of the post players will make the leap, but Kyrie being out doesn't really affect those.

It's hard to say whether Kyrie would affect these storylines or not. Is it coincidence that Mason played so well with Kyrie (but not so much without him so far) and that Miles was viewed by many as disappointing in our first 8 games but has really kicked butt since? I don't know.

The Kyle question is more subtle in my mind. I think the difference between him being a really good player and him being a superstar is his comfort level on the court. Last year you could see him becoming more comfortable and confident as the season wore on and it was reflected in his performance. This year, with the exception of the Oregon game he hasn't looked as comfortable. He seemed to me to be a little intimidated by Kyrie's dervishness (dervishicity?). If Kyrie had not gotten injured, I have no doubt Kyle's comfort level would have grown and he would have been playing at All American level by the end of the season. I suspect now without Kyrie he will become more comfortable after a few games and begin to carry the team. But if Kyrie comes back in late February? I have no idea how (or if) Kyle's comfort level will be affected. That said, the team will still be better with Kyrie, no matter how Kyle reacts.


For the record, Kedsy, I wasn't thinking of you in my initial post. I've agreed with pretty much everything you've written.

When I said the title was Duke's to lose (w/Kyrie) I certainly didn't mean that the best team always wins. Of course not. Heck, we had the best team in the land in '99 and still didn't bring home a national title. I guess I was engaging in typical "sports speech hyperbole" with that statement. I thought everyone would understand the gist of my comments, but perhaps not.

And I'm all for "Next Play" too. In fact I'm so much for it I don't mind typing it out in triplicate: "Next Play." "Next Play." "Next Play." :D

Nice. I'm glad we agree.


The only thing I'm not going to back off on is that Kyrie brought this team something that it does not have the ability to replicate. And since I've mentioned those couple of things I'm not going to repeat myself. I guess the bottom line for me is that I've felt some posters have undervalued what Kyrie brought to the table for this edition of the Blue Devils. Anyone who thinks that there isn't a void on this team with Kyrie out of the lineup, especially on the offensive end, just hasn't been watching everything this kid did in November and December. His absence does take away a key component of what made us very good early on.

No question we cannot replicate what Kyrie brought to the team while he's out. This may be semantic, but I guess my view is that his absence does not bring a "void" or "take away a key component," but rather his presence brings a "zing" or an extra component, and even without him we are who we are.


not that i agree with everything that Evan Daniels says, but he had this to tweet tonight:

"You know what's crazy to think about? Duke may have the most talent in the country, even with their best player out..."

i know people are freaking out that we may not have kyrie ever again, but look at the team that we do have! we are STACKED!

Now that's what I'm talking about. Go Duke.

[AZLA]

I still believe Duke is the best team in the country. Until they get beat, and there's another undefeated team out there, then Duke IS the top team. Especially factoring in Coach K's ability to adjust and lead. Defensively, Nolan, IMO, is a stronger defender and floor leader. Also, Nolan distributes the ball a bit more evenly. Kyrie's absence, while awful, does not diminish Duke's overall ability to win quite as much as it inflates the confidence of opposing teams to be Duke.

Obviously, opposing coaches (like Gary) will emphasize Kyrie's absence as a way to psych their teams into believing Duke is highly vulnerable and not a great team -- this will give opponents a psychological advantage (in their own minds).

So now, what if Kyrie comes back early? By that coaching logic, it means, Duke will be invincible with Kyrie and opponents might as well pack their bags and go home. Obviously, I don't buy this logic, but coaches better beware of what they use as fodder to incite their players to play at a higher level. This team has too much pride (2010 Champs!) and talent, and will put 'em through a buzzsaw.

That being said, man, I desperately hope Kyrie comes back soon.

It's like the Just League without Superman.

:)