MBB: Duke vs NC State (1/23 7pm ET) Pre-game and In-game Thread

[CDu]

As much fun as we're having after last night's awesome comeback, we have a game again tomorrow night. Pre-game and in-game discussion here.

[Edouble]

Wondering if this is the last game for Capel as the head man, with a five day stretch before Wake on 01/28. Practically another whole week for Coach K to recuperate.

I would not be surprised to see Bolden in the starting lineup. He was certainly the beneficiary of all of Jeter's minutes against Miami, when the front court of SF Tatum (6’8”), PF Jefferson (6’9”), and C Bolden (6’11”) was our best defensive front court to date.

Our Devils, despite a run of complete dominance in the second half against the Hurricanes, still finished the game with 9 assists to 10 TOs as a team. Tatum had moments of absolute brilliance, but fouled out and had three turnovers himself. There is still room for improvement, but overall the team looks to have reached another level.

[Troublemaker]

Wondering if this is the last game for Capel as the head man, with a five day stretch before Wake on 01/28. Practically another whole week for Coach K to recuperate.

I would not be surprised to see Bolden in the starting lineup. He was certainly the beneficiary of all of Jeter's minutes against Miami, when the front court of SF Tatum (6’8”), PF Jefferson (6’9”), and C Bolden (6’11”) was our best defensive front court to date.

I would be shocked if he DIDN'T start. With such a quick turnaround between games, I believe our coaches will enact Keep It Simple Silly and start the 5 that started the second half last night.

[Tripping William]

Which Duke team shows up tomorrow? The lethargic one we saw in the first half last night? Or the energized one we saw in the second? If the former, ugh. If the latter, watch out, Wolfpack. My money's on the latter.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Was Jeter injured and out last night? Surprised he didn't get in at all.

[moonpie23]

tomorrow night is going to be tough......the pack is DESPERATE........they lost again, in the final minutes to wake forest and they have their backs against the wall.....

we'd better have confidence.


i doubt that grayson and luke are going to be sitting........but i think bolden starts

the pack is not a good team......duke needs to remind them of that early....

[Troublemaker]

Was Jeter injured and out last night? Surprised he didn't get in at all.

Healthy scratch. Generally speaking, Duke's not going to play 3 centers. Chase had gotten minutes recently because Harry and Marques hadn't been playing well. But with Marques playing well last night, we didn't have a need to play Chase.

Duke is going to settle into a classic 8-man rotation:

Bigs - Amile, Marques, Harry

Guards - Frank, Matt, Grayson, Luke

Swing (SF/PF) - Jayson

[Ultrarunner]

I would be shocked if he DIDN'T start. With such a quick turnaround between games, I believe our coaches will enact Keep It Simple Silly and start the 5 that started the second half last night.

I would be surprised if Grayson in not in the starting line-up, assuming he's healthy. I expect Luke and Frank coming in off the bench with Giles getting some minutes.

[Wander]

I have no idea who we should be starting. I think you can make a semi-reasonable case for or against any of our 8 best players, with the exception of Jefferson who should be a lock to start no matter the match-up.

[uh_no]

I would be surprised if Grayson in not in the starting line-up, assuming he's healthy. I expect Luke and Frank coming in off the bench with Giles getting some minutes.

We need to remember that the U and state are different teams. the five that we rolled out in the second half, while really good against miami, may not be as adept against state. Much of that run was spurred by turnovers. Miami is a terrible turnover team (rank 204) while state, not perfect, is somewhat better (129). If we're going to have to run more half court sets, we're going to need grayson on the floor. He is by far the best distributor on the team (his assist rate is twice as good as the runner up, luke).

Grayson starts.

I think think luke had a bad game, yes, but I also think teams are adjusting a bit to him now that they know he has a phenomenal mid and long range game. I also think that matt is right back to where he should be. Yeah he had a bit of slump to start the season....but seems he's breaking out. I think he won the starting job back last night. luke off the bench.

Jayson, great game. much better conscience in terms of realizing when the bucket wasn't there and finding another option. Sometimes it was a bit clunky, meaning we didn't get some quick passes for an open shot, but it wasn't a wasted posession either.

Amile. Welcome back, old man.

I think bolden won the starting job as well. Bolden did not get the run he did last night, and the start in the second half solely because of how he played in the first half. Duke doesn't do minutes that way. To get minutes at duke, you work your tail off in practice and demonstrate you're ready....I have no doubt in my mind that bolden earned every minute he got last night in practice over the past month. Now that he's proven that he can be highly effective in a real game, I think he earns the right to be out there for the tip. Why this might not happen? Harry was limited by foul trouble a good deal last night. It's possible that were that not the case, he could have contributed a good deal as well. We also shouldn't forget that harry has had some decent stretches in past games, even if losses. This one is close, but marques gets the nod.

[Edouble]

I think bolden won the starting job as well. Bolden did not get the run he did last night, and the start in the second half solely because of how he played in the first half. Duke doesn't do minutes that way. To get minutes at duke, you work your tail off in practice and demonstrate you're ready...I have no doubt in my mind that bolden earned every minute he got last night in practice over the past month. Now that he's proven that he can be highly effective in a real game, I think he earns the right to be out there for the tip. Why this might not happen? Harry was limited by foul trouble a good deal last night. It's possible that were that not the case, he could have contributed a good deal as well. We also shouldn't forget that harry has had some decent stretches in past games, even if losses. This one is close, but marques gets the nod.

When Bolden first entered the game last night, Dan Shulman reported that Capel said Bolden had had "a great week of practice".

[fuse]

I agree State will be desperate and early focus/knockout will be required.

Will be interesting to see if we can start stringing together some consistency and build on the second half.

Let's go Duke!

[CDu]

As mentioned above, the Pack are DESPERATE for a win. It's been a rough stretch for the Pack, and their NCAA chances are fading quickly. A win at Duke would be the kind of win that could help turn things around.

The Pack have four big bodies up front, in theory. They start Yurtseven (7'0", 245lb freshman from Turkey) and Abu (6'8", 240lb junior). Abu is a fantastic athlete who looks great in a uniform... but his skills haven't quite caught up to the body. In some ways he reminds me of James Michael McAdoo in that he is a physical specimen whose skills don't quite add up. Abu is a bit more skilled than McAdoo though, and has shown signs of a mid-range shot here and there. Yurtseven was a highly-touted prospect whose availability (his Turkish team has a history of trying to sabotage players' eligibility) probably limited his NCAA options. The Pack gladly took the chance on him, and they are happy to have gotten him. Yurtseven is a talented post player, but he struggles with consistency and foul trouble (averaging nearly 7 fouls per 40 minutes). Behind those two, the Pack can turn to Anya (6'9", 340lb senior). Anya has been a big disappointment. Long ago I believe Duke had interest in him in high school. But along the way that interest waned. Anya had loads of potential with a ridiculous wingspan, solid strength, and some post moves. But he just hasn't been able to get in shape. He went from a 260-ish kid in high school to well north of 300 as a freshman. And he just hasn't found a way to shed the weight. It's a shame. Still, Anya is a veteran, a good shot blocker, and at times a post presence. But his weight puts a real limit to his minutes. The last option for the Pack is Ted Kapita. Kapita played decent minutes in the pre-conference schedule. But since the new year, he's been essentially out of the rotation. He's averaged just over 2 mpg in the last 7 games, including 2 DNPs. Kapita is a physical, athletic big low on skills.

In addition to those guys up front, State has a trio of really solid wings. Henderson (6'5", 190lb transfer from WVU) is the star on the wing. He is a long-awaited addition to the team after transferring from WVU, then getting a season-ending injury in the first game of last season. This year he has rewarded the team's patience with a 15 ppg season shooting 38% from 3 and 45% overall. Henderson is a good athlete and kind of a poor man's Davon Reed (not quite as athletic). In addition to Henderson, the Pack have Rowan (6'7", 220lb sophomore) and Dorn (6'5", 210lb transfer from Charlotte). Rowan is not terribly athletic, but he can shoot it (42% from 3 this year). He will also see some minutes at PF as a stretch 4 given his size. Dorn is sort of like another Henderson - athletic, great shooter (45% from 3 this year). The wings are the strength of this team.

The PG position is led at PG by Smith (6'3", 195lb freshman), who we recruited along with Thornton but ultimately wound up with Thornton. Smith is an extremely talented kid, but he is a freshman. And as a freshman, he hasn't quite mastered the management of the team. Smith can do it all: shoot, drive, pass. He leads the team in scoring, assists, and steals and is third on the team in rebounds. But his lead guard skills haven't completely translated to an elite offense. Behind Smith is another freshman, Johnson (6'1", 165lb freshman). Johnson is far less gifted as a shooter/scorer but is an adequate backup in the caretaker role.

The Pack are a good shooting team (37% as a team from 3), but they are an ATROCIOUS defensive team (#171 in Pomeroy). They also play fast (#46 in Pomeroy tempo), so I would expect us to score a lot of points. We may give up a decent chunk too, but I hope we are able to exploit their awful defense.

[Bob Green]

It is going to be interesting to see who starts on Monday evening versus the Wolfpack. Was the 2nd half against Miami the event, which results in a shake-up of the starting line-up and rotation? I don't have a clue but we should all find out tomorrow.




I think think luke had a bad game, yes, but I also think teams are adjusting a bit to him now that they know he has a phenomenal mid and long range game. I also think that matt is right back to where he should be. Yeah he had a bit of slump to start the season...but seems he's breaking out. I think he won the starting job back last night. luke off the bench.



Luke Kennard is the team's leading scorer at 19.6 points per game. I believe he will remain a starter. Matt Jones will come off the bench. So my WAG on the starters is: Bolden, Jefferson, Tatum, Kennard and Allen. Jones, Giles and Jackson will round out the eight man rotation.

If Allen isn't healthy due to the dislocated finger, I could see Jackson starting in his place.

[Olympic Fan]

Found this shot of Allen's finger (scroll down) ... it's pretty gruesome. A finger is not supposed to look like the letter 'W'

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/watch-grayson-allen-winds-up-with-crooked-finger-in-fight-for-loose-ball/

He also got a mouse under his right eye from a blow he took in the first half (a foul was called)

[dukelifer]

It is going to be interesting to see who starts on Monday evening versus the Wolfpack. Was the 2nd half against Miami the event, which results in a shake-up of the starting line-up and rotation? I don't have a clue but we should all find out tomorrow.



Luke Kennard is the team's leading scorer at 19.6 points per game. I believe he will remain a starter. Matt Jones will come off the bench. So my WAG on the starters is: Bolden, Jefferson, Tatum, Kennard and Allen. Jones, Giles and Jackson will round out the eight man rotation.

If Allen isn't healthy due to the dislocated finger, I could see Jackson starting in his place.

Allen seemed to struggle dribbling with the taped fingers in tight spaces. That is a concern. Jackson is a different player at home- so Duke could weather it tomorrow- but going forward- Allen has to be able to dribble in traffic.

[unclsam1]

Allen seemed to struggle dribbling with the taped fingers in tight spaces. That is a concern. Jackson is a different player at home- so Duke could weather it tomorrow- but going forward- Allen has to be able to dribble in traffic.

Besides dribbling in traffic what would the other imacts of his dislocated finger on his game? How long does a dislocated finger take to heal?

[gofurman]

Besides dribbling in traffic what would the other imacts of his dislocated finger on his game? How long does a dislocated finger take to heal?

Few weeks Month maybe ... Guessing but the tape to adjacent finger helps

[PackMan97]

tomorrow night is going to be tough...the pack is DESPERATE....they lost again, in the final minutes to wake forest and they have their backs against the wall....


Let's just say, we got "Luckie".

Should be a fun game for those that like the color blue.

[BandAlum83]

Found this shot of Allen's finger (scroll down) ... it's pretty gruesome. A finger is not supposed to look like the letter 'W'

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/watch-grayson-allen-winds-up-with-crooked-finger-in-fight-for-loose-ball/

He also got a mouse under his right eye from a blow he took in the first half (a foul was called)


WTF?

Did you see the first paragraph of that article?


Grayson Allen keeps getting himself caught up in trouble and creating headlines with his physical style of play. Fighting for loose balls and diving to the floor comes with Allen's competitive spirit, but has also led to questions of intent -- whether he's pushing an assistant coach near the bench or slapping a player in the face or just playing hard.

[PackMan97]

Found this shot of Allen's finger (scroll down) ... it's pretty gruesome. A finger is not supposed to look like the letter 'W'

http://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/watch-grayson-allen-winds-up-with-crooked-finger-in-fight-for-loose-ball/

He also got a mouse under his right eye from a blow he took in the first half (a foul was called)


NC State's greatest WR, Tory Holt, says, "these things happen, it's okay to keep one to scare little children"

http://jacksonville.com/sites/default/files/editorial/images/files/editorial/images/images/mdControlled/cms/2009/05/01/435242519.jpg

[Saratoga2]

It is going to be interesting to see who starts on Monday evening versus the Wolfpack. Was the 2nd half against Miami the event, which results in a shake-up of the starting line-up and rotation? I don't have a clue but we should all find out tomorrow.



Luke Kennard is the team's leading scorer at 19.6 points per game. I believe he will remain a starter. Matt Jones will come off the bench. So my WAG on the starters is: Bolden, Jefferson, Tatum, Kennard and Allen. Jones, Giles and Jackson will round out the eight man rotation.

If Allen isn't healthy due to the dislocated finger, I could see Jackson starting in his place.

One thought is that opponents have used the strategy of limiting Luke's offense and it has worked, since we were getting so little from the front court and Grayson was not a major scoring threat. That left Luke and Jayson to carry the scoring load. With Amile back and perhaps Marques adding some offense, Luke may get a more open looks or paths to the basket. Luke is still our best offensive threat and I believe he will start.

[Troublemaker]

I'm already juggling too many devildeac beer bets to make another one, but the starting lineup is very likely going to be Frank, Matt, Jayson, Amile, Marques. I'd give it a 75% chance. IMO, folks aren't thinking like a Duke coach. I mean, we're a program that started Patrick Davidson because he gave us energy!

I'm not saying those five are going to be the starters in March or even two games from now, but after scuffling for the past month due to injuries, freshmen growing pains, and other disruptions, Duke finally found something that gave us a spark and we're not going to go right back to the well with it? With a short turnaround between games? C'mon now.

[budwom]

^ I agree...though the starting lineup per se is not THAT important, the same eight guys will all get time, we'll see who plays well and thus deserves the most time.
I'd like to see Harry step things up a bit...

[devildeac]

I'm already juggling too many devildeac beer bets to make another one, but the starting lineup is very likely going to be Frank, Matt, Jayson, Amile, Marques. I'd give it a 75% chance. IMO, folks aren't thinking like a Duke coach. I mean, we're a program that started Patrick Davidson because he gave us energy!

I'm not saying those five are going to be the starters in March or even two games from now, but after scuffling for the past month due to injuries, freshmen growing pains, and other disruptions, Duke finally found something that gave us a spark and we're not going to go right back to the well with it? With a short turnaround between games? C'mon now.

Multiple 12 ounce curls are good for the soul/heart.

I'd agree with those starters. Should give us pretty good subs ;).

[Troublemaker]

^ I agree...though the starting lineup per se is not THAT important, the same eight guys will all get time, we'll see who plays well and thus deserves the most time.
I'd like to see Harry step things up a bit...

And I agree with you, budwom. Who starts isn't important ultimately. As for Harry, he gets to go up against a fellow freshman Yurtseven who also hasn't played the full allotment of games and is playing catchup. Maybe Harry can do something in that matchup.

[OldPhiKap]

In Capel's post-game PC, he made the point that "it shouldn't matter who starts at Duke." I think there's a lot of truth in that. He also mentioned that Matt is sacrificing for the team by coming off the bench (in the first half), and that Matt is all about Duke winning -- nothing else.

It is hard for me to see Capel starting anyone other than the five that started the second half. And think how sick it is to bring Allen, Kennard and Giles of the bench. Yikes. And at the end of the day, the minutes will be what they will be regardless of who is standing out there at 7:05 when the ball goes up.

We have eight players with starting cred. All eight will get burn, and Giles will get more as he learns to play without fouling as often.

If you are an opposing coach, what lineup do you prepare to face? Great flexibility, especially with Amile because he can defend all five positions per Capel.

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

We'll start whoever can walk. Bless their hearts.
Love, Ima

[flyingdutchdevil]

In Capel's post-game PC, he made the point that "it shouldn't matter who starts at Duke." I think there's a lot of truth in that. He also mentioned that Matt is sacrificing for the team by coming off the bench (in the first half), and that Matt is all about Duke winning -- nothing else.

It is hard for me to see Capel starting anyone other than the five that started the second half. And think how sick it is to bring Allen, Kennard and Giles of the bench. Yikes. And at the end of the day, the minutes will be what they will be regardless of who is standing out there at 7:05 when the ball goes up.

We have eight players with starting cred. All eight will get burn, and Giles will get more as he learns to play without fouling as often.

If you are an opposing coach, what lineup do you prepare to face? Great flexibility, especially with Amile because he can defend all five positions per Capel.

While you are right, it's still a) a status thing and b) starters often get the most minutes, especially at Duke. It shouldn't matter, but it does. And I'd be shocked if 18-20 year olds aren't affected by this, especially since they started/were the star during any game pre-Duke.

For the NC State game, I would like to see the same starters as the Miami second half. But I will completely understand if Grayson and Kennard are back in the line-up. I just won't understand/agree with Giles starting. His game - with the petty fouls, poor rotations, and lack of defensive hustle on fast breaks - just isn't up to what a Duke starter should bring to the table.

[OldPhiKap]

While you are right, it's still a) a status thing and b) starters often get the most minutes, especially at Duke. It shouldn't matter, but it does. And I'd be shocked if 18-20 year olds aren't affected by this, especially since they started/were the star during any game pre-Duke.


Yeah, I understand that I write from the perspective of a 50-year old guy whose eligibility long since ran out. Still, if folks don't buy in to the team-first mentality, there's only so far we can go. Perhaps the greatest thing about the 2015 squad was Quinn Cook's willingness to be the set-up guy instead of the star. Matt and Amile certainly get this. It's going to take eight players to get this, believe this, and buy into this. That may be hard for some folks branded as sure one-and-done players, or folks talked up as potentially high draft choices at the end of the season. But K was able to manage the problem with professional players for Team USA; if anyone can do it I have faith in him.

[CDu]

While you are right, it's still a) a status thing and b) starters often get the most minutes, especially at Duke. It shouldn't matter, but it does. And I'd be shocked if 18-20 year olds aren't affected by this, especially since they started/were the star during any game pre-Duke.

For the NC State game, I would like to see the same starters as the Miami second half. But I will completely understand if Grayson and Kennard are back in the line-up. I just won't understand/agree with Giles starting. His game - with the petty fouls, poor rotations, and lack of defensive hustle on fast breaks - just isn't up to what a Duke starter should bring to the table.

If Allen is healthy, he'll start. If he is not, then I think Jones will start. I think Kennard will start too. And at center, I think Bolden's play forces the issue. He played extremely well throughout the game, and Giles just hasn't put it together yet on the defensive end.

My guess would be Allen, Kennard, Tatum, Jefferson, Bolden.

[flyingdutchdevil]

If Allen is healthy, he'll start. If he is not, then I think Jones will start. I think Kennard will start too. And at center, I think Bolden's play forces the issue. He played extremely well throughout the game, and Giles just hasn't put it together yet on the defensive end.

My guess would be Allen, Kennard, Tatum, Jefferson, Bolden.

Strong line-up. My guess? If healthy, Allen/Kennard/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson. If not healthy, Kennard/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson/Bolden.

I'd also love to see Jackson starting with the mentality of "my only mission is to stop Dennis Smith". But I think he'll come off the bench for instant defense.

[MrPoon]

Forget the feelings of 18-22 year olds about who is starting. I need the starting five to come out like a rocket and whoever does that should start. I can't keep watching games like the first half of the Miami game, I was in a very dark place for the first half and my wife has warned me about going back.

I do see Bolden starting but that being the only change unless Grayson is hurt. Luke had one of his least effective games (and I don't mean just scoring) but good coaching should give guys room to grow and make mistakes. But I didn't like the drop off of execution on both sides after we took the big lead with GA and LK in together. That should keep the leash short.

I have been calling for more offensive pace all season and that showed up with in the second half (especially with Jackson and Tatum). From the numbers, it seems that NC State is a good D to work on speeding up our offense.

Lastly, this team still needs to find last year's GA. We have seen short spurts but not last year's edition and that version is what terrifies defenses. I know this team is deeper than last year's but we still need to take the lid off.

[OldPhiKap]

I gotta think Jones starts, covering Smith. The question for me is whether Allen, or Jackson starts as the other guard. Perhaps Kennard over Tatum to go small but I doubt it. Jefferson obviously, and I gotta think Bolden earned the start with his strong week in practice and his performance Saturday.

[Troublemaker]

lol, the announcement of tonight's starters will be almost as interesting as the game. I will continue to raise the stakes with this internet chest shove: How can anyone who has watched Duke for a long time not know that we're going right back to the 2nd half starters from Miami?


I gotta think Jones starts, covering Smith. The question for me is whether Allen, or Jackson starts as the other guard. Perhaps Kennard over Tatum to go small but I doubt it. Jefferson obviously, and I gotta think Bolden earned the start with his strong week in practice and his performance Saturday.

Frank on Smith because of his quickness. Matt on 2nd-leading scorer Henderson.

[DukieInBrasil]

I agree that Bolden seems to have earned the start relative to Giles. I think Giles has a lot of improving to do before he deserves to start. He's got a couple of months still to really get to that effective level, so i'm not saying he's a bust or anything like that. Bolden was very impressive on defense and was able to score pretty effectively there in the 2nd half, so i'm stoked to see him progress.
Containing Smith will be a priority but K and by extension Capel (K-pel?) has shown that he's willing to let one guy get his as long as the rest of the team doesn't run wild too. I think that's what the D in Duke will try to do vs State, let Smith get 20+, or even 30+, as long as no one else scores efficiently. If Smith scores 30 but needs 20 or so shots to get there, i'm fine with that.
I think this game really comes down to which offense will be more efficient? Both teams have multiple, efficient scoring options, and pretty midling (at best) defenses. I'm looking for Duke try to get the ball out of Smith's hands as much as possible and force the other guys to carry them.
As for Duke, i'm looking for penetration by Grayson, Luke and Jackson to set up either the drive-n-dish to Bolden/Jefferson/Giles down low or the drive-n-kick to open 3pt shooters.

[Billy Dat]

Strong line-up. My guess? If healthy, Allen/Kennard/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson. If not healthy, Kennard/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson/Bolden.

I'd also love to see Jackson starting with the mentality of "my only mission is to stop Dennis Smith". But I think he'll come off the bench for instant defense.

I agree with these line-ups. No way Kennard, who has carried us on offense all year and is the only player on the Wooden List, loses his starting job for one mediocre half of basketball. Capel caught lightening in a bottle, but that's not a reason to completely change things. Marquese has certainly earned a start over Harry though.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I agree with these line-ups. No way Kennard, who has carried us on offense all year and is the only player on the Wooden List, loses his starting job for one mediocre half of basketball. Capel caught lightening in a bottle, but that's not a reason to completely change things. Marquese has certainly earned a start over Harry though.

Yeah...my philosophy is that Jones NEEDS to start. He and Amile form the defensive backbone. Tatum starts because, well, he's the only player on the team who can do what he does (big dude who can shoot 3s and is unstoppable driving to the rim without a man on him. Help defense isn't very good on Tatum as his combination of size and speed is insane). Tatum is also the only player who can play both the 3 and the 4. Amile starts because he is Amile. As per your comments, no way Kennard sits because of one mediocre game. And Allen? Well, he's the best distributor on the team and is the emotional catalyst (usually. I think he's toned down the emotion, which also carries to his game). But, without Allen available, give the position to Bolden so see if he can build upon a stellar game of basketball. And if Capel wants to start small, insert Jackson.

Basically, I see nearly any combination of Allen/Kennard/Jackson/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson/Bolden starting as long as Jones, Allen, and Tatum get the nod (okay, not any combination). The only player I don't want to see start is Giles (and, given the posts over the last 2 days, I suspect that I am not the only one).

[Billy Dat]

Yeah...my philosophy is that Jones NEEDS to start. He and Amile form the defensive backbone. Tatum starts because, well, he's the only player on the team who can do what he does (big dude who can shoot 3s and is unstoppable driving to the rim without a man on him. Help defense isn't very good on Tatum as his combination of size and speed is insane). Tatum is also the only player who can play both the 3 and the 4. Amile starts because he is Amile. As per your comments, no way Kennard sits because of one mediocre game. And Allen? Well, he's the best distributor on the team and is the emotional catalyst (usually. I think he's toned down the emotion, which also carries to his game). But, without Allen available, give the position to Bolden so see if he can build upon a stellar game of basketball. And if Capel wants to start small, insert Jackson.

Basically, I see nearly any combination of Allen/Kennard/Jackson/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson/Bolden starting as long as Jones, Allen, and Tatum get the nod (okay, not any combination). The only player I don't want to see start is Giles (and, given the posts over the last 2 days, I suspect that I am not the only one).

With all of the line-up inconsistency we have seen this year, there is also something to be said for trying to nail down a rotation. Any rotation needs room for meritocratic (is that even a word?) adjustment, but the individuals on our team have been so mercurial due to injury, youth and indefinite suspension that the coaches could be justified juggling things every single game, but I think that's ultimately counter-productive to the goal of long term consistency.

I say Marques for Harry with everything else consistent. If Grayson looks off because of his fingers, bring in Matt.

[Ultrarunner]

Strong line-up. My guess? If healthy, Allen/Kennard/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson. If not healthy, Kennard/Jones/Tatum/Jefferson/Bolden.

I'd also love to see Jackson starting with the mentality of "my only mission is to stop Dennis Smith". But I think he'll come off the bench for instant defense.

If I'm Jackson and I have Smith on me, I drive and try to draw fouls. Against better competition, Smith is a little foul-prone. I'd say the same for Grayson, but he won't get the call unless blood flows - and even then, it might be iffy.

[duketaylor]

Was Jeter injured and out last night? Surprised he didn't get in at all.

In another thread a poster said Jeter has an index and middle finger taped together.

[BandAlum83]

Forget the feelings of 18-22 year olds about who is starting. I need the starting five to come out like a rocket and whoever does that should start. I can't keep watching games like the first half of the Miami game, I was in a very dark place for the first half and my wife has warned me about going back.

I do see Bolden starting but that being the only change unless Grayson is hurt. Luke had one of his least effective games (and I don't mean just scoring) but good coaching should give guys room to grow and make mistakes. But I didn't like the drop off of execution on both sides after we took the big lead with GA and LK in together. That should keep the leash short.

I have been calling for more offensive pace all season and that showed up with in the second half (especially with Jackson and Tatum). From the numbers, it seems that NC State is a good D to work on speeding up our offense.

Lastly, this team still needs to find last year's GA. We have seen short spurts but not last year's edition and that version is what terrifies defenses. I know this team is deeper than last year's but we still need to take the lid off.

Remember early in the season there were posts about having 8 starters? That we could have the ability to mix and match based on the opposition?

Maybe the Miami second half proved we are getting closer to that.

If so, coaches in-game work becomes even more critical.

So interested to see how that plays out tonight.

[Kedsy]

Both teams have... pretty midling (at best) defenses.

I think this is a false equivalence. Pomeroy rates Duke's defense as #31 and State's defense as #173. IMO, with those numbers, there's almost no comparison of the defenses that can fairly begin with the words "both teams have."

[CDu]

I think this is a false equivalence. Pomeroy rates Duke's defense as #31 and State's defense as #173. IMO, with those numbers, there's almost no comparison of the defenses that can fairly begin with the words "both teams have."

Yeah, Duke's defense with Jefferson has been at worst meh and at times suffocating, and on average pretty darn solid. Without Jefferson, the defense has been quite porous. But we now have Jefferson again.

State's defense has been abysmal.

[WiJoe]

WTF?

Did you see the first paragraph of that article?

Here's the explanation, his bio: Chip Patterson has spent his young career covering college sports from the Old North State. He's been writing and talking about football and basketball for CBS Sports since 2010. ... A North Carolina graduate, Chip also helped found a local production company responsible for a number of programs, including the once-popular Bomani and Jones.

the guy is an *ssh*t

[Indoor66]

Starters tonight? ...Tune in at 7.

[jv001]

I think this is a false equivalence. Pomeroy rates Duke's defense as #31 and State's defense as #173. IMO, with those numbers, there's almost no comparison of the defenses that can fairly begin with the words "both teams have."

Agree with this ^. State's defense has been worse than the Duke defense. However we've had trouble defending the pick-n-role/ball screen. In the 2nd half against Miami, we defended pretty well. Maybe the best so far this season. I think it showed how important it is for everyone to execute their part of Duke's defense. In my eye test, I think we had the best defensive players on the court to start the 2nd half and I think we played good defense because of our two senior co-captains but it wouldn't have worked if Jayson, Frank and Bolden had not played their part. I'm hoping we can play that well against a good offensive team in NCSU. GoDuke!

[newclasspack]

We can not play this game. i'm ok with that.

[neemizzle]

The talk I heard before that Miami game was Duke's identity, and their lack of one. Dare I say, that identity, when executed the way it was in the 2nd half, could be that defense? I mean I've read posts on this thread that insists that State's defense isn't great. Our offense is gonna be good, we can put up points. I think if we're going to be successful tonight, our identity needs to be defense. I'd say if we want to win banner #6, we better just make defense our identity. We've seen flashes of it, but it'd be nice to see it every game.

[jv001]

The talk I heard before that Miami game was Duke's identity, and their lack of one. Dare I say, that identity, when executed the way it was in the 2nd half, could be that defense? I mean I've read posts on this thread that insists that State's defense isn't great. Our offense is gonna be good, we can put up points. I think if we're going to be successful tonight, our identity needs to be defense. I'd say if we want to win banner #6, we better just make defense our identity. We've seen flashes of it, but it'd be nice to see it every game.

Good defense doesn't have slumps. You don't have to put that round ball in that basket on defense. :cool: But there are times our offense hurts our defense. So a good defense and good offense is what I'm hoping for. GoDuke!

[ChillinDuke]

I think this is a false equivalence. Pomeroy rates Duke's defense as #31 and State's defense as #173. IMO, with those numbers, there's almost no comparison of the defenses that can fairly begin with the words "both teams have."

Both teams have...a defense?

I tried.

- Chillin

[ricks68]

Dissapointedly, I have to report on information from a reliable source to not be surprised that Amile may be sitting out tonight------and that it will be beneficial for him if that happens.😩😣

ricks

[elvis14]

Dissapointedly, I have to report on information from a reliable source to not be surprised that Amile may be sitting out tonight------and that it will be beneficial for him if that happens.😩😣

ricks

I was wondering about that. It was great to have him back because he greatly improved our defensive rotations but he was clearly not 100%.

[Troublemaker]

Dissapointedly, I have to report on information from a reliable source to not be surprised that Amile may be sitting out tonight------and that it will be beneficial for him if that happens.😩😣

ricks

Yikes! Hopefully your source is wrong and/or this isn't recurring. The ability to play 2 games in 3 days is very important in college basketball. Prayers for Amile.

[ricks68]

I was wondering about that. It was great to have him back because he greatly improved our defensive rotations but he was clearly not 100%.

Same source reported Amile at about 80% last game. (Whatever that means.)

ricks

[KandG]

Dissapointedly, I have to report on information from a reliable source to not be surprised that Amile may be sitting out tonight------and that it will be beneficial for him if that happens.😩😣

ricks

The post game quotes from Amile after Saturday's game -- about how badly his foot hurts and how he just has to play through it -- didn't exactly fill me with joy. He claimed he couldn't hurt it any more by playing, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him sit a game with such a short turnaround. Wouldn't be happy with it, but wouldn't be surprised.

[ricks68]

Please understand that this information about Amile is not official, nor definite. It's based on the reaction of his previous injury after playing. (I hope I explained that correctly.)

ricks

[MrPoon]

While it probably is for the best to not play an injured foot on about 48 hrs rest, boy I hope he can play. The game had a stat at half time about the record with and with out him and it was shocking.

Plus, while Bolden's play on the ball screens really helped, it was a team effort. Bolden's length pushing the ball handler way, way off course, the guard covering the passing lane AND Amil sliding into the paint as a quasi zone until Bolden recovered. That piece on the back end was what made it really hard for the ball handler trying to get around Bolden's massive length and find the open player, very tricky. And in the end, Miami coudn't do it. I don't think State will either on such a short turn. But without Amil...

[Skydog]

... That piece on the back end was what made it really hard for the ball handler trying to get around Bolden's massive length and find the open player, very tricky. And in the end, Miami coudn't do it. I don't think State will either on such a short turn. But without Amil...
Miami's ball handler couldn't get past him but they didn't have Dennis Smith. In any case NC State isn't a mainly P&R team. Bolden (or whoever) will have very different duties - like closing out on 3's w/o getting beaten on the dribble, guarding the rim after Smiths penetration w/o picking up fouls, getting back quickly to stop fast breaks. Duke's defense will need a different skill set tonight. High energy D still needed though.

[kAzE]

Starters tonight? ...Tune in at 7.

I'm guessing we go back to Amile/Jayson/Matt/Luke/Grayson. It's become apparent (at least to me) that we need both Matt and Amile on the floor to be a good defensive unit.

I love the progress Marques showed defensively against Miami, though. He looked quick enough to hedge and recover on ball screens. Dennis Smith will be a good test of our defense.

[CDu]

If Jefferson does not play, I'd expect a lineup of Allen/Kennard/Jones/Tatum/Bolden.

[elvis14]

With Amile: Bolden/Amile/Jayson/Luuuuke/Grayson
W/O Amile: Bolden/Jayson/Matt/Luuuuuke/Grayson

Hope Amile is doing OK and he does what's best long term (I know he will). I'd rather win games in March than games in Jan.. Of course it'll be a bit frustrating if he can't play because it'll be more difficult to build on the momentum coming off of the Miami game.

Edit: One other note...I really like Matt coming off the bench. It seems to suit him well. Plus if an opposing player gets a little hot, I like having the choice of unleashing Matt on him.

[ricks68]

Amile is the Field General out there, and an extremely active one. I believe that his constant communication with Bolden is what contributed the most to Bolden ' s effectiveness.

ricks

[devildeac]

Steve Wiseman just tweeted Amile is participating in pre-game warm-ups.

[uh_no]

confirmed. no Giles or chase yet though

[uh_no]

scratch that. Giles in now

[tbyers11]

scratch that. Giles in now

And Chase in street clothes according to Steve Wiseman

[devildeac]

And Chase in street clothes according to Steve Wiseman

With or without Das Boot?

[slower]

Amile is the Field General out there, and an extremely active one. I believe that his constant communication with Bolden is what contributed the most to Bolden ' s effectiveness.

ricks

This. Totally.

[tbyers11]

With or without Das Boot?

The tweet did not mention whether or not he was carrying any classic German submarine films ;)

[FerryFor50]

In another thread a poster said Jeter has an index and middle finger taped together.

Airowe tweeted Jeter has a herniated disc.

[kAzE]

Airowe tweeted Jeter has a herniated disc.

No way . . . the season from hell continues . . .

[MartyClark]

Airowe tweeted Jeter has a herniated disc.

That's bad. Best wishes to Chase.

[devildeac]

Airowe tweeted Jeter has a herniated disc.


Well, at least it's not a foot injury. :rolleyes:

Seriously, that's just more bad, bad news to hear this year. At least he can get a reference to a good neurosurgeon nearby. ;)

[Furniture]

Blue Devil Nation‏ @BlueDevilNation (https://mobile.twitter.com/BlueDevilNation)
Jeter had back surgery for a herniated disc.

[TKG]

My hope is for a complete game from our boys; forty minutes of passion and energy ( and a little execution ) on BOTH ends of the court.

[curtis325]

Blue Devil Nation‏ @BlueDevilNation (https://mobile.twitter.com/BlueDevilNation)
Jeter had back surgery for a herniated disc.

Back surgery is serious. Is he out for the season?

[Indoor66]

Blue Devil Nation‏ @BlueDevilNation (https://mobile.twitter.com/BlueDevilNation)
Jeter had back surgery for a herniated disc.

This team ia a career for Orthos and Surgeons. 😧😈😎

[Doria]

Hope Jeter will be okay. Good he can be at the game, even in street clothes (not on bed rest). Get well soon, Chase!

[newclasspack]

Come on guys

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C24_sjtW8AE-ogN.jpg


You can do better.

[mattman91]

bummed to hear that about Chase. Hope he has a speedy recovery!

[pfrduke]

Frank-Matt-Jayson-Amile-Marques officially the starting 5.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPoCFJol1Lg/?taken-by=dukembb&hl=en

[devildeac]

This team ia a career for Orthos and Surgeons. ������

And physical therapists, boot/orthotic/NSAID/crutch makers, radiologists, etc...

Please make it stop. :(

[devildeac]

Frank-Matt-Jayson-Amile-Marques officially the starting 5.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPoCFJol1Lg/?taken-by=dukembb&hl=en

Who woulda thought it? :rolleyes:

Who won the contest? :rolleyes:

[riverside6]

Live tempo-based stats for Duke/NC State, starters posted

http://www.scacchoops.com/nc-state-at-duke-basketball-live-stats-01232017

Same 5 starting that started 2nd half against Miami

[davekay1971]

Come on guys

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C24_sjtW8AE-ogN.jpg


You can do better.

Agreed. That's weak sauce.

[DinoDuke]

Frank-Matt-Jayson-Amile-Marques officially the starting 5.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BPoCFJol1Lg/?taken-by=dukembb&hl=en

I like it

[BandAlum83]

No way . . . the season from hell continues . . .

I didn't know that was contagious. Did he catch it from Coach K?

[BandAlum83]

Blue Devil Nation‏ @BlueDevilNation (https://mobile.twitter.com/BlueDevilNation)
Jeter had back surgery for a herniated disc.


Maybe there was a BOGO special being offered by Ks surgeon. :P

[newclasspack]

Agreed. That's weak sauce.
I mean Also.. Abu is dating a Duke Soccer player.. and that's the BEST they could come up with?

[ricks68]

Yes, it looks like Amile is playing. Go Amile!!!!!

ricks

[moonpie23]

no chat?

[-jk]

DBR Chat (http://forums.dukebasketballreport.com/forums/misc.php?do=cchatbox) is open! (Sorry - running late...)

If it gets a bit slow, refresh the page. If you're on a mobile device, you'll need to select "Blue" at the bottom.

As always - please follow the DBR Posting Guidelines.

Let's Go Duke!

-jk

[davekay1971]

Whatever happens, I'm now watching my first ever Duke basketball game via Sling, through my Xbox One, via Google Fiber. Sling, Netflix, Hulu, HBONow, and Starz, all for $100/month less than AT&TUniv. Aint tech great?

[jipops]

Defense is a little spotty so far. Thankfully State's defense is worse.

Still, our defense just isn't good enough to pull away.

[Tripping William]

Fairly solid first 19:30. But that end-of-half sequence was godawful.

[fuse]

Second half emergence of killer instinct please.

Should have been up double digits before the last minute lapse.

[jipops]

That end of half was awful. Seems like we've had a few chances to create separation but have blown it. This could be a tight one the entire 2nd half against a bad team.

[Native]

Defense is a little spotty so far. Thankfully State's defense is worse.

Still, our defense just isn't good enough to pull away.

I see a team that has had the light turn on defensively — particularly among the bigs — it's just not second nature to them yet. The correct rotations seem to be happening, but they're one or two steps too slow in most cases.

I'm optimistic that the defense will continue to improve throughout conference play.

[jv001]

The law of averages should kick in pretty soon on Dennis Smith shots. Matt has defended him pretty well and he's still lighting us up. Disappointed in Tatum making two dumb fouls. He was looking pretty good and then must sit for a big part of the first half. Freshmen mistakes, oh my. GoDuke!

[jipops]

We are just terrible right now. Everything is easy for State and our offensive flow is just gone.

[cruxer]

We are just terrible right now. Everything is easy for State and our offensive flow is just gone.

I think because we keep getting fouls on the offensive end. That killed whatever flow we had.

[Eternal Outlaw]

Refs could call a hook or shove on Smith at any time

[jipops]

This is going to come down to free throws

[rsvman]

This is going to come down to free throws

I sure hope not. Tonight even our good free throw shooters can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn.

[FerryFor50]

Refs could call a hook or shove on Smith at any time

I'm just glad their vision was good enough to see that Smith was shooting on the all ball foul on Matt Jones when he was passing to someone else.

[FerryFor50]

Matty Ice strikes again.

[FerryFor50]

Smith falls down on his own. Foul on Duke.

[53n206]

Harry and Luke react in a different time exicententce than most of us.

[rsvman]

Harry and Luke react in a different time exicententce than most of us.

What does this even mean? I suspect it's a typo but I just can't get my head around what you were trying to say.

[Kjeffrey]

I'm just glad their vision was good enough to see that Smith was shooting on the all ball foul on Matt Jones when he was passing to someone else.

I have my TV muted. I can only imagine what Bilas said about that call. I loved Capel's reaction.

[FerryFor50]

Glad Kapita fouled out. He's been big for them.

[dukelilsis]

Did anyone catch what the Crazies were chanting to Kapita when he was on the line? I couldn't decipher it. Thanks!

[rsvman]

Why are we trying to give them the game right now?

[El_Diablo]

Why are we trying to give them the game right now?

Freshmen playing like freshmen.

[FerryFor50]

Well this stinks. Dennis Smith is good. And Duke reverted to hero ball down the stretch.

[rsvman]

Very disappointing.

[Coballs]

Freshmen playing like freshmen.

*Well...except for Dennis Smith. Predictable.

[Kjeffrey]

Why are we trying to give them the game right now?

Sure seems like it. Exactly how many timeouts have been used during this 16-3 run?

[IBleedBlue]

Abu is having his way inside and DSJ is playing like a beast.
Very disappointed today.
I would hope with all the bigs we have, someone would come to play.

[WakeDevil]

Back to bubble status. This team will be lucky if it gets to Dayton.

[jipops]

So much for my 10-8 ACC prediction. Can we get in the tournament with a 8-10 record?

[FerryFor50]

Looked pretty flagrant-y to me.

[rsvman]

Flagrant 1?

[gocanes0506]

Flagrant 1

Grayson didn't commit it. Its a play on

[FerryFor50]

Flagrant 1?

Nah, it's just Grayson Allen. He obviously deserves whatever he gets.

[53n206]

20 to 5 run ? Don't remember this in recent history. Not good. No defense. Not a champion team. Ok to tape and watch when bored. So sad.

[curtis325]

Got to the rim a lot but didn't finish. Bad luck.

[DukeWarhead]

I'm done with this year's team. That's right. Done.

[FerryFor50]

I'm done with this year's team. That's right. Done.

Ok. Bye.

[FerryFor50]

Got to the rim a lot but didn't finish. Bad luck.

Yep. Missed a few bunnies. That and Duke missed too many FTs. Still a small chance this goes OT though!

[curtis325]

I'm done with this year's team. That's right. Done.

Don't let the door hit you in the...

[rsvman]

Had a chance after all that.

[FerryFor50]

Yep. Missed a few bunnies. That and Duke missed too many FTs. Still a small chance this goes OT though!

Until Tatum turned it over with a shot to win it. Maybe pass it, Tatum?

Classy after buzzer dunk there, by Smith.