A View from the Outside

[TKG]

An interesting view on our current situation from NBC Sports via Bleacher Report.

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/01/25/whats-wrong-with-Duke

[Billy Dat]

Yes, I read that earlier today. I like Rob Dauster and think that he gives us a fair assessment most of the time. The crux of this article is interesting, Luke Kennard is our best offensive player and therefore should be featured but if Luke Kennard turns out to be our best player, we won't reach our potential.

[Bob Green]

Thanks for the link to a good article. Rob Dauster makes several solid points, examples:


Right now, Luke Kennard is the guy playing the best for Duke, and he’s the only one on the team that seems to realize it. This is the crux of the issue for Duke.


That whole “Duke doesn’t have a point guard” story line? It’s an issue: Back to Allen, part of the reason that he is struggling is that he is being asked to play out of position. He’s not a point guard, but he’s the best point guard that Duke currently has on their roster.

There are more. The article is worth reading and discussing.

[mr. synellinden]

Thanks for the link to a good article. Rob Dauster makes several solid points, examples:





There are more. The article is worth reading and discussing.

This should be required reading for all fans. This is a very insightful and spot on analysis of Duke this season.

[wsb3]

Very good article..I totally agree about the fun part. That has been very disturbing to me.

After last Saturday when we all hoped the 2nd half might be the time when it all changed..but as time & distance from the game..the relief & joy of winning.. I began to wonder why after back to back losses did they come out flat in the first half Saturday? Shouldn't they have been urgent from the beginning..

Against State Bilas said astutely at one point in the second half they were not playing with urgency/ energy.. Again I wonder why..

I can guess like the rest of us..but that is all it would be...a guess..

[uh_no]

Yes, I read that earlier today. I like Rob Dauster and think that he gives us a fair assessment most of the time. The crux of this article is interesting, Luke Kennard is our best offensive player and therefore should be featured but if Luke Kennard turns out to be our best player, we won't reach our potential.

Why would suggest that? Luke has played phenomenally this year....among the best in the country.....if Luke turns out to be our best player, it's because he's played really friggin well and earns every bit of it.

[NM Duke Fan]

Disagree that Allen and Tatum are necessarily more talented than Luke as the article states. More athletic, yes, but basketball is also a mental game and Luke has an extremely high basketball IQ on offense. He flows well within the game, and sees things. Great release on his shot, does not tend to force things.

[UrinalCake]

With regards to the team having "fun" playing, our 1999 supposedly had a lot of internal conflict too. From what I've heard, certain players formed a clique and they didn't get along all that well off the court. But they rolled their opponents by 30+ points routinely, so that kept everybody happy. Who knows if those chemistry issues led to their eventual defeat in the title game, but winning cures a lot of ills.

[duketaylor]

"Luke has played phenomenally this year...among the best in the country....if Luke turns out to be our best player, it's because he's played really friggin well and earns every bit of it."

Luke has struggled last few games and has been a liability of defense, so I would say, Luke played well earlier and not as well lately. It's a long season and has had highs and lows, as a team and for individuals. Right now we're struggling as a team and need players to step up. Hopefully, and usually, they are upper-classmen. But that doesn't have to be the case. I would continue to rotate the freshmen and other guys and play who seems to be "on" that day and continue to stress energy on defense, as our D has been poor. Good at times, but poor overall. Seems to me that Harry is the best rim-protector/defender down low. Bolden is good on D but can't prevent balls getting to the rim as well as Giles.

[CDu]

"Luke has played phenomenally this year...among the best in the country...if Luke turns out to be our best player, it's because he's played really friggin well and earns every bit of it."

Luke has struggled last few games and has been a liability of defense, so I would say, Luke played well earlier and not as well lately. It's a long season and has had highs and lows, as a team and for individuals. Right now we're struggling as a team and need players to step up. Hopefully, and usually, they are upper-classmen. But that doesn't have to be the case. I would continue to rotate the freshmen and other guys and play who seems to be "on" that day and continue to stress energy on defense, as our D has been poor. Good at times, but poor overall. Seems to me that Harry is the best rim-protector/defender down low. Bolden is good on D but can't prevent balls getting to the rim as well as Giles.

I agree with you about Kennard's defense. But here are Kennard's last four games:
Vs FSU: 8-15 fg, 23 points
Vs Lou: 6-10 fg, 17 points
Vs Mia: 3-8 fg, 11 points
Vs NC St: 5-9, 20 points

So 17.8 ppg on over 50% from the field.

Kennard was utterly fantastic on offense in three of the last four games, and just decent in the other. I would say that "struggled" over that stretch is... well... just simply not accurate.

[Skydog]

An interesting view on our current situation from NBC Sports via Bleacher Report.

http://collegebasketball.nbcsports.com/2017/01/25/whats-wrong-with-Duke

Great article - a well written and incisive analysis. Rare find these days.

[indy1duke]

That is a very thoughtful article, definitely worth reading.

One player who was not mentioned was Amile. I believe that was a mistake. Simply stated, a healthy Amile Jefferson is a tremendous asset to our team. I don't believe that the Amile Jefferson we saw Monday is healthy. Indeed I heard a report prior to the game predicting that Amile was going to sit out the State game. The box score reports that Amile played 28 minutes, scored 5 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. In addition it reports that State's Kapita had 10 rebounds and 14 points in 19 minutes and Abu had 9 rebounds and 19 points in 36 minutes. It looked to me that Amile played hurt and is not fully recovered and gutted it out to play. This was not the healthy double-double Amile. I think a healthy Amile would have done lots more and State's big men would have done less. Here is to hoping that Amile fully recovers from that bone bruise and can return to the excellent player he is.

[Billy Dat]

Why would suggest that? Luke has played phenomenally this year...among the best in the country....if Luke turns out to be our best player, it's because he's played really friggin well and earns every bit of it.

I think the thought was that we need the kids projected as lottery picks to play like lottery picks to justify the preseason excitement.

[Indoor66]

I think the thought was that we need the kids projected as lottery picks to play like lottery picks to justify the preseason excitement.

That may be the understatement of the day. :o