Jay Bilas says....

[bbar7502]

With all of the negative Monroe comments and not really having any true good bigs, I was wondering if anyone saw Jay's commentary on ESPNU. He had Duke preseason #9 and said that everyone is taking about Duke not really having a big man but big man by committee and they might have a tough time matching up against a true big man. He counters by saying that it is going to be the other way around, teams are gonna have a hard time matching up against duke and their speed. He said that he expects this team to be really fast and have a really agressive defense. He also raves about kyle and thinks that this team can make some noise. Felt good hearing it from Jay and I was kinda suprised he had us up to #9......

[arnie]

I think Bilas has it right, and I also don't understand all the concern over Monroe. Surely either Thomas or Zoubek will be able to fill in capably over the next few years. I am more concerned about a point guard during that period. We need to bring E. Williams or equivalent in to the program next year.

[VaDukie]

Bilas' opinion really does excite me. I've generally felt that Bilas doesn't give us all the credit we deserve for fear of being a Duke-homer, but if he has us at 9 then I think that speaks pretty well for us.

Or maybe he's wrong. We'll be finding out soon enough.

Is it November yet?!?!? :eek:

[feldspar]

Well, being realistic, I think it's going to be somewhere in the middle. We will be fast, but I've watched enough Duke basketball over the past 4 or so years to not expect us to be deep at all.

And the reality is that we are small. It really depends on how the sophomores have developed, IMO. Lance Thomas and Zoubek especially. If they can, at the very least, hold their own on the inside and provide some decent frontcourt defense, I'm confident that our guards can take care of the rest.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a bit of a mirror image of last year's season. IE, we lose a bunch of games up front especially to taller teams, but eventually get it together and put a little string of wins together down the road and make things exciting.

[ACCBBallFan]

I too was surprised Jay Bilas had Duke so highly ranked so early in the season.

[Olympic Fan]

I've watched enough Duke basketball over the past 4 or so years to not expect us to be deep at all.


If all you've seen of Duke basketball is the last four years or so, I can understand why you think this. Starting in 2000, K has tended to stick with his starters and play with a relatively short bench.

But if you'd watched Duke basketball for the entire Coach K era, you wouldn't have this concern. Over the majority of his career, he has often had deep teams. The '99 team gave a lot of minutes to a lot of players, but part of that was that almost every game was a blowout.

The 98 team was a better example. They ran and pressed and subbed liberally. Indeed, that was just about the only way they could play well -- which is one reason they had trouble protecting big leads -- they couldn't dial it back and play slow.

PS I'm not saying this team is as talented as 98 -- it's not (and it's certainly not as big). I'm just offering it as an example of a K-coached team that played fast and used its depth.

[Karl Beem]

If all you've seen of Duke basketball is the last four years or so, I can understand why you think this. Starting in 2000, K has tended to stick with his starters and play with a relatively short bench.

But if you'd watched Duke basketball for the entire Coach K era, you wouldn't have this concern. Over the majority of his career, he has often had deep teams. The '99 team gave a lot of minutes to a lot of players, but part of that was that almost every game was a blowout.

The 98 team was a better example. They ran and pressed and subbed liberally. Indeed, that was just about the only way they could play well -- which is one reason they had trouble protecting big leads -- they couldn't dial it back and play slow.

PS I'm not saying this team is as talented as 98 -- it's not (and it's certainly not as big). I'm just offering it as an example of a K-coached team that played fast and used its depth.

Yes. The '91 team was also deep. The '92 would have been if McCaffrey and Palmer hadn't transferred.

[hondoheel]

Not sure how fast Duke is going to be able to play with guys like Paulus, Zoubek, King, Scheyer, and McClure on the roster. Maybe they could use those guys as a unit, like bringing in a knuckleball reliever.

[RepoMan]

Not sure how fast Duke is going to be able to play with guys like Paulus, Zoubek, King, Scheyer, and McClure on the roster. Maybe they could use those guys as a unit, like bringing in a knuckleball reliever.

Ouch. Take it easy--we've had a bad couple days.

[Shammrog]

I love Jay, and to the consternation of many here, he is usually brutally honest about Duke (maybe even a bit conservative, to avoid charges of homerism.) 1. He is usually dead-on; one of the best basketball analysts out there. 2. For him to have us at 9 makes me feel *really* good about the upcoming season.

[monkey]

If all you've seen of Duke basketball is the last four years or so, I can understand why you think this. Starting in 2000, K has tended to stick with his starters and play with a relatively short bench.

But if you'd watched Duke basketball for the entire Coach K era, you wouldn't have this concern. Over the majority of his career, he has often had deep teams. The '99 team gave a lot of minutes to a lot of players, but part of that was that almost every game was a blowout.

The 98 team was a better example. They ran and pressed and subbed liberally. Indeed, that was just about the only way they could play well -- which is one reason they had trouble protecting big leads -- they couldn't dial it back and play slow.

PS I'm not saying this team is as talented as 98 -- it's not (and it's certainly not as big). I'm just offering it as an example of a K-coached team that played fast and used its depth.

I seem to recall that when it came to post season ACC awards, K actually had to lobby for a couple of guys by saying their numbers would have been higher except for the fact he spread minutes around.

I also seem to recall that in the Kentucky collapse, some people cited the idea that the starters got worn out at the end because they weren't used to playing that long a game. Which is pretty much the exact opposite of the recent critcism (worn down because the starters play too much during the regular season, bench not developed enough).

Actually, it may be coincidental, but I've been prone to thinking that K's use of a shorter bench in recent years tended to reflect an evolution in his thinking taking into account what happened to the 1998 team.

[OldPhiKap]

Not sure how fast Duke is going to be able to play with guys like Paulus, Zoubek, King, Scheyer, and McClure on the roster. Maybe they could use those guys as a unit, like bringing in a knuckleball reliever.

Paulus strikes me as being a better transition pg than a half-court one. I think getting out there and moving is a BIG improvement.

I don't see a real problem with that line-up running. If the rebounder (presumably Zoubek) kicks it out to Paulus while the rest fill the lanes, you've at least gotten the defense back on its heels instead of sitting in a half-court defense waiting on you. Add in the fact that you have some really good athletes (Nelson, Henderson), speed (Pocius, Smith) and a good big outlet target (Singler), you've got a good running team.

[Lulu]

putting all eggs in one basket finally caught up with us... about time really

[VaDukie]

putting all eggs in one basket finally caught up with us... about time really

What does that have to do with this thread?

[kydevil]

putting all eggs in one basket finally caught up with us... about time really

I think you are in the wrong thread Lulu.

Anyways I agree that Paulus is better in the open than in a half-court game. He sees the court great, and can make the special passes.

I like the idea of Paulus running a fast break with Henderson, Nelson, and Singler!

[throatybeard]

We will be fast, but I've watched enough Duke basketball over the past 4 or so years to not expect us to be deep at all.

Ah, good, we're back to topic 1A. I was beginning to miss it.

[feldspar]

If all you've seen of Duke basketball is the last four years or so, I can understand why you think this.

That's not what I said.

[feldspar]

Ah, good, we're back to topic 1A. I was beginning to miss it.

If, by the end of the season, my predicition (based on observation) proves to be just another tick on your counter of mindless and baseless repetitional criticism, I'll be more than happy to publicly admit it.

But, I'm pretty confident that won't be the case.

[Johnny B]

From GoDuke, it seems Chris Collins is very excited with the early look of this team and, it seems the Coaches are looking at using depth and speed.

"Because of the depth our team, we are really working on pushing the ball up the court and attacking. We should be able to really spread the floor this year and create mismatch problems."

(http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=22724&SPID=1845&DB_OEM_ID=4200&ATCLID=1281252)

Now I can't wait for the Blue-White scrimmage!:)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Ouch. Take it easy--we've had a bad couple days.

That must be a Red Sox reference, what with Wakefield pitching tonight. You're in trouble. The only team he can beat reliably is the Yankees, and unfortunately for both of us, you're not playing the Yankees.

[cato]

If, by the end of the season, my predicition (based on observation) proves to be just another tick on your counter of mindless and baseless repetitional criticism, I'll be more than happy to publicly admit it.

But, I'm pretty confident that won't be the case.

Hmm. Does this fall under 14j (http://www.duke.edu/~bct1/images/DBRHPR7.1asPDF.pdf), or is a slight revision in order?

[throatybeard]

Hmm. Does this fall under 14j (http://www.duke.edu/~bct1/images/DBRHPR7.1asPDF.pdf), or is a slight revision in order?

Yes, but most of Feldspar's responses to me are 14J.

[feldspar]

Yes, but most of Feldspar's responses to me are 14J.

I just can never tell if you actually take your own "list" seriously or if it's a joke to you.