MBB: Duke 99, Utah Valley 69 Post-Game Thread

[JBDuke]

Put your post-game thoughts here.

[DukeTrinity11]

True Point Guard? Check
Dominant Big Men? Check
Transcendent Talent? Check
Senior Captain Guard? Check

Duke should and I believe will be playing in April.

We"ll get out first real test against elite competitions Tuesday night against MSU.

[Billy Dat]

It’s hard to not get irrationally excited about this team.

We start 5 guys wbo are likely to be NBA players next year. Has that ever happened? Such talent this year.

[AGDukesky]

I love the make-up of this team! Experience is the only thing missing. Duval has been better than expected and all the freshmen give great effort on defense. Bagley is special but needs to make those FTs because he can live at the line. O’Connell has that it factor that reminds me of Grayson as a freshman. He could blowup like Kennard did as a sophomore but might have to wait till his junior year to get the playing time. Solid effort with a few too many offensive rebounds allowed.

[Bluedevil114]

It’s hard to not get irrationally excited about this team.

We start 5 guys wbo are likely to be NBA players next year. Has that ever happened? Such talent this year.

What is amazing is that this team will get better. Wow. Go Duke.

[MChambers]

The first 7-8 minutes, I was thinking that the lack of outside shooting and perimeter depth was a big problem. Then Goldwire and O’Connell came in and K switched to the zone and Duke got a few quick turnovers and easy scores and suddenly Duke had a big lead. Bagley and Carter are an amazing duo down low.

[DukieInKansas]

Grateful the post game presentation was streamed. So glad Uncle Terry and Tom Butters stuck with Coach K after the first three years.

[rickshawboycall911]

Alex Oconnell reminds me of a shorter,more explosive Dunleavy.
Jordan goldwire I like the way he runs the team.
Trent,Carter,Bagley have all been way better than I thought they would
Duval looks way slower than I thought he would be.
Marques Bolden. I want so badly for the kid to succeed maybe the way I wanted Zoubek or Chase Jeter to succeed. But like Chase Jeter , Marques has absolutely no court awareness out there. I have never seen such a huge kid play six inches shorter than he is. its just really frustrating to me.

[Devilwin]

I love the make-up of this team! Experience is the only thing missing. Duval has been better than expected and all the freshmen give great effort on defense. Bagley is special but needs to make those FTs because he can live at the line. O’Connell has that it factor that reminds me of Grayson as a freshman. He could blowup like Kennard did as a sophomore but might have to wait till his junior year to get the playing time. Solid effort with a few too many offensive rebounds allowed.

Well put. Bagley is awesome but his free throw shooting is atrocious. And we gotta stop all those cutters to the hoop. Otherwise, this team is scary good..

[OZ]

I know two games do not tell the tale, but, Duval is going to be just fine.

[slower]

The starting five are fantastic. No worries there. It's what happens after that that may get sticky against top-flight teams. But if we stay out of foul trouble, it's gonna be a fun ride this year. My initial concerns about Duval are a thing of the past. :p

However, Tuesday will tell us a lot.

[devilnfla]

Jordan goldwire I like the way he runs the team.



Duval looks way slower than I thought he would be.


Regarding the Goldwire comment.....Really? What about his play in limited minutes makes you feel this?

And on Duval, what did you expect, the Flash? I think he's lightning quick.

[richardjackson199]

Nice lift from O'Connell when he subbed into the game. It wasn't a perfect game, but he's a willing passer and got us back to the ball-moving team who has been so lethally effective.

[DangerDevil]

Grateful the post game presentation was streamed. So glad Uncle Terry and Tom Butters stuck with Coach K after the first three years.

Agreed!

The best part of the game was seeing/hearing Coach K after the game.

Thank God he made it through the 1st 3 seasons!

[DukeFanSince1990]

Duval: 15 points, 12 assists, 1 turnover. Wow.

[mgtr]

Of course our experience on Tuesday might send us back to the drawing board. If not then I agree that our starting five is set. Beyond that I was looking at Bolden and DeLaurier, but Bolden needs more practice (and complete recovery from his illness. So then we look at Goldwire and O'Connell. Is Goldwire the best backup for Duval, or is Allen that guy. I would stick with Goldwire for awhile. I for sure believe that O'Connell will get real minutes, providing relief for both Trent and Allen. I would definitely put DeLaurier ahead of Bolden (not fair because Bolden has been ill,so we will wait a few weeks and see what develops).So, where do we fit in White and Vrank? I don't know.
If you are going to have problems in deciding who to play, the guys we have make the decisions interesting. Come on Michigan State -- lets see what more we can learn.

[TheOldBattleship]

The combo of size/length and athleticism that this team has makes it so difficult for teams to run offense against us. We really shrink the court on D outrageously well. It's a snowball effect thing, too. Having multiple guys who can just wall up and affect a shot at the back end makes it so much easier for Duval/Allen/Trent to push up on their men, which lets the rest of the backcourt play the first passing lanes, which forces floated skip passes, which our length and athleticism make it likely we get hands on. And then this team is just going to destroy people in transition, with so many guys who can handle and finish. Our floor is just so high, because you really have to be able to do more on offense than 90% of college teams are able to do to deal with us. I'm looking forward to getting an idea of where our ceiling is on Tuesday, when we play against a team that actually CAN do enough on offense to handle what we bring defensively. But if you're a mid-level team hoping to pick us off on a random night in January (as has happened off and on over the past few years with some of our other inexperienced teams), this is not the team you're looking for.

[MrPoon]

Duval: 15 points, 12 assists, 1 turnover. Wow.

Anyone following Jeff Goodman on twitter? I don’t. Can you confirm his anonymous scouts still saying Duval isn’t a first round talent? Sure small sample size but his sources seemed willing to conclude that after the Blue White game....

[Troublemaker]

Through two games, it's pretty much been a dream start for Duke. You could nitpick here and there, but basically everyone in the top-6 is either as-advertised or better-than-advertised (and we'll have to see about my projected 7th man Marques once he's over this strep throat).

Coach K himself has been as-advertised as well. So far we've been really pushing the ball in transition (as our totals have sailed comfortably over the Vegas line both games) and he's been willing to use the zone as appropriate, as it was today after Trevon and Grayson picked up 2 fouls each. He's probably played more of our bench than I might've expected as well (although, of course, the two games have been routs).

[jv001]

Alex Oconnell reminds me of a shorter,more explosive Dunleavy.
Jordan goldwire I like the way he runs the team.
Trent,Carter,Bagley have all been way better than I thought they would
Duval looks way slower than I thought he would be.
Marques Bolden. I want so badly for the kid to succeed maybe the way I wanted Zoubek or Chase Jeter to succeed. But like Chase Jeter , Marques has absolutely no court awareness out there. I have never seen such a huge kid play six inches shorter than he is. its just really frustrating to me.

Yeh, and Sandy Koufax and Nolan Ryan couldn't throw a baseball hard. He looks pretty quick to me. He may look slow to you because he's playing under control and I like that. GoDuke!

[jipops]

Alex Oconnell reminds me of a shorter,more explosive Dunleavy.
Jordan goldwire I like the way he runs the team.
Trent,Carter,Bagley have all been way better than I thought they would
Duval looks way slower than I thought he would be.
Marques Bolden. I want so badly for the kid to succeed maybe the way I wanted Zoubek or Chase Jeter to succeed. But like Chase Jeter , Marques has absolutely no court awareness out there. I have never seen such a huge kid play six inches shorter than he is. its just really frustrating to me.

In a limited sample I have seen nothing from Goldwire that suggests he'll be seeing floor time in January. And despite not being able to shoot, Duval has been a stellar pg in the 1st 2 games.

I give Bolden a pass tonight as he's coming back from what is said to be a bad bout with strep. Sure he's no Bagley or Carter, but he is definitely more skilled than Jeter and sophomore Zoubek.

[Duke95]

Duval: 15 points, 12 assists, 1 turnover. Wow.

Through the first two games, Duval's assist to turnover ratio is 20-1 and he's averaging a double-double.

[dukelifer]

Put your post-game thoughts here.

Excellent win by Duke. Bagley is an impressive player- not sure there has been a more coordinated big man at Duke. He is scary good. Duvall had a nice game. He struggles with his shot but he is playing patiently and has had only 1 turnover in 2 games and doled out 20'assists. He can pick his moments with this team. Carter looks like a junior out there. An excellent passer and strong hands. O'Connell continues to impress. He is quick, has a confident shot, sees the floor well and seems to be at the right place at the right time defensively- get his hands on many balls. He will be needed. Trent also does not play like a Freshman. Excellent shooter with his feet set. This team has a ton of talent. The level of competition jumps in a few days but so far so good.

[G man]

Very happy as well. Most freshmen don't get off to such a good start as this group has. Even some of our high draft pick guys haven't been this good at the start. It will be a great sign if O'Connell keeps getting burn. We will need the depth at some point. Same with Goldwire we will need him.

[Troublemaker]

So, with the obvious caveat that we need to play some games away from home and against a higher level of competition...

Wendell is a legitimate rim protector. He led two gold-medal winning USA teams in blocked shots, and he'll lead Duke in blocked shots this season. He also obviously has great poise, feel, touch, and moves on the low block, making him probably Duke's best 2-way center since Elton Brand.

Marvin has an insane motor and quick-jump ability. I don't think he's a "generational talent" (Durant, Anthony Davis, Lebron, etc) and I doubt he'll be the #1 draft pick, but his motor and athleticism will make him an extremely productive college player this season (a double-double machine) and a top-5 draft pick.

We're talking about two freshmen here but they're probably our best frontcourt duo in a long time.

[Troublemaker]

Duval: 15 points, 12 assists, 1 turnover. Wow.

And I'm pretty sure the 1 turnover was Javin's fault as he should've stayed in the corner for an open three instead of moving. So, essentially you could argue that Trevon has 20 assists and 0 turnovers through two games. He obviously has stepped up his play once the real games started.

[fan345678]

Our starting five might be the most confident set of five individuals that I have seen take the court together. They are also confident as a team, and anyone else who comes onto the court seems to adopt that same confidence.

After his frustrating year last year and illness to start this year, I hope Marques can get that confidence. I think Javin is there. Even Goldwire and O'Connell seem to be in that neighborhood.

There will be bumps along the road-- maybe Tuesday-- but I hope that this attitude sticks around.

[TheOldBattleship]

Through two games, it's pretty much been a dream start for Duke. You could nitpick here and there, but basically everyone in the top-6 is either as-advertised or better-than-advertised (and we'll have to see about my projected 7th man Marques once he's over this strep throat).

Coach K himself has been as-advertised as well. So far we've been really pushing the ball in transition (as our totals have sailed comfortably over the Vegas line both games) and he's been willing to use the zone as appropriate, as it was today after Trevon and Grayson picked up 2 fouls each. He's probably played more of our bench than I might've expected as well (although, of course, the two games have been routs).

I've gotta say that I've felt pretty confident with Bolden in the (obviously limited) time he's been on the floor this year. His slowdown-and-survey post game is a much better fit for the way we're playing this year, and he's been looking legitimately frisky on defense. He's clearly a guy who needs to a) be in shape, and b) be confident in order to have a consistent impact, so it's a real shame that he got sick at such an unfortunate time, but I'm pretty hopeful that he's actually going to get legitimate (and good!) minutes this year. Fingers crossed.

I echo what I've seen others post: the big question for the bench seems to me to be what happens in the backcourt. O'Connell is going to get some minutes, I think, and will be solid some nights and completely invisible on other nights (hey, a normal freshman!). Will Goldwire earn minutes against good opponents, though? Or will Allen take the backup point minutes? DeLaurier makes too many good things happen to keep him on the bench even if he is... not great... for our spacing, so it's gotta be tempting for K to give him some serious minutes at the 3 with Bagley and Carter. Goldwire's really going to have to impress in practice in order to take those minutes for himself. As always, too much talent for 40 minutes is a great problem to have!

[budwom]

How did Bolden go from being out next Tuesday with severe strep throat to playing 12 minutes tonight?

[jipops]

How did Bolden go from being out next Tuesday with severe strep throat to playing 12 minutes tonight?

I was surpised as well. Pretty sure K said last night that Bolden would definitely be out tonight. Either a little gamesmanship or Marques simply recovered more suddenly than initially thought.

[budwom]

I was surpised as well. Pretty sure K said last night that Bolden would definitely be out tonight. Either a little gamesmanship or Marques simply recovered more suddenly than initially thought.

Nearly chapel hill level miracle recovery i'd say...

[jipops]

I've gotta say that I've felt pretty confident with Bolden in the (obviously limited) time he's been on the floor this year. His slowdown-and-survey post game is a much better fit for the way we're playing this year, and he's been looking legitimately frisky on defense. He's clearly a guy who needs to a) be in shape, and b) be confident in order to have a consistent impact, so it's a real shame that he got sick at such an unfortunate time, but I'm pretty hopeful that he's actually going to get legitimate (and good!) minutes this year. Fingers crossed.

I echo what I've seen others post: the big question for the bench seems to me to be what happens in the backcourt. O'Connell is going to get some minutes, I think, and will be solid some nights and completely invisible on other nights (hey, a normal freshman!). Will Goldwire earn minutes against good opponents, though? Or will Allen take the backup point minutes? DeLaurier makes too many good things happen to keep him on the bench even if he is... not great... for our spacing, so it's gotta be tempting for K to give him some serious minutes at the 3 with Bagley and Carter. Goldwire's really going to have to impress in practice in order to take those minutes for himself. As always, too much talent for 40 minutes is a great problem to have!

I think O'Connell getting minutes is the result of 2 games in 2 nights at home. I would be very surprised if he sees the floor at all Tuesday save for some bad foul trouble (fingers crossed that doesn't happen). When conference play begins I don't think K is going to want there to be a situation where both Duval and Allen are on the bench (unless we're up big late). Grayson is the backup pg.

[AGDukesky]

O’Connell looks like a gamer to me. I do think his minutes in the ACC will depend greatly on foul trouble and the physicality of the opponent. If he can knock down 3s at a decent rate then he will be part of the rotation.

I’ve seen very little from Goldwire to make me think he gets minutes except in blowouts or guard depth issues.

Bolden showed a little glimpse tonight that he can provide something but I don’t see him earning more than 10-15 minutes. I hope he is patient and sticks around for next season because the minutes will likely be there.

[UrinalCake]

I've been tempering my expectations on this year's team based on their inexperience and being burned as a fan last season. But if we win on Tuesday then I am going full-on "Championship Or Bust" mode!

[ipatent]

O’Connell looks like a gamer to me.

He's quick, and his presence out there makes us harder to defend.

[MCFinARL]

I was surpised as well. Pretty sure K said last night that Bolden would definitely be out tonight. Either a little gamesmanship or Marques simply recovered more suddenly than initially thought.

If he started antibiotics for the strep on Thursday, he could actually be feeling pretty good by today. And young people often rebound from these things pretty fast.

Of course, there could be a bit of gamesmanship as well, although that seems a bit unlikely in this case--would it really seem worthwhile to keep Utah Valley guessing about the status of a player who wasn't going to start?

[MCFinARL]

I've been tempering my expectations on this year's team based on their inexperience and being burned as a fan last season. But if we win on Tuesday then I am going full-on "Championship Or Bust" mode!

Please, no bandwagon just yet--let's just enjoy what we have for a while before raising the stakes. :)

[westwall]

And I'm pretty sure the 1 turnover was Javin's fault as he should've stayed in the corner for an open three instead of moving. So, essentially you could argue that Trevon has 20 assists and 0 turnovers through two games. He obviously has stepped up his play once the real games started.


Yes, from where I sat it looked clear that Javin acknowledged "my fault".

[uh_no]

was somewhat frustrated with the first few minutes....and it's not like we played BADLY...just...things...we tipped in at least one (looked like 2 from my spot) buckets for them, couldn't corral a rebound to save our lives, and weren't really working on offense off the ball...perhaps hangover from last night?

oh well...THAT was quickly rectified. and was very glad to see the second half get things going much better.

the OTHER thing that frustrated me was the GD back door cuts in the second half. they did it three times in a row. we'd be guarding (big man) with the ball, and BAM, screen the high guard and easy layup. duvall got killed...and was visibly frustrated. That is an EXTREME nit pick, though...something I'd be almost happy to be our biggest weakness come march.

Guys played great. no two ways about it.

Does anyone know what the record for alley oops in a season is? I have a hunch it might be in severe jeopardy.

Also, holy crap duvall. I think he's on a personal vendetta against me for suggesting he needed to be more careful with the ball....the amount of improvement these guys look to hav emade in a few weeks? Hopefully we get that same confidence on tuesday.

I'm ready. ought to be a thriller.

[Kedsy]

In a limited sample I have seen nothing from Goldwire that suggests he'll be seeing floor time in January. And despite not being able to shoot, Duval has been a stellar pg in the 1st 2 games.

I give Bolden a pass tonight as he's coming back from what is said to be a bad bout with strep. Sure he's no Bagley or Carter, but he is definitely more skilled than Jeter and sophomore Zoubek.

I agree with all of the above. In the first half when the game was competitive, Jordan G did not enter the game until after both Trevon and Grayson had two fouls. I don't think Jordan will play much after January 1. And despite a 30-point blowout, our five starters all played 30+ minutes (6th man Javin played only 11 minutes; nobody else got into double-figures). Jordan Tucker didn't play at all.

I also noticed while the game was competitive, Gary and Grayson rushed their shots a little under the pressure (and not surprisingly, during that stretch no other Duke players were particularly good from outside, either). The two of them combined for 1 for 6 on jumpers/threes until the lead was double-digits. After that they relaxed, slowed down, and started hitting them. Something to look for, anyway.

Defense was pretty good overall, except our defensive rebounding was disappointing (62.8% DR%) and the many cuts for lightly contested layups reminded me of recent seasons when we couldn't defend very well. I still think this team will ultimately be a strong defensive team, however. The fact that we blocked 16.7% of their 2-point shots is one reason I think it.

Jim Sumner says the 1998-99 team holds the Duke record for blocks, with 245 (6.28 per game). In two games so far, Duke has 10 blocks (5.0 per game), which suggests we may fall short of the record this year but we have a shot.

Jim Sumner also says our 1998-99 team is the Duke record holder for dunks in a season, with 199 (4.15 dunks per game). Though it's only two games, after 9 dunks tonight, Duke already has 16 dunks this season (8.0 per game), suggesting this record may be in jeopardy.

[Kedsy]

I agree with all of the above. In the first half when the game was competitive, Jordan G did not enter the game until after both Trevon and Grayson had two fouls. I don't think Jordan will play much after January 1. And despite a 30-point blowout, our five starters all played 30+ minutes (6th man Javin played only 11 minutes; nobody else got into double-figures). Jordan Tucker didn't play at all.

I also noticed while the game was competitive, Gary and Grayson rushed their shots a little under the pressure (and not surprisingly, during that stretch no other Duke players were particularly good from outside, either). The two of them combined for 1 for 6 on jumpers/threes until the lead was double-digits. After that they relaxed, slowed down, and started hitting them. Something to look for, anyway.

Defense was pretty good overall, except our defensive rebounding was disappointing (62.8% DR%) and the many cuts for lightly contested layups reminded me of recent seasons when we couldn't defend very well. I still think this team will ultimately be a strong defensive team, however. The fact that we blocked 16.7% of their 2-point shots is one reason I think it.

Jim Sumner says the 1998-99 team holds the Duke record for blocks, with 245 (6.28 per game). In two games so far, Duke has 10 blocks (5.0 per game), which suggests we may fall short of the record this year but we have a shot.

Jim Sumner also says our 1998-99 team is the Duke record holder for dunks in a season, with 199 (4.15 dunks per game). Though it's only two games, after 9 dunks tonight, Duke already has 16 dunks this season (8.0 per game), suggesting this record may be in jeopardy.

Also, I'm surprised nobody has mentioned (and if you have and I missed it, sorry) that Marvin has now double-doubled in his first two games at Duke, something I don't think any other Duke player has done. He's actually gone 24+ and 10+ in each of his first two games, something I know no Duke player has ever done.

We're averaging 77.15 possessions per game after two games, something which if it lasts all season would rank 5th in the last 32 seasons at Duke. We'll see if that keeps up once the more difficult games start.

[brlftz]

I would like to see a new stat for Marvin that deducts rebounds that are just him playing catch off the rim for his own shots. Deduct the extra shot attempts to compensate

[Kedsy]

I would like to see a new stat for Marvin that deducts rebounds that are just him playing catch off the rim for his own shots. Deduct the extra shot attempts to compensate

You kidding? Moses Malone made the Hall of Fame that way.

[Selover]

Even O'Connell's energy on the bench was fantastic. I think I'm really going to enjoy watching him at Duke. I know a lot of people aren't thrilled with the one and done era but I do think that the guys who come to Duke are all in.

Sidenote... There was a lot of dust getting into my eyes during Shane's speech and then obviously K's speech. Pretty lucky to be fans of the pair and the program as a whole!

[FerryFor50]

Out of the country, so I unfortunately missed the last two games, but this Utah Valley team only lost by 10 to #5 Kentucky.

[brlftz]

You kidding? Moses Malone made the Hall of Fame that way.

can't spork, so...upvote? :D

[WVDUKEFAN]

Man, this team....... wow. I guess we'll really find out Tuesday what they are capable of. I'm loving what I'm seeing so far.

[slower]

Even O'Connell's energy on the bench was fantastic. I think I'm really going to enjoy watching him at Duke.

O'Connell will be fun to watch (and has been a VERY pleasant surprise), but can we temper the Dunleavy comparisons? Dunleavy went 17/7 and was 1st-Team A-A. Of course, he went 9.1/4.3/1.7 as a freshman, so maybe it's not a COMPLETE stretch. But still - it's too soon.

[lotusland]

The combo of size/length and athleticism that this team has makes it so difficult for teams to run offense against us. We really shrink the court on D outrageously well. It's a snowball effect thing, too. Having multiple guys who can just wall up and affect a shot at the back end makes it so much easier for Duval/Allen/Trent to push up on their men, which lets the rest of the backcourt play the first passing lanes, which forces floated skip passes, which our length and athleticism make it likely we get hands on. And then this team is just going to destroy people in transition, with so many guys who can handle and finish. Our floor is just so high, because you really have to be able to do more on offense than 90% of college teams are able to do to deal with us. I'm looking forward to getting an idea of where our ceiling is on Tuesday, when we play against a team that actually CAN do enough on offense to handle what we bring defensively. But if you're a mid-level team hoping to pick us off on a random night in January (as has happened off and on over the past few years with some of our other inexperienced teams), this is not the team you're looking for.

Every team has a flaw. Lack of shooters and guard depth is ours. So far post scoring, rebounding and passing appear to be more than enough to compensate. Also they exposed another weakness with all the cutters but Duke countered with steals and shot blocks for easy scores. This team is a load. Duval, Bagley, Carter and Delaurier are going to catch the ball unguarded on the 3 point line a lot this year but, if they can hit in the neighborhood of 30% it will be almost a non-issue. Carter and Bagley are beasts. Those guys are going to get a lot of lobs and stick backs. JGold is adequate to spell Duval a couple minutes each half. It will be a luxury to have him around for 4 years. O’Connel is a more complete player than I expected as a Frosh. He can definitely contribute when Duke needs him. I doubt he becomes a key rotation player this year but I wouldn’t be surprised if he has some big games. Goldwire and O’Connell bode well for having some key upper-classmen in a few years and Tucker has plenty of time to come around too. I’m really glad Grayson got on track too. Duke needs him to be a consistent scorer and leader.

[MChambers]

You kidding? Moses Malone made the Hall of Fame that way.

Can’t argue with that!

[Wheat/"/"/"]

This is the most athletic Duke team I can recall, and I've seen a bunch of them.

After seeing the two early games...

There is really no real weakness anywhere on the court, just areas that can be improved...like shot selection and defense. And there's plenty of time for that.

They will overwhelm most teams with raw talent.

All that remains to be seen is how will the young guys handle a close game against a strong team before we can tell just how good they team can be.

[budwom]

For those (like me) making the mental transition from football to hoops after the West Point debacle, there is a potentially interesting game on TV at 3:30 today (ESPN). An experienced, solid mid major Vermont team
travels to Kentucky...KY is a 12 pt favorite (KenPom says 16)...but IF the Catamounts don't fall apart at the start vying with Kentucky's athleticism, they could make it interesting. They are a solid, well coached, experienced
team...probably more interesting than watching a slew of NFL players getting their weekly concussions.

[superdave]

This is the most athletic Duke team I can recall, and I've seen a bunch of them.

After seeing the two early games...

There is really no real weakness anywhere on the court, just areas that can be improved...like shot selection and defense. And there's plenty of time for that.

They will overwhelm most teams with raw talent.

All that remains to be seen is how will the young guys handle a close game against a strong team before we can tell just how good they team can be.


Maturity is going to be a big thing here, particularly at the point. If Duvall can keep the ball moving and keep us from playing too much one on one, they will have a dominant offense. Michigan State and UVA will be games that tell you how that plays out. Those are two of the best defensive teams we will see all year.

The 2015 team didnt really even start playing good defense until the NCAAT. So a team can really evolve and peak late.

[azzefkram]

Slow start but another good game. The starters D was good. I thought Wendell had a really good all around game. Trevon and Marvin continue to impress. Gary is going to singlehandedly take me out of the minutes contest. Grayson continues his impressive senior campaign. I was surprised to see Marques in there given what we heard. Alex brings a lot of energy when he is in there. UVU was a better team than I expected. MSU is going to be a much stiffer test.

[dukelifer]

This is the most athletic Duke team I can recall, and I've seen a bunch of them.

After seeing the two early games...

There is really no real weakness anywhere on the court, just areas that can be improved...like shot selection and defense. And there's plenty of time for that.

They will overwhelm most teams with raw talent.

All that remains to be seen is how will the young guys handle a close game against a strong team before we can tell just how good they team can be.

It just takes one off game in a tournament. Duke has a ton of talent - but experience helps a lot in close games. It will fun to watch these guys grow as a unit but right now they need to think of themselves as the hunter. There are many more experienced teams out there with top level talent- and that often wins in the end.

[CDu]

It just takes one off game in a tournament. Duke has a ton of talent - but experience helps a lot in close games. It will fun to watch these guys grow as a unit but right now they need to think of themselves as the hunter. There are many more experienced teams out there with top level talent- and that often wins in the end.

I will also add that the team's margin for health error is razor thin. If either Allen or Duval goes down, we are in real trouble. Not "will be a bad team" trouble, but "probably won't be able to compete for a title" trouble. We might very well have the best starting backcourt in the country, but the dropoff from the starters to their backups is huge. Keeping Allen and Duval on the floor for major minutes all season is going to be a big factor in how well this team does.

I'm not worried about our frontcourt. We have two studs in the starting lineup and two more than capable backups. We just don't have any clear answers behind Allen and Duval. So hopefully they stay healthy all season. If they do, this team has the chance to be special.

[rickshawboycall911]

I don't know how people can suggest Alex Oconnell is going to get LESS minutes come ACC time. To me is going to get more minutes.

We are going to need a lineup that provides that traditional Duke basketball spacing.
Allen
Trent
Oconnell
Carter
Bagly

Even a person with a small amount of basketball knowledge can see this......

[moonpie23]

Out of the country, so I unfortunately missed the last two games, but this Utah Valley team only lost by 10 to #5 Kentucky.

right, but according to the UK board, they wore them out for us.....(no mention that we played a game the night before as well)

[dukelifer]

I will also add that the team's margin for health error is razor thin. If either Allen or Duval goes down, we are in real trouble. Not "will be a bad team" trouble, but "probably won't be able to compete for a title" trouble. We might very well have the best starting backcourt in the country, but the dropoff from the starters to their backups is huge. Keeping Allen and Duval on the floor for major minutes all season is going to be a big factor in how well this team does.

I'm not worried about our frontcourt. We have two studs in the starting lineup and two more than capable backups. We just don't have any clear answers behind Allen and Duval. So hopefully they stay healthy all season. If they do, this team has the chance to be special.

To win a title - we need those guys in the end. A mid season ankle tweak is manageable. Guard depth is key in college hoops and as you say- Duke's margin is razor thin.

[Wheat/"/"/"]

The guy that I have been most impressed with is the mature game that Gary Trent Jr. has shown as a freshman so far.

I think he's going to go a long way towards getting everyone else to take a step back and play with more composure. There is so much talent that sometimes they are trying to do a little too much. But, I understand they are excitable and it's early in the season, so I'm sure that will settle down.

This team has the potential to be scary good. Duke fans have every reason to be excited about the season.

[camion]

We are good, but we are very young. Or to put it another way, we are very young, but we are good.

This game had several plays where I was in the "Wait, what, did he do that?" mode.

Wendell - He just kept blocking things. Then there's his spin cycle down low.

Marvin - No way he gets to the rim from way out there.

Duvall - Bounce pass to Grayson.

Grayson - Layup after Duvall pass. Catch and shoot 3 from the corner.


It's a fun time. :)

It there a Top Five Plays video?

[Sir Stealth]

I love how focused everyone looks. With Wendell and Trevon, you can tell they haven't figured everything out about this level yet, but their faces just show this focused intensity at all times, like they refuse to let the more advanced level of college ball overwhelm them while their experience catches up to their talent.

As others have said, on top of how great the bigs look (as expected), the biggest revelation may be just how developed Trent looks out there. His shooting looks perhaps further along than advertised coming into the season, which is huge.

Love getting out in transition on both misses and makes and getting the ball down the length of the court quickly on the sideline.

Prediction for historic level of dunks looking good so far. Wish this was a more available stat.

[Ultrarunner]

Man, this team.... wow. I guess we'll really find out Tuesday what they are capable of. I'm loving what I'm seeing so far.

I'm tempering my expectations for Tuesday with the understanding that they'll be much better by late March. In the meantime, I'm enjoying the ride.

[AtlDuke72]

I don't know how people can suggest Alex Oconnell is going to get LESS minutes come ACC time. To me is going to get more minutes.

We are going to need a lineup that provides that traditional Duke basketball spacing.
Allen
Trent
Oconnell
Carter
Bagly

Even a person with a small amount of basketball knowledge can see this...

I qualify as having a small amount of basketball knowledge. Am I dumb in thinking that Duval will be playing more than 30 minutes a game? All five starters played more than 30 minutes in a 30 point blow out. This is not going to change. Let the complaining begin! I for one think that Coach K will figure it out.

[Kedsy]

Jim Sumner also says our 1998-99 team is the Duke record holder for dunks in a season, with 199 (4.15 dunks per game). Though it's only two games, after 9 dunks tonight, Duke already has 16 dunks this season (8.0 per game), suggesting this record may be in jeopardy.

I don't know how I misquoted Jim but the actual season dunk record is 162 (4.15 dunks per game). Meaning with 16 so far, we're almost a one tenth of the way there.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I don't know how I misquoted Jim but the actual season dunk record is 162 (4.15 dunks per game). Meaning with 16 so far, we're almost a one tenth of the way there.

What helps us out is every fast break is likely to be a dunk. All of our players are more than capable of dunking, especially the fastest and more capable fast break attacker (Duval). I can easily see us breaking that record because our top 7 guys are all competent dunkers.

In the whole scheme of things, dunks don't matter. But they are really, really fun.

[Kedsy]

I don't know how people can suggest Alex Oconnell is going to get LESS minutes come ACC time. To me is going to get more minutes.

We are going to need a lineup that provides that traditional Duke basketball spacing.
Allen
Trent
Oconnell
Carter
Bagly

Even a person with a small amount of basketball knowledge can see this...

So you think Alex O'Connell is going to beat out Trevon Duval (20 assists to 1 turnover in two games) for the starting five?

Guess I don't have "a small amount of basketball knowledge."

[ChillinDuke]

Remember this summer when I was siding with the camp that didn't want to sign Bagley so late in the game?

I sincerely apologize.

- Chillin

[Olympic Fan]

right, but according to the UK board, they wore them out for us...(no mention that we played a game the night before as well)

The Kentucky thread (on Rupp's Rafters) about the Duke-Utah Valley game is hilarious.

Yes, several fans wrote that Kentucky wore them out. When one rational poster pointed out hat Duke also played back-to-back nights, they jumped all over him, arguing that Utah Valley had to get on a plane and fly to another state between games and THAT is much more physically demanding.

There was a lot of bitterness on the board -- in fact, the top thread when I checked was another Duke thread, reacting to Duke landing Barrett. A lot of posters arguing that Kentucky could still have a better recruiting class than Duke because Williamson is better than the overrated Barrett (overhyped because of the one game against the USA), Quickly is at least as good as Ty Jones and they are going to get somebody else at least as good as Cam Reddish. Never mind that Duke has the 1-3-7 ranked players in the rsci (and Kentucky only has the No. 10 and 13th players at the moment), it's an article of faith that Kentucky will have the better class.

One other interesting side trip. One posters complained about the Kentucky obsession with Duke (the top two threads both about Duke) and pointed out that the only Kentucky thread on the DBR was about barbeque. Boy, did that guy get lambasted ... quite a few shots at DBR too.

It's fun to see how much K and Duke have gotten under their skins.

[lotusland]

Remember this summer when I was siding with the camp that didn't want to sign Bagley so late in the game?

I sincerely apologize.

- Chillin

I was in that group too but it really didn’t have anything to do with how good he is. He’s here now and I’m pulling for him.

[BD80]

What an amazing TEAM. Outstanding individual players who are ALREADY embracing their roles. Hard to believe that those were 4 FRESHMEN starting. How good can they become under the tutelage of the GOAT?



The starting five are fantastic. No worries there. It's what happens after that that may get sticky against top-flight teams. ...


I will also add that the team's margin for health error is razor thin. If either Allen or Duval goes down, we are in real trouble. Not "will be a bad team" trouble, but "probably won't be able to compete for a title" trouble. We might very well have the best starting backcourt in the country, but the dropoff from the starters to their backups is huge. Keeping Allen and Duval on the floor for major minutes all season is going to be a big factor in how well this team does.

I'm not worried about our frontcourt. We have two studs in the starting lineup and two more than capable backups. We just don't have any clear answers behind Allen and Duval. So hopefully they stay healthy all season. If they do, this team has the chance to be special.

Yes, there is a step down from the starters, who will all be playing in the NBA next year. But Goldwire and O'Connell are as good or better than the top backcourt reserves on other top 10 teams. They particularly fill needs for this team. Goldwire plays solid D and takes care of the ball. Alex provides the spark that can be useful off the bench. Both are reported to provide the intensity coaches want in practice (more on this below).


How did Bolden go from being out next Tuesday with severe strep throat to playing 12 minutes tonight?

Announcers suggested that his appearance last night was a requirement for him to play against MSU


Through the first two games, Duval's assist to turnover ratio is 20-1 and he's averaging a double-double.

Even more impressive 6-1. STEALS to turnovers. MORE freakin' steals than turnovers. By a 6/1 margin. Amazing.


Interesting conversation amongst the announcers to the effect that Duval is not an enthusiastic participant in practice, using Goldwire and O'Connell as counterpoints. To me, this is just a reminder of how young this team is and how much growth could lie ahead. Do I think the staff can get through to Duval? Absolutely! Just as the staff will remedy the cut down the lane attacks against our zone defense.

Trust in K!

[LasVegas]

I was in that group too but it really didn’t have anything to do with how good he is. He’s here now and I’m pulling for him.

I don’t think any poster questioned his ability. It was more a chemistry concern or a transfer concern (javin, Bolden). People also pointed to him jumping around high schools. But I’ve been team Bagley come on down since day 1.

[InSpades]

So you think Alex O'Connell is going to beat out Trevon Duval (20 assists to 1 turnover in two games) for the starting five?

Guess I don't have "a small amount of basketball knowledge."

You really killed that straw man... killed 'em dead!

By "lineup" I don't think he meant starting lineup. Just a lineup we would use (or need). Surely at some point we will see an Allen, Trent, O'Connell, Carter and Bagley lineup.

I hope Alex continues to get run but I too doubt that he will get *more* run in ACC play.

[uh_no]

You really killed that straw man... killed 'em dead!

By "lineup" I don't think he meant starting lineup. Just a lineup we would use (or need). Surely at some point we will see an Allen, Trent, O'Connell, Carter and Bagley lineup.

I hope Alex continues to get run but I too doubt that he will get *more* run in ACC play.

I guess I question why we "need" that lineup. Sure it likely will be used....

it was justified as "classic duke spacing" but the offense is based on the players. you (and especially K) doesn't shoehorn his players into an offense....and it turns out this team is not composed like a "classic" duke team....so I see no reason to expect us to "need" such a lineup.

If he continues to play well, he'll get minutes. undoubtedly some of those minutes will be in the lineup mentioned. when that lineup is on the floor, it should look a lot like a "classic" duke team.

[CarmenWallaceWade]

Off to a fantastic start. I know it's only two games but it seems this team is already doing several things last year's team couldn't: finish in transition, play defense and play together. Really looking forward to watching them grow as the season goes on.

[camion]

Off to a fantastic start. I know it's only two games but it seems this team is already doing several things last year's team couldn't: finish in transition, play defense and play together. Really looking forward to watching them grow as the season goes on.

Have at least 3 of out top five healthy?

[Neals384]

Out of the country, so I unfortunately missed the last two games, but this Utah Valley team only lost by 10 to #5 Kentucky.

Duke beat UVU by 30, so by the transitive rule, Duke would beat Kentucky by...20

[Hancock 4 Duke]

Sorry if I’m uninformed, but is there anywhere to watch the entire game from yesterday? For some reason i couldn’t find it on WatchESPN last night

[LasVegas]

Sorry if I’m uninformed, but is there anywhere to watch the entire game from yesterday? For some reason i couldn’t find it on WatchESPN last night

Should be on the replay section of the app

[camion]

Sorry if I’m uninformed, but is there anywhere to watch the entire game from yesterday? For some reason i couldn’t find it on WatchESPN last night

It's there. Here's a browser link (http://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=3198169).

If you are using the ESPN app you have to search by sport (NCAAM, meaning men's basketball) and look for replays. Or look for replays and search for men's basketball.

[Hancock 4 Duke]

It's there. Here's a browser link (http://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=3198169).

If you are using the ESPN app you have to search by sport (NCAAM, meaning men's basketball) and look for replays. Or look for replays and search for men's basketball.


Should be on the replay section of the app

Thank you!

[sagegrouse]

Sorry if I’m uninformed, but is there anywhere to watch the entire game from yesterday? For some reason i couldn’t find it on WatchESPN last night

I watched it when I came home at 9PM Mountain Time. Under the "Watch" button, select "Schedule & Replays," then "Replays."

Here's a link (http://www.espn.com/watch/player?id=3198169), which may or may not work depending on permissions.

[rsvman]

....

Interesting conversation amongst the announcers to the effect that Duval is not an enthusiastic participant in practice, using Goldwire and O'Connell as counterpoints. ....

Practice?!? We talkin' 'bout practice?!?

[InSpades]

I guess I question why we "need" that lineup. Sure it likely will be used...

it was justified as "classic duke spacing" but the offense is based on the players. you (and especially K) doesn't shoehorn his players into an offense...and it turns out this team is not composed like a "classic" duke team...so I see no reason to expect us to "need" such a lineup.

If he continues to play well, he'll get minutes. undoubtedly some of those minutes will be in the lineup mentioned. when that lineup is on the floor, it should look a lot like a "classic" duke team.

I'd say the only lineup we *need* is the starting one. I think people who talk about "spacing" are over emphasizing it. You don't need 3-4 3-point shooters and as long as Grayson and Gary are healthy we will have 2 solid shooters available. There's plenty of ways to create offense without threatening a 3 from every corner. If anything people often say our reliance on the 3 can be our downfall. Maybe this year we will see the other side of the coin.

My point was mainly that attacking the poster for saying O'Connell would start instead of Duval when that wasn't his suggestion at all is wrong.

[uh_no]

My point was mainly that attacking the poster for saying O'Connell would start instead of Duval when that wasn't his suggestion at all is wrong.

agree. it was the rest of the premise that I was arguing against.

[OldPhiKap]

If you have not seen the post-game press conference on GoDuke.com of Utsl Valley’s coach, I highly recommend checking it out. Wish he and his program the best of luck this season and going forward!

[elvis14]

If you have not seen the post-game press conference on GoDuke.com of Utsl Valley’s coach, I highly recommend checking it out. Wish he and his program the best of luck this season and going forward!

Thanks OPK, that was fantastic.

Link: http://www.goduke.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=4200&id=6225156

[westwall]

Duke beat UVU by 30, so by the transitive rule, Duke would beat Kentucky by...20

That proposition set off an entire thread on Rupp's Rafters, debating by how many points Duke MIGHT (or might not) be better than Kentucky. Here's my favorite post:

"I wish Utah Valley didn’t exist, because they are the ones that started all this chaos."

[devildeac]

The Kentucky thread (on Rupp's Rafters) about the Duke-Utah Valley game is hilarious.

Yes, several fans wrote that Kentucky wore them out. When one rational poster pointed out hat Duke also played back-to-back nights, they jumped all over him, arguing that Utah Valley had to get on a plane and fly to another state between games and THAT is much more physically demanding.

There was a lot of bitterness on the board -- in fact, the top thread when I checked was another Duke thread, reacting to Duke landing Barrett. A lot of posters arguing that Kentucky could still have a better recruiting class than Duke because Williamson is better than the overrated Barrett (overhyped because of the one game against the USA), Quickly is at least as good as Ty Jones and they are going to get somebody else at least as good as Cam Reddish. Never mind that Duke has the 1-3-7 ranked players in the rsci (and Kentucky only has the No. 10 and 13th players at the moment), it's an article of faith that Kentucky will have the better class.

One other interesting side trip. One posters complained about the Kentucky obsession with Duke (the top two threads both about Duke) and pointed out that the only Kentucky thread on the DBR was about barbeque. Boy, did that guy get lambasted ... quite a few shots at DBR too.

It's fun to see how much K and Duke have gotten under their skins.

Maybe someone could start a thread about "that" team on Rupp's Rafters or, move "that" thread from DBR over to the KY board...