Stallball worked...

[CDu]

for the record, that's two games in a row in which stallball has been effective. I say this only to point out the good points of stallball. I think stallball gets a bad reputation because people forget/ignore it works and only remember when it fails.

[cspan37421]

That's human nature, of course.

It works particularly well when you put the ball in the hands of a guy who is going to hit 75%+ of his free throws. Last night we did well at the stripe at the end. Let's hope it continues!

[Matches]

I'd say it's more than two in a row - it's worked very well all year. The team is executing at the end of the shot clock much better than in past years. I'd posit it's because we have more guys who are able to create off the dribble AND finish.

[freedevil]

Unlike in years past, players are driving to the hoop at the end of the shot clock. Duke used to just jack threes.

[jjasper0729]

Unlike in years past, players are driving to the hoop at the end of the shot clock. Duke used to just jack threes.

agreed. It works this year because we have the players who are effective at driving for a hoop or driving to dish and we hit the open shot (whether it's a 3 or not).

[dw0827]

Over the years, I suspect that "stall ball" has been hugely successful . . . defined as "we won the game."

Pretty doesn't count. Scoring margin doesn't count. The W is all that matters.

But I have to admit that sometimes I pucker up a bit when we go to it . . . although last night wasn't one of them. This team has the chops to play it well.

[CDu]

Unlike in years past, players are driving to the hoop at the end of the shot clock. Duke used to just jack threes.

My point is that I suspect stallball worked better than people think in years past as well. We just subjectively remember the glaring failures.

[allenmurray]

I think it works, and works far, far better than most peole realize. But I still get nervous when we start it
.

[IStillHateJimBain]

It worked for same reason it worked when El Deano brought it to the ACC with Phil Ford. There was somebody with the ball in his hands who could get to the rim. That somebody was DeMarcus Nelson. Once he gets one of those shoulders inside the defensive man, it's over, particularly now that he can finish with the left hand as he did twice down the stretch. Henderson and Smith also made plays from the wing for 3-point plays. Neither has the strength of DeMarcus but Gerald can elevate and Nolan is so smooth. As far as Greg goes, God bless him. Keep trying.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

I'm a stallball evangelist, so I'm glad to see this thread. Folks are correct that a team with guys who can drive (and we have more than one) can execute it much better than a team led by shooters/post guys only. JWill may have been the best I've ever seen, especially when he ended the possession with that deadly pick and roll with Carlos.

I also think our team's experience with the spread offense helps a lot. Nelson/Hendo/Smith/Jon/Greg driving isn't the way we score at the end of the possession like in past seasons. Instead of going with ~10 seconds and looking for a path to the basket, we're going at ~15 and driving with an eye to draw and kick, just like we do all game in the "new" offense. Our stall game has ben a thing of beauty and has really paid dividends so far.

[Mike Corey]

We truly must come up with a new title for "stall ball," one that is more apropos and replete with a better connotation.

It is our equivalent of the "Four Corners."

"Stall Ball" sounds so blase.

[dukepsy1963]

It is easy to forget that stallball not only chews up the clock (regardless of whether we score or not), but does a "number" on the opposing team's head. You can almost hear them saying, "come on, come on, let's play, etc."
Of course, it can cut both ways....:). Fortunately, no one has been a position to use it on us this year.................

[captmojo]

We truly must come up with a new title for "stall ball," one that is more apropos and replete with a better connotation.

It is our equivalent of the "Four Corners."

"Stall Ball" sounds so blase.

Spread offense works for me.

[Jumbo]

I'd say it's more than two in a row - it's worked very well all year. The team is executing at the end of the shot clock much better than in past years. I'd posit it's because we have more guys who are able to create off the dribble AND finish.

Bingo. That was the problem last year -- Duke tried to run the high screen/roll with Paulus and McRoberts late in the shot clock and, well, it wasn't exactly J-Will/Boozer. And the Redick teams weren't really geared to late-clock execution.

As someone says, when J-Will and Battier/Boozer were running it, it was beautiful. Because that pick-and-roll could get you the same result if there 25 seconds left on the shot clock or five.

I think the reason this year's team runs it so well isn't just that nearly everyone in the game can put it on the floor and create. It's that Duke's normal offense somewhat mirrors the late-game spread, based in its emphasis on spacing and drive-and-kick hoops. So, no one is asked to do anything especially different with 10-15 seconds left on the shot clock.

[pamtar]

Stall ball takes confidence - something we were without last year.

Plus, I think the addition of Smith and Singler have really helped with our execution of the set plays.

[DevilCastDownfromDurham]

Yeah, Jumbo said what I meant, but better.

[darthur]

It is easy to forget that stallball not only chews up the clock (regardless of whether we score or not), but does a "number" on the opposing team's head. You can almost hear them saying, "come on, come on, let's play, etc."

I strongly agree with this. I wasn't able to watch Maryland, but stallball just killed the crowd at VT. It is very hard to stay fired up as a team (or as a crowd) if you are spending 20 to 25 seconds per possession sitting there doing nothing.

[mkirsh]

Stallball also worked last night because Maryland was running it on offense too - I can't believe how many time Vasquez dribbled 15-20 seconds off the clock in the last 2 minutes trying to find a crack in the Duke defense. The defensive effort (mainly pass denial and switching sceens) that forced Maryland into long posessions also contributed to "shortening" the game.

[Bryan]

Duke's offense this year has often had five players on the perimeter. So, in many cases this is the same offense as their regular offense after the player with the ball penetrates to the 3 point line.

[RPS]

It is very hard to stay fired up as a team (or as a crowd) if you are spending 20 to 25 seconds per possession sitting there doing nothing....the 7-0 game being the exception that proves the rule.

That said (and as others have noted), the spread works best when the ball is in the hands of a great creator (Phil Ford being Exhibit A). Other good points have been raised, but my concern with it is similar to a common concern expressed in football directed at the so-called "prevent" defense. Switching to a spread runs the risk of taking away an offense's attacking mentality. This year's success with it shows that one can attack from the spread (as Ford did).

[Classof06]

My point is that I suspect stallball worked better than people think in years past as well. We just subjectively remember the glaring failures.

I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan on stallball as I saw Duke lose two of it's biggest games during my college career trying to implement it. But last night, it worked to perfection and it was a beautiful thing to watch.

[killerleft]

By and large, we do seem to be looking to score a little earlier than in past years. This seems more like a successful offense.

[Clipsfan]

As was mentioned above, I think that it works much better this year due to a combination of our personnel and our standard offense. We have the personnel to utilize a spread offense, with driving lanes and the option to kick the ball out for the open 3. The "Stall ball" offense does exactly this; if anything, it exaggerates it as we draw the defenders into the corners and then penetrate. Nelson has done a great job of finishing for the most part (he was great yesterday) and we've got the shooters to punish them if they all collapse on the drive. Scheyer has also done a nice job getting to the rim at times, as has Smith etc. All we're really doing is running some time off before implementing a variant of our normal offense.

[dukelifer]

As has been mentioned here, stallball works when you have players who can create and are also threats from the outside. Smith, Nelson, Henderson, Scheyer and Singler are almost impossible to guard in the spread given that they all are very good slashers and decent shooters. The other key to the spread is hitting pressure free throws. Nelson is getting much better at the end of games. Everyone else can hit them- but they need to stay focused- particularly Henderson. But with those 5 guys at the end of games- Duke is very tough to defend.

[BD80]

I love reading posters proclaim how much they trust Nelson driving in end-game situations. Not long ago, Markie had a questionable handle and couldn't hit a free throw.

I cringe a bit whenever Markie gets the ball. But I have faith in Coach K. 800 wins and 17 - 1 this year, he might know what he is doing!!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

We truly must come up with a new title for "stall ball," one that is more apropos and replete with a better connotation.

It is our equivalent of the "Four Corners."

"Stall Ball" sounds so blase.

How about "Our Way"?

[hurleyfor3]

I didn't get to watch this game, but it sounds like we have Bobby Hurley running stallball again. This, of course, is a very pleasant development.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I hate the "prevent defense" in football because all it does is prevent victory for the team that employs it.

I hate the outright stall ball in basketball because it kills your momentum and gives the other team a chance to rest on defense. Bury them while the burying is good I say. But in the last two games, we've gone to it out of necessity because of SERIOUS foul trouble, and as y'all have pointed out, it worked beautifully, leading to victories. Even I was glad we went to it with ~10 minutes left. Having the players who can execute it makes a world of difference.

But I still hate it.

[Constantstrain 81]

As a literary (and inside) tribute, why not combine things. 4 Corners in famous in basketball lore (although linked to the hated Heels). Our Way, Our Court, Our Town. Our Town? The name of the town in OUR TOWN is none other than ... Grover's Corners.

Okay, it's a stretch. But it is still my recommendation - Stall Ball is "Grovers Corners."

Forgive me, I'm an English major.

[mapei]

I really liked stall ball last night, but I remind myself that partly it was because we grabbed some long offensive rebounds out of the stall that traditionally we don't get. If MD had snagged those boards, those would have simply been ineffective possessions and the result could have changed.