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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Lewisville, NC

    Paulus now the team leader?

    http://www.wralsportsfan.com/rs/blogpost/4493493/

    Seems that way. Coach K on Paulus, "He became our leader today."

  2. #2
    I hope it's true. Pronouncements like that after just one game worry me a little bit. But it's a great story line and I'm going with it.

  3. #3
    I think Greg has been a leader all year. The way he seems to have handled an unwarranted? demotion shows a great deal of maturity.

    An injury and a threatened/contemplated transfer by a teammate confused the coaching staff into focusing on the things that Greg doesn't do well instead of onthe considerable talents he does bring to the table. One of the biggest of these is leadership!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Texas/NC
    This was always going to be Paulus' team if he wanted it to be. I said as much in the beginning of the season, but was promptly told that Scheyer and Henderson had become the leaders. This may have been true, and that is a good thing, but this has always been Paulus' team to take... from the starter spot OR the bench.

    I'm glad that K has recognized his efforts

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Greensboro, NC
    Greg is a senior who has led by example his entire time at Duke. Always hustling, willing and able to take and make big shots and plays. I am only surprised that he hasn't been doing this all year long.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Meeting with Marie Laveau
    Perhaps we have witnessed an important turning point for this team. I'm eager to see the remaining games unfold in this odyssey.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Toledo
    This has been my contention all season long. Greg is the guy with the most experience on this team. He's been further than anyone else has, excluding Dave, Marty, and Jordan. In terms of significant playing time, however, Greg has more experience than anyone else. He is the only Blue Devil (unfortunately) who knows what it's really like to play after the first weekend in March, in that big time tournament atmosphere. He's been on an ACC Championship team. He's been the point guard on a team that's been top dog all season long. This kid knows what it takes.

    Greg's play out on the court breathes success. He does everything he's called upon to do. He might not be the best defender, but he plays tough, and comes up with the big steals, the big rebounds, the big deflections. He makes plays. I think that's the best way to describe Greg. A play maker. In the overtime win against Miami, he finished with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 2 assists, a couple of drawn charges, and multiple clutch shots down the stretch. As I have said before, he just doesn't back down. We need that out on the court. We need that energy out of the gate (read: Greg starting).

    I'm glad Coach K came out and made this statement. I think this may be exactly what Greg needed to hear in order to get his shooting back to where it was a season ago. In other words, to get his complete game back to that undeniably confident level it was in 2007-08.

    This is very good.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Location
    Denver, CO.
    A nice, brief blog entry about Paulus, his ups-and-downs at Duke, and how he has put himself in a position to lead this team down the stretch.

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...of-greg-paulus

  9. #9

    Count me in the camp

    I've said all along I simply felt better with Paulus running the point than Smith. Smith's a great defender, but for my money I'll take Greg. He's not a slasher, but his as/to is great and you have to honor his 3 point shots. I just never felt that what Smith brought to the floor as a starter make up for what we lost with Paulus on the bench. Don't get me wrong, they both have their place and I want to see both of them playing. And Greg certainly handled the demotion to the bench maturely, but I think it killed his confidence and I hope he has it back now. I hope he plays well enough to keep the starter spot cause that means Duke is playing good. And I hope Smith is able to adjust to a difference place and bring more off the bench. Heck, I hope all our players are able to bring a little more off the bench than they have been lately. As for point next year...

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Van Nuys, CA
    Our bench has been a weak point otherwise Kyle Jon Gerald and Greg and to a lesser degree David wouldn't have had to play the minutes they did against Miami. Lance ,Brian, Marty, Elliott, and Miles have to start playing like ACC players. Nolan will be valuable to help Greg out on defending Lawson. I think Nolan will step up this game. He has a lot of pride and he knows he can play better.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Winston Salem, NC

    Leader

    Greg seems to have taken leadership. It probably began in practice and carried over to the Miami game. I thought that Nolan would get better at running the team but it has not happened. Coach K even had Jon running the offense at times. However we need Nolan's defense, especially in the unc game. I expect Nolan to step it up a notch against his former teammate(lawson). Both Greg and Nolan should play major mins. Go Duke!

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Durham, NC
    There was an article linked here not long ago that talked about reference points. Talked about how part of what makes Coach K so effective is his ability to use low points as motivation.

    In Littlejohn, Greg had to watch his team throw the ball around, then got in and threw it around a bit himself. But when it came time to bounce back on Saturday, Greg was starting. If it was punishment for Nolan or not, Paulus got the call. About 25 minutes into the game, the whole team picked it up. Our three captains carried the team to a tough comeback win. The crowd was spectacular and the game was VERY memorable.

    The trick will be Paulus using it as his reference point for the rest of his career. He can play just as well every night through April, but must use the motivation of defeat to make it happen.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Baltimore, MD
    I also definitely agree. There are so many ways to be a leader and what I have loved about Greg (just like I love about Dave and what I loved about Duhon and Wojo, to name just a few) is his heart. Greg bleeds Duke Blue and he embodies so much of what it means to play for Duke. In fact, I've always liked to think that if he had of been a regular student, Greg would have been there in Kville and alongside the rest of the Crazies all season long.

    ...Plus his mom was so sweet and made us cookies my senior year when we were tent 1 so maybe I'm slightly biased towards the Paulus family.

  14. #14
    I'm not giving up on Nolan just yet. There will be games when we need him, and Wednesday nights game may very well be one of them.

    I love Greg too, but this team has forged its identity on defense, something that Nolan is better at than Greg. We were in a terrible funk offensively, and Paulus helped us break out of it, but we will need to keep this game in the 70s or lower if we want to have a chance, and Nolan will be a crucial part of that. I certainly hope to see Nolan back in the starting lineup for the NCAA torunament run (mainly b/c that would mean he has finally started to produce something offensively) and I hope to continue to see Paulus provide the leadership he does and continue to be an offensive spark off the bench.

  15. #15

    Not giving up on anyone

    Oh I'm not giving up on Nolan. He definately should play, just like him coming off the bench. Though we may need him more Wednesday than we would usually, so I can see him coming off the bench but playing more minutes.

    Smith definately brings the defense and Paulus definately brings the offense. So I have to look at the A/To for a point. And that's where Paulus wins it I think. Don't get me wrong though, I'd much rather have a Jason Williams starting tonight and I hope we get another one soon.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Inman, SC & Fort Myers, FL
    It could well be that Greg learned some things which made better while sitting on the bench. Ideally, Nolan will also learn from the bench, because we are going to need him along with Greg this year.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Richmond VA

    DU Class of '09

    For quite some time now everyone has been salivating about what the team might look like next year if both Singler and Hendo return along with the addition of Kelly and Plumlee and the maturation of the current players. Anyone else beginning to think we may miss McClure and Paulus more than anyone expects? In addition to all of the accolades showered on Paulus in this thread, how 'bout K's contention that McClure saved 18(!!) possessions vs Miami with his 13 rebounds and 5 tips. Wow, that's some production for an offensively challenged player, but there's more to the game than shooting alone.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by DeepBlue70 View Post
    For quite some time now everyone has been salivating about what the team might look like next year if both Singler and Hendo return along with the addition of Kelly and Plumlee and the maturation of the current players. Anyone else beginning to think we may miss McClure and Paulus more than anyone expects? In addition to all of the accolades showered on Paulus in this thread, how 'bout K's contention that McClure saved 18(!!) possessions vs Miami with his 13 rebounds and 5 tips. Wow, that's some production for an offensively challenged player, but there's more to the game than shooting alone.
    I agree, Plumlee and Kelly may be fine HS players, but they could also have similar impact as recent big men we've recruited (plus they will be freshmen). And if Nolan struggles next year, I don't think we have any other options at point. Next year, just like the remainder of this year, is still a big question to me.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Lewisville, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by mgtr View Post
    It could well be that Greg learned some things which made better while sitting on the bench. Ideally, Nolan will also learn from the bench, because we are going to need him along with Greg this year.
    Something about a starter or key player going to the bench seems to focus the mental process.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Toledo
    Whether he is or not, I think he's back where he belongs.

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