Defending Melo

[Zeb]

After Coach K returned from Vegas last summer, he made it clear that among Wade, LeBron, and all of the other all-stars at the 2006 tryouts, Melo played the best. Period. He didn't qualify that with "on offense" either. This is Coach K, a guy who has a history of valuing defense, saying Carmelo was the best player on the floor.

I point that out because the Main Page comment by DBR that some national team members won't play D (Melo!) seems a little glib and out of synch with what K has said.

Mr. Anthony may not always be a stopper in the NBA, but he has shown a great work ethic when playing for K's national team.

[dukemomLA]

Melo is a TEAM player -- both on offense & D. He really wants to compete for team USA, so let's give him some props.

On another note, it pissed me off that Coach K, JJ, Sheldon were booed in Vegas. (according to some reports) Ah the DukeHate continues.

[mgtr]

From what you could tell on television, JJ was definitely booed. Coach K had some boos mixed in with other non-boo sounds. Didn't hear Sheldon introduced.

[Classof06]

It didn't surprise me that JJ and Coach K were booed. The game was in Vegas. Since Duke knocked off UNLV, their program hasn't recovered.


Oh, and I'm pretty sure Shelden wasn't there.

[A-Tex Devil]

Has anyone seen what Durant's been doing in USMNT practice? Kid is still 18 and hung 24 points on electric shooting in the scrimmage, playing great D and even learning a bit of Boeheim Zone while he's at it.

There's an article somewhere out there about how impressed K is with him, and that K says his basketball IQ is far beyond his body as far as maturity goes, so when he fills out in a few years, he could be pretty darn special.

Think Portland will ever rue the day?

[mgtr]

There was a thread about a Sports Illustrated guy who had a model that predicted NBA success 3-5 years out (roughly). His model showed Durant far and away the best pick of the draft, definitely in front of Oden. So, yes, I think Portland may well rue the day. Other than the fact that he is a teenager and still physically underdeveloped, I haven't seen much about Durant to not like.

[Classof06]

While Durant may be more NBA ready, centers like Oden only come around once a decade. I think Portland made the right choice. In the last 20 years, only Jordan and the '04 Pistons got it done without a legit center. It's going to be at least 3-4 years before Seattle becomes a contender anyway, at which point Oden should begin asserting himself as one of the league's premier centers. This is without even mentioning Oden has much more talent around him. Given the draft Portland had, they don't have any regrets. And they shouldn't.

[hc5duke]

In the last 20 years, only Jordan and the '04 Pistons got it done without a legit center.

Ben Wallace isn't a legit center? Too short?

[cspan37421]

It didn't surprise me that JJ and Coach K were booed. The game was in Vegas. Since Duke knocked off UNLV, their program hasn't recovered.

Probably a good example of correlation without causation. UNLV didn't recover because Tark the Shark left it, and everywhere he went, under a cloud of NCAA penalties. Had UNLV lost to someone else in '91 the boos would simply have been taunts about the 1990 title game victory margin.

[cspan37421]

It is pretty bad that these folks are booing members of their own National Team and its coach. I sure hope K can succeed in bringing home a gold medal for all of us, even those undeserving jerks. If he does, I am curious what the effect on Duke hatred will be. Will it abate, remain unchanged, or even intensify?

[phaedrus]

Ben Wallace isn't a legit center? Too short?

too little offense, really. but in my estimation the wallace duo removes the '04 pistons from the list of center-less champions.

[A-Tex Devil]

While Durant may be more NBA ready, centers like Oden only come around once a decade. I think Portland made the right choice. In the last 20 years, only Jordan and the '04 Pistons got it done without a legit center. It's going to be at least 3-4 years before Seattle becomes a contender anyway, at which point Oden should begin asserting himself as one of the league's premier centers. This is without even mentioning Oden has much more talent around him. Given the draft Portland had, they don't have any regrets. And they shouldn't.

I was being a little facetious because Portland made out like gangbusters. And I'm a little biased as well.

I think Durant will have to learn an awful lot on the defensive end (but from USMNT articles, looks like he is a fast learner). I still think he's going to be a pretty transcendent offensive player. Essentially Garnett's inside game with McGrady or Nowitzki's shot. The question is whether he'll be able to lift his teammates to another level as well as he gets some years on him.

Guys like Oden may come once a decade, but I'm not sure guys like Durant come around much more often.

[Patrick Yates]

I was being a little facetious because Portland made out like gangbusters. And I'm a little biased as well.

I think Durant will have to learn an awful lot on the defensive end (but from USMNT articles, looks like he is a fast learner). I still think he's going to be a pretty transcendent offensive player. Essentially Garnett's inside game with McGrady or Nowitzki's shot. The question is whether he'll be able to lift his teammates to another level as well as he gets some years on him.

Guys like Oden may come once a decade, but I'm not sure guys like Durant come around much more often.

I agree that Durant may be a special player in the mold of a once a decade type wing. But, I feel that a team can get a quality wing in just about any year of the draft. That does not mean a player as good as, or even nearly as good as, Durant.

But, it is almost impossible to get a quality, true center. I gues numerically I would represent it thusly:

Durant: 9.5 (out of 10)
Oden: 9.3

average of wings taken in draft: 7.5
average of centers taken in draft: 6.0

There are a lot of stiffs in the NBA who are only there cause they are 6-10+, and the team neads a warm body for fouls or defense. Not many teams can count on dominant play, at both ends, from their center. Many teams are perfectly happy, and rightly so, with the play of their wings, even if said wings are not HOF or all-star caliber.

I have almost no doubt that Durant will be a better player than Oden. But I think Oden will impact his team, and the league, far more than Durant. I can easily see Oden winning several NBA titles. With Durant, I do not know. I would feel better about it if Garnett, McGrady, VC, Nowitzki, and other wings had a few titles. Lately, the Spurs, Heat, and Pistons have won titles with dominant post play, and minimal offensive reliance on wing production. Most of those teams feature strong post play as the reason they won.

Patrick Yates

[Classof06]

I was being a little facetious because Portland made out like gangbusters. And I'm a little biased as well.

I think Durant will have to learn an awful lot on the defensive end (but from USMNT articles, looks like he is a fast learner). I still think he's going to be a pretty transcendent offensive player. Essentially Garnett's inside game with McGrady or Nowitzki's shot. The question is whether he'll be able to lift his teammates to another level as well as he gets some years on him.

Guys like Oden may come once a decade, but I'm not sure guys like Durant come around much more often.

Comparing Durant to Garnett at this point is a huge leap. Can't see Durant playing post in the NBA at 6-9. Garnett can play the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. I personally believe that if KG ever gets a ring, he'd have to be considered one of the very best to ever play the game. I think Durant is going to be good, but in the NBA, you win with dominant centers, period.