I just watched Lance Thomas, who has 11 points at halftime including 2-3 from 3pt land, drive his man and hit a running floater in the line. IMO, he is one of the most incredible post-college development stories among all Dukies ever. Not taking away from his college results. But wow he has worked hard to become so well rounded.
“Coach said no 3s.” - Zion on The Block
I really respect and like how Lance worked hard to get where he is. As I recall, hopefully correctly, before the 2010 season, at a grad student rally, Coach K introduced the team and the captains... and when he got to Lance, he said something like Lance will be playing in the NBA. At the time, I thought that might be another Coach K hype. Maybe it took a couple of years, but Lance has made it.
And... maybe not as dramatic, but I think JJ also transformed himself and his game well in the NBA
I don't have kids, but if I did, I would hold up LT as a shining example of work ethic paying off. I have a strong feeling that Quinn Cook is going to have a seat at Lance's "Told You So" table.
Q "Why do you like Duke, you didn't even go there." A "Because my art school didn't have a basketball team."
Here's a quick recap of preseason action from October 1st:
76s 120 vs. Magic 114
Amile Jefferson had 4 pts and 5 rebs in 12 minutes off the bench. He was +9 on the game. The Magic have a crowded frontcourt, but Jefferson seems to have an inside track for a roster spot.
J.J. Redick played 17 minutes, pouring in 12 points on 2-4 shooting and 6-7 from the free throw line.
Knicks 124 vs, Wizards 121
Lance Thomas had 12 pts on 4-5 shooting as a starter. The Knicks are going to be terrible this season and Thomas might be the elder statesman with all those younger players.
Austin Rivers played in his first game for his new team, coming off the bench for 8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal in 23 minutes. The Wizards are in desperate need of a bench, and Rivers could really help backing up John Wall and Brad Beal. He was a key offseason acquisition. With his improved shooting the past couple of years, Rivers might just carve out a solid 10-15 year career in the NBA.
Pelicans 102 vs. Hawks 116
Jahlil Okafor looked like a more svelte but still powerful version of himself in the first game of the preseason over the weekend, which unfortunately ended in a pretty nasty ankle sprain.It doesn't seem like a serious injury.
Frank Jackson has 4 pts on 2-5 shooting off the bench.
Miles Plumlee had 5 rebounds, an assist, and a block in 16 minutes off the bench. He'll be battling his former Suns teammate Alex Len and Dwayne Dedmon for the starting Center position in Atlanta.
Kings 106 vs. Suns 102
Marvin Bagley III had 7 pts on 2-7 shooting and 3-6 from the FT line, but he chipped in with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal, and 2 blocks in 25 minutes. He even got a block on DeAndre Ayton, who looked really, really good in this game.
Harry Giles also made his preseason debut and looked pretty great himself. He had 14 pts on 5-12 shooting, including 1-2 from the 3 point line and 3-6 from the FT line. He also had 6 rebounds, and 3 assists. Giles and Bagley were paired together a lot and might end up as the primary frontcourt players for the Kings this season.
If you were to tell me 15 years ago that two teams would start the season with pure Duke front courts (Kings, Bulls with Markannen out), I'd have laughed in your face.
Also, shocking that Duke only has 1 starting PG (albeit he's a top 5 most popular player in the league with a killer handle).
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill
President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club
Pretty sure Jabari Parker will play the 3 for the Bulls this season. Although, I suppose that he could slide over to the 4 and have one of their reserve wings start instead. But yeah, it's pretty wild when you think about Duke's reputation of not being able to develop big men.
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill
President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club
Yes, and also the concept of an NBA big is pretty different than what it was 15 years ago.
Think how good a mobile, shooting, athletic Christian Laettner would be in the league today. Duke's positionless concept is more suited to today's pro game than a generation prior.
One of my buddies was a huge Adam Morrison fan and he and I went at it on a daily basis during that amazing '05-'06 season... Thanks to Facebook's "On This Day" feature, I am able to troll him several times a year by sharing his comments about how JJ would never make it in the NBA and that Morrison was better equipped for the next level.
MP II made 11 FG on 11 shots with the Nuggets against Lebron last nite.
Here's an ESPN article on Kyrie at Fan Day in Boston.
Money quote:
As it turns out, he makes a bunch more money if he waits until next summer, when his current contract expires."If you guys will have me back, I plan on re-signing here next year," Irving said at an event for season ticket holders at TD Garden on Thursday night.
Sage Grouse
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'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013
Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfils the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things. - Winston Churchill
President of the "Nolan Smith Should Have His Jersey in The Rafters" Club
Kyle gets BUCKETS!
https://youtu.be/NJWPASQZqLc
I know he was just playing to the crowd, and it's the kind of thing you have to say when asked, but I kind of feel like he's setting himself up for criticism if in fact he does leave. Fans understand the nature of the business, he would have been better off just not saying anything.
As the world's foremost proponent of the "Flat-Earth Theory," isn't he immune to criticism?
Kindly,
Sage
'I really think that the Flat-Earth theory would have more adherents if not for the presence of those "globes" in every elementary school classroom. It's hardly fair!'
Sage Grouse
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'When I got on the bus for my first road game at Duke, I saw that every player was carrying textbooks or laptops. I coached in the SEC for 25 years, and I had never seen that before, not even once.' - David Cutcliffe to Duke alumni in Washington, DC, June 2013