MBB: Duke 90, Indiana 69 Post-Game Thread

[weezie]

Isn't it time the Crazies brought back OH BABY for some of these high flying plays?

[Bluedevil114]

Coach K on R.J. “Come on Duke fans, lay off. R.J. He is not playing hero ball, he is playing winners ball”. Love it. He was fired up. Confirmed leg cramps for Zion. Zion in a post game interview was laughing and joking with R.J. and Jack. He was not getting treatment so no concerns on that front. Great first half with a not so focused or engaged second half. Trey was his usual solid performance. My biggest concern with this team is our free throw shooting. It is really bad.

[Saratoga2]

It was a fun first half and a really disjointed and ultmately unsatisying second half save for one thing...the Goldwire, AOC, Bolden, White, Jones line-up.

Some of the things I was looking for did happen. RJ looked to pass more, he could still pass even more but he was clearly trying to improve, and his overall efficiency was better - although fouling out with 8 to go is a bad look.

Zion got more touches and stayed highly efficient, he needs more touches, especially on the block.

Tre Pebbles continues to impress, he is so much like Tyus in his cool.

Cam closed well, but he still hasn’t gotten fully comfortable - he’s pressing.

We forced a lot of live ball turnovers which is so important. Indiana was also extremely sloppy.

I will be interested in the D stats...it felt, on balance, like a good overall effort despite the second half lapses.

The second half waa a drag. We were sloppy, the D slipped, K got angry. It spoiled a great first half.

I saw ESPN’s John Gasaway tweet the following which I thunk is interesting:

“After seven games against one of D-I’s toughest schedules, Duke's TO and offensive rebound %s are 15.0 and 40.0, respectively.

You’re on notice, UNC. That annual shot-volume supremacy of yours is no sure thing in 2019.”

Indiana is pretty good and we just blew their doors off with little problem playing far from our best. Now we load up on some lower level comp. This time of year isn’t my favorite as we play weak squads and there are the exam and holiday breaks but this could be K’s last great squad so I am savoring every minute.

Some of the stats can be misleading, for instance both of AOC's shots and one of Tre's haqd to be taken out of rythmn with essentially no time on the clock. I suppose it balances out over a season.

[NYBri]

Seemed that we slipped and fell a lot last night. Humid night with damp floor?

[dyedwab]

Seemed that we slipped and fell a lot last night. Humid night with damp floor?

I noticed this also - after both teams had consistent problems with slipping during all the Maui games. Honestly, it concerned me because that's a good way to end up with guys nagging muscle strains/pulls that can bolix up their seasons

One quick point on the defense - I think we can all agree that this team looks better defensively at this point in the season than the ones we've seen the last few years. I notice that even when they make defensive mistakes, they seem to be different this year. Their seem to be fewer plays where our players didn't know what the right play was or didn't know where they were supposed to be while a lot of mistakes are silly touch fouls (correctable) or players making decisions about how to defend that end up being wrong, rather than systemic failures.

Anyway, nice win.

[fuse]

First, get Zion some electrolytes, Gatorade, water, bananas- stay hydrated, big fella!

I think others have mentioned this, as Duke fans wow are we lucky/spoiled.

The team’s potential is amazing, and I plan to enjoy every minute.

Let’s Go Duke!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

First, get Zion some electrolytes, Gatorade, water, bananas- stay hydrated, big fella!

I think others have mentioned this, as Duke fans wow are we lucky/spoiled.

The team’s potential is amazing, and I plan to enjoy every minute.

Let’s Go Duke!

Amen to all of that ^^^ - and we are truly watching something special - a total one-off kind of athlete, with Zion. He reminds me in some ways of Herschel Walker - Walker was so fast, and so easily fast, you didn't think he was covering that much ground until you saw the yard lines whipping by. It was electric football like. Zion is like that on the court - he just moves forward, backwards and laterally so effortlessly. He's a bumblebee in a jar...his mere presence on the court dictates the flow for both teams. It's really amazing.

[DU82]

Seemed that we slipped and fell a lot last night. Humid night with damp floor?

It was mainly on the south side of the floor (Duke bench side). There was a bike exhibition at halftime that had a ramp in that corner. We wondered if something happened from that exhibition that caused all the slipping and falling.

[Billy Dat]

One quick point on the defense - I think we can all agree that this team looks better defensively at this point in the season than the ones we've seen the last few years. I notice that even when they make defensive mistakes, they seem to be different this year. Their seem to be fewer plays where our players didn't know what the right play was or didn't know where they were supposed to be while a lot of mistakes are silly touch fouls (correctable) or players making decisions about how to defend that end up being wrong, rather than systemic failures.

I can't remember the last time we were a top 10 KenPom defense this early in the year (we are currently 6th), especially against a top 10 strength of schedule to-date, again, according to KenPom. It all starts with Tre. That kid is the heart and soul of this team.

[azzefkram]

That second half was... interesting. Looked very sharp and aggressive in the first half and seemed to lose focus in the second. Ahh, the trials and tribulations of a young team. Tre was great in his understated way. Zion did a whole lotta Zion things. Marques was better than he was against Gonzaga but spent more time ball-watching than I'd like. Jack continues his surprising season. Like others have said, Cam seems to be pressing. Jordan is proving to be an adequate back-up for Tre. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't sign up for the Jordan starting PG experience but as a back-up he works out fine. RJ needs to value the ball a bit more.

[nmduke2001]

Coach K on R.J. “Come on Duke fans, lay off. R.J. He is not playing hero ball, he is playing winners ball”. Love it. He was fired up. Confirmed leg cramps for Zion. Zion in a post game interview was laughing and joking with R.J. and Jack. He was not getting treatment so no concerns on that front. Great first half with a not so focused or engaged second half. Trey was his usual solid performance. My biggest concern with this team is our free throw shooting. It is really bad.

I see why Coach would say this, but I'm not buying it. Anyone can see that RJ likes to get his shot. He often forces drives when far better options are available. Maybe his godfather can convince him that sometimes a good pass to an open teammate is a better option than a bad shot over 3 defenders.

I fear that missed free throws are going to hurt this team at some point during the season.

[wavedukefan70s]

First, get Zion some electrolytes, Gatorade, water, bananas- stay hydrated, big fella!

I think others have mentioned this, as Duke fans wow are we lucky/spoiled.

The team’s potential is amazing, and I plan to enjoy every minute.

Let’s Go Duke!

Pickle juice or eat pickles way before game.i keep a jar with me when I do a 48 hr shift to keep my legs from cramping.

[OldPhiKap]

I see why Coach would say this, but I'm not buying it. Anyone can see that RJ likes to get his shot. He often forces drives when far better options are available. Maybe his godfather can convince him that sometimes a good pass to an open teammate is a better option than a bad shot over 3 defenders.

I fear that missed free throws are going to hurt this team at some point during the season.

My guess is that K wants RJ to take those shots, though, otherwise K would pull him. But absolutely agree, he needs to learn to be aware that when three defenders are on you, two of your teammates are open somewhere.

And, those teammates need to make themselves known.

Absolutely agree about free throws, it will cost us a game or more at some point. Hopefully not in the post-season.

[uh_no]

I see why Coach would say this, but I'm not buying it. Anyone can see that RJ likes to get his shot. He often forces drives when far better options are available. Maybe his godfather can convince him that sometimes a good pass to an open teammate is a better option than a bad shot over 3 defenders.

I fear that missed free throws are going to hurt this team at some point during the season.

It's a classic K protecting his players. I don't blame him.

[Highlander]

My observations from last night.

- At halftime, Indiana had more turnovers (18) than made field goals (12). They looked completely overwhelmed on offense and were playing out of control.
- FT shooting in the 1H was awful. 3-10 is a problem. We finished out OK thanks to getting AOC and Tre to the line more in the 2H. Still Bolden and Cam had particularly notable challenges.
- Barrett started out kind of rocky with some turnovers, but settled down. He gets his point very nonchalantly, and I often find myself surprised at the half that RJ is in double digits scoring-wise. He is making push off moves that in the NBA would be allowed, but in college are getting flagged. Once he adapts his game, I think he will be fine. But having him foul out with 8 min to go could have really hurt us against a better opponent.
- Cam looked like he was really pressing in the first half. I think he had 4 turnovers and only 2 made baskets in the 1H. Did not look like he was playing within the offense. Also needs to look to pass more. Overall, he did not look NBA ready to me last night.
- Nice sequences to finish out the 1H. We extended our lead and managed the clock well.
- Start of the second half we looked tight and sloppy. Not sure why. But lucky for us Indiana was the same and incapable of capitalizing.
- 2H lineup of Jones, AOC, Delaurier, Reddish, and White was... interesting. On offense we basically had 3 spot up shooters, a defense first interior guy, and Jones. Tre was the only one capable of getting his own shot, and so we seemed to spend a lot of time standing around waiting for someone to drive. Would have liked to have seen more off the ball movement.
- My uncle was texting me with 12 min to go in the game that K should have pulled his starters already. I thought that was a tad too early since we were only up about 20.
- A little surprised Vrank and Robinson got essentially no run in this game.

[UrinalCake]

It's a classic K protecting his players. I don't blame him.

Yeah, he’s always going to support his players publicly, and he wants to keep their confidence high. The last thing he wants is Barrett playing tentatively or being afraid to attack the basket. If there are criticisms or corrections to be made, that will be done privately. We’re not talking about Roy, who likes to throw his guys under the bus by saying things like Kennedy Meeks can’t jump over a phone book and should stop getting his shot blocked by his defender’s armpits.

[nmduke2001]

It's a classic K protecting his players. I don't blame him.

Agreed and it's probably the right thing to do. But I think it would have been just as easy to say, "RJ is a competitor. He wants that shot at the end. I want him to take that shot. There were times when he could have passed for a better shot. He will learn. Lay off of him."

Then again, he has Championships and is considered one of the best ever and I'm a guy behind a keyboard, so...

[nmduke2001]

Pickle juice or eat pickles way before game.i keep a jar with me when I do a 48 hr shift to keep my legs from cramping.

There is a product out now called Liquid I.V. One of my coworkers loves it and recommended it to me. My wife and I used in when we traveled to Maui for the Maui Invitational. It seems to work pretty well. I read a lot of reviews and people love it. I must have read 20 reviews on amazon of people that have suffered from long term cramping that were cured by taking this stuff. I would say that I didn't feel terribly tired after my flight and didn't get dehydration headaches when I knew I didn't get enough water to drink on a particular day. I might keep a few packs lying around the house and office and golf bag as an quick way to get rehydrated.

[MChambers]

Funny how you can feel disappointed when this team plays a top 25 team and only wins by 21. First half was very impressive, including the defense. Zion was amazing on both ends and Tre was also very good, especially on defense.

I really wish Javin could get his foul rate down, because he's really, really good on defense. This team's ceiling is higher when he's on the floor. Nothing against Bolden, who is very good, but Javin gives the team better defense against smaller teams.

Free throw shooting is terrible, but I am beginning to think that's just the way this team is going to be.

[fuse]

There is a product out now called Liquid I.V. One of my coworkers loves it and recommended it to me. My wife and I used in when we traveled to Maui for the Maui Invitational. It seems to work pretty well. I read a lot of reviews and people love it. I must have read 20 reviews on amazon of people that have suffered from long term cramping that were cured by taking this stuff. I would say that I didn't feel terribly tired after my flight and didn't get dehydration headaches when I knew I didn't get enough water to drink on a particular day. I might keep a few packs lying around the house and office and golf bag as an quick way to get rehydrated.

Thanks for sharing this.
I didn’t compare cost, ingredient wise this is Gatorade on steroids with less sugar and added vitamins.