MOTM: Duke v. Syracuse (Jan 14, 2019)

[jv001]

Agree about that FT. Difference in the game turned out to be the banked in 3 from baby B and the 3/4 shot/throw/crap at the half. Sometimes luck isn't on your side.

I told my wife at the time of the full court heave, I hope that doesn't come back to bite us in the butt. Plus we didn't get off a shot after Coach K called a timeout to setup a play at the end of the first half(just before said heave). The time clock ran out with us dribbling the ball around. That's when Tre would have made a big difference. I guess it just wasn't meant for Duke to win the game. That Jack White/Cam thread cost us the game. GoDuke!

[killerleft]

I really wanted to vote for M Bolden, he had a special game. AOC played well, and must do even better to help us through the rough spot we're going to negotiate. The whole team played hard. But Zion was easily the best player on the floor. He should have shot at least 10 more free throws.

[devildeac]

I really wanted to vote for M Bolden, he had a special game. AOC played well, and must do even better to help us through the rough spot we're going to negotiate. The whole team played hard. But Zion was easily the best player on the floor. He should have shot at least 10 more free throws.

Why only 10?

[kako]

Who voted for Jack White? Syracuse fans???

I like the guy, but he had an awful game... I'm sure he will bounce back, but still - MOTM?

[JBDuke]

Who voted for Jack White? Syracuse fans???

I like the guy, but he had an awful game... I'm sure he will bounce back, but still - MOTM?

I suspect that these are folks throwing Jack under the bus as the reason for the loss, and thus this is sort of a Bronx cheer rather than a legit vote. Certainly a tough game for Jack, but the loss was a team loss.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I suspect that these are folks throwing Jack under the bus as the reason for the loss, and thus this is sort of a Bronx cheer rather than a legit vote. Certainly a tough game for Jack, but the loss was a team loss.

When there was one vote for Jack, I figured it was a typo...someone clicked the wrong box. But with 3 now...you are probably right.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I suspect that these are folks throwing Jack under the bus as the reason for the loss, and thus this is sort of a Bronx cheer rather than a legit vote. Certainly a tough game for Jack, but the loss was a team loss.

No one is throwing Jack under the bus. He's been a great player to date. But he had an absolutely lousy offensive game and was beaten off the dribble a lot on D. He was certainly part of the reason Duke lost.

[JBDuke]

No one is throwing Jack under the bus. He's been a great player to date. But he had an absolutely lousy offensive game and was beaten off the dribble a lot on D. He was certainly part of the reason Duke lost.

If someone uses the MOTM poll to nominate Jack White as the primary reason for the loss when there were many other factors that loomed larger than his performance, I think that's a textbook case of throwing Jack under the bus. Jack's performance was a factor, but clearly the loss of Tre was a larger factor, as was the team-wide decision to keep heaving up 3-pointers when we should have been attacking the basket, as was Syracuse making some ridiculous shots, especially for a team that came into the game shooting under 30% from 3.

We can celebrate an individual for outshining his teammates on a given night, but we lose as a team. We are not Roy Williams' Heels - we do not blame players for a loss.

[flyingdutchdevil]

If someone uses the MOTM poll to nominate Jack White as the primary reason for the loss when there were many other factors that loomed larger than his performance, I think that's a textbook case of throwing Jack under the bus. Jack's performance was a factor, but clearly the loss of Tre was a larger factor, as was the team-wide decision to keep heaving up 3-pointers when we should have been attacking the basket, as was Syracuse making some ridiculous shots, especially for a team that came into the game shooting under 30% from 3.

We can celebrate an individual for outshining his teammates on a given night, but we lose as a team. We are not Roy Williams' Heels - we do not blame players for a loss.

I think you're reading into Jack White being nominated as a reason for the loss. I don't think it's a Bronx cheer (I had to look up that term) but moreso protecting the player from the angry mob on Monday. I may have even done this once, where I voted for a player who played so poorly during a game but had an amazing run before hand (my guess would be Nolan or Quinn, two of my fav modern Duke players).

If you're right that they are nominating Jack as the main reason for the loss, then I agree: definitely throwing the player under the bus.

[kAzE]

No one is throwing Jack under the bus. He's been a great player to date. But he had an absolutely lousy offensive game and was beaten off the dribble a lot on D. He was certainly part of the reason Duke lost.

I had to look away from the TV when he fell down trying cover his man on a dribble move. That was almost as hard to watch as the Tre injury.

[-jk]

I had to look away from the TV when he fell down trying cover his man on a dribble move. That was almost as hard to watch as the Tre injury.

Yeah, he was gassed...

-jk

[HereBeforeCoachK]

No one is throwing Jack under the bus. He's been a great player to date. But he had an absolutely lousy offensive game and was beaten off the dribble a lot on D. He was certainly part of the reason Duke lost.

And the kid was having a bad game...in the very game where injuries and illness required 42 minutes out of him, way out of his comfort zone for total minutes. Practice can only get you part of the way being ready to play 40+ minutes...when you average about what, 25?