MBB: Duke 75, Syracuse 65 Post-Game Thread

[Steven43]

I’m trying to picture a bike that Zion wouldn’t destroy...

Failing.

Various shattered bike components come into focus.

Same

[kAzE]

I think mostly thought he looked lost on defense. I remember watching and thinking he was very unlikely to contribute this season. I don't remember if I just watched the Ryerson game or also watched the other two.

I'd have to go back and watch the replays, but I don't recall that Joey was completely ineffective on defense. He looked okay against Syracuse in limited minutes on defense. That foul he picked up right before halftime came on an impressive chase down block that the officials incorrectly called a foul (it was totally clean). Regardless, he's certainly just a bigger, longer body than Alex. He was also a top 20 overall recruit in his original class (2019), so he's talented.

This is just an extremely intriguing development. I can't remember the last time we unexpectedly gained a new player in the middle of the season. I'm very hopeful that he can play well and start expanding his role. This team always feels like it's 1 reliable shooter away from being unstoppable.

Coach K knows what he's doing. You can't hit the freshman wall if you only play 12-13 games

[MarkD83]

I'd have to go back and watch the replays, but I don't recall that Joey was completely ineffective on defense. He looked okay against Syracuse in limited minutes on defense. That foul he picked up right before halftime came on an impressive chase down block that the officials incorrectly called a foul (it was totally clean). Regardless, he's certainly just a bigger, longer body than Alex. He was also a top 20 overall recruit in his original class (2019), so he's talented.

This is just an extremely intriguing development. I can't remember the last time we unexpectedly gained a new player in the middle of the season. I'm very hopeful that he can play well and start expanding his role. This team always feels like it's 1 reliable shooter away from being unstoppable.

Coach K knows what he's doing. You can't hit the freshman wall if you only play 12-13 games

This next comment is not directly pointing at Joey, but in this day and age of grad transfers, having a player redshirt does not necessarily mean they will play on "your" team to use all of their eligibility.

Second, with OADs, a team has to take a shot at the title when they can. Duke is in great position for a title and needs another shooter as kAze has mentioned.

[wsb3]

i meaaannnnn with k, you don't play if you're not practicing well. I think that would say a lot on top of the things K has said explicitly.

Absolutely. How often over the years has a player who was buried on the bench is one of the first guys off the bench...& if Coach K is asked about it..The answer is inevitably he had a really good week of practice or has been practicing really well of late.

[Indoor66]

Agreed. I don't know if, being a Duke alum, Bilas feels the need to prove to the world that he is not biased and ends up going over board or if he is just bad.

I am still waiting to hear if there was a health issue with Jack. I feel bad for him. I was one of those suggesting he may be close to earning a start early in the season and now he is moving down the bench instead. Did anyone else see Jack having a 1 on 1 discussion with Tre during one of the timeouts after Tre had missed several wide open threes? It certainly looked like Jack was providing encouragement...pretty impressive teammate.

My problem with him is that he won't shut up. He has to comment about everything. I next expect to hear his opinion on Arena security!

[budwom]

I think Jack is just getting time off to press the reset button...would like to think that perhaps in the Wake and Miami games he goes in without pressure and hits a few shots...(if not sooner).

[MChambers]

I'd have to go back and watch the replays, but I don't recall that Joey was completely ineffective on defense. He looked okay against Syracuse in limited minutes on defense. That foul he picked up right before halftime came on an impressive chase down block that the officials incorrectly called a foul (it was totally clean). Regardless, he's certainly just a bigger, longer body than Alex. He was also a top 20 overall recruit in his original class (2019), so he's talented.

This is just an extremely intriguing development. I can't remember the last time we unexpectedly gained a new player in the middle of the season. I'm very hopeful that he can play well and start expanding his role. This team always feels like it's 1 reliable shooter away from being unstoppable.

Coach K knows what he's doing. You can't hit the freshman wall if you only play 12-13 games

I was just talking about what I saw in Canada. I agree that his defense looked okay against Syracuse. His first two fouls were deliberate, trying to make Syracuse use clock. His third foul was a clean block and was alarmingly athletic, although it came after his man drove by him like his feet were in mud. My guess is that his defense will be a bit like Alex's and will limit his time on the court. His shot looked good, though.

[Troublemaker]

I dont like being tied atop the ACC with a clearly inferior Unc team and a UVa team we beat twice. That makes me grumpy.

Well, at 12-2, it could definitely be worse. If we don't make that comeback @Lville, we'd be a game behind UVA and uNC, for example.

Which reminds me. Duke hasn't really lost a game (i.e. at full-strength) since before Thanksgiving against Gonzaga. Kind of neat when you think about that streak.

I know, I know. The losses to Syracuse and UNC count, and "next man up" or whatever. That's the attitude I want to see from the players and coaches, for sure.

But, as fans, we can be real about it. Injuries can affect game outcomes. We lost to Cuse because we were missing Tre and Cam and had no time to prepare for playing without them. We lost to UNC because Zion got injured right away and we didn't have time to prepare for playing without him.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I think Jack is just getting time off to press the reset button...would like to think that perhaps in the Wake and Miami games he goes in without pressure and hits a few shots...(if not sooner).

Good point...and IIRC, K used a late game against a weak WFU team in 2015 to allow Grayson to stretch his legs a bit, and I think he had something like 27 in that game. His situation and White's are far from a perfect analogy, but they're not without some parallels either.

Which reminds me. Duke hasn't really lost a game (i.e. at full-strength) since before Thanksgiving against Gonzaga. Kind of neat when you think about that streak.

I know, I know. The losses to Syracuse and UNC count, and "next man up" or whatever. That's the attitude I want to see from the players and coaches, for sure.

But, as fans, we can be real about it. Injuries can affect game outcomes. We lost to Cuse because we were missing Tre and Cam and had no time to prepare for playing without them. We lost to UNC because Zion got injured right away and we didn't have time to prepare for playing without him.

True, it always amuses me when sports journalists (and some fans) dismiss injury situations and hide behind the "no excuses" and "next man up" mantras and always define pointing out an injury as "whining" - when many of those same journalists and fans are obsessed with recruiting. I mean, think about it...if recruiting a great player is a big deal, then losing that same great player to injury is also a big deal, and pointing this out is not whining...

[fan345678]

Well, at 12-2, it could definitely be worse. If we don't make that comeback @Lville, we'd be a game behind UVA and uNC, for example.

Which reminds me. Duke hasn't really lost a game (i.e. at full-strength) since before Thanksgiving against Gonzaga. Kind of neat when you think about that streak.

I know, I know. The losses to Syracuse and UNC count, and "next man up" or whatever. That's the attitude I want to see from the players and coaches, for sure.

But, as fans, we can be real about it. Injuries can affect game outcomes. We lost to Cuse because we were missing Tre and Cam and had no time to prepare for playing without them. We lost to UNC because Zion got injured right away and we didn't have time to prepare for playing without him.

Taking it further, Gonzaga was our third game in three days, and was a Noon game after the previous day's 3:00 PM game. Of course, Gonzaga was without one of their best players (Tillie, who is injured once again).

So, given that Duke was unable to "prepare" for the loss of a starter (or two) in the other two losses, but won the subsequent games without said starters, we could say this:

Duke is undefeated when given more than 18.5 hours to prepare.

[thedukelamere]

I mean I definitely get the next man up mantra and the fact that we have a roster full of burger boys won't allow us much sympathy... but there's a huge difference between the "injured and we know about and prepare around it" next man up, and the "gameplan all week and have that gameplan explode in 33 seconds" next man up. That prep work from the GOAT and his staff is the difference between our two losses and the subsequent important wins while shorthanded.

[mkirsh]

I mean I definitely get the next man up mantra and the fact that we have a roster full of burger boys won't allow us much sympathy... but there's a huge difference between the "injured and we know about and prepare around it" next man up, and the "gameplan all week and have that gameplan explode in 33 seconds" next man up. That prep work from the GOAT and his staff is the difference between our two losses and the subsequent important wins while shorthanded.

I think this is especially true with freshman dominated teams - they have less game experience so it’s even harder to make adjustments on the fly. A team of all seniors who have been through the fires of multiple seasons would likely be much better suited to handle this type of sudden change. It’s actually been impressive that the Duke freshmen have been able to adapt so well in the first two games following the injuries.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

I mean I definitely get the next man up mantra and the fact that we have a roster full of burger boys won't allow us much sympathy... .

To me it's not a question of sympathy...that's not part of team sports...certainly in this day of "haters" on the socials.

What irks me is when people, fans or professionals, will analyze a game as if any mention of the injuries is akin to whining. A loss is a loss and a W is a W...period. But this talk about "Syracuse beating Duke in Cameron with Zion" without mentioning Duke was without Tre and Cam...and so on. A lot of folks, on ESPN and elsewhere, do things like that all the time and they should know better. Pet peeve of mine.

[MCFinARL]

Agreed. I don't know if, being a Duke alum, Bilas feels the need to prove to the world that he is not biased and ends up going over board or if he is just bad.

I am still waiting to hear if there was a health issue with Jack. I feel bad for him. I was one of those suggesting he may be close to earning a start early in the season and now he is moving down the bench instead. Did anyone else see Jack having a 1 on 1 discussion with Tre during one of the timeouts after Tre had missed several wide open threes? It certainly looked like Jack was providing encouragement...pretty impressive teammate.

Yes, that is why he is one of the captains. I am pretty sure when Jack and Javin were named co-captains they understood that their role was to lead and to provide advice and support to the younger players regardless of how many minutes they themselves were playing.