Originally Posted by
DukieTiger
I am glad you all talked about the potential of a Duke "death" lineup. This team feels like K's ideal roster almost - a bunch of tall wings, a true PG and some size if he needs it. If Javin weren't the likely team captain, I'd almost predict that Duke finishes the year going small the majority of the time, but I think Javin is too important to this team not to play a majority of the minutes.
That said, seeing them go small is what I am most excited about this year. I listen to a lot of NBA draft/scouting podcasts and they talk a lot about how at the highest levels (NBA playoffs), the elite teams have the ability to hunt mismatches and play opposing players off the floor due to physical limitations. I've always thought this sounded a lot like the way K prefers to coach... One of the first things I learned as a young Duke fan was that Coach loved to make other teams change to match up with Duke, rather than the other way around. I think this year really has a chance to emphasize that point.
Additionally, I agree with whomever threw out Jack White's name as "guy #5" in the death lineup. Obviously AOC would bring the shooting, but I agree that Duke needs a steadier defensive presence and a little maturity on the floor. The "switch everything" scheme depends heavily on communication and discipline, so I could see Jack earning himself time over AOC due to his greater experience and (presumably) superior communication.