Blue Devils in the NBA 2023-2024

Defense-first guys have an uphill battle, but a transcendent defensive player does have a shot. Time will tell whether Lively can reach that level, but he has a rare combination of size, agility and court awareness - all things that can’t really be taught. His passing is way ahead of where I’d expect at his age. He needs to calm down a bit but that will come.

The next step for him is to hit NBA 3s. He has good form but that’s not a reliable part of his game as of yet. If he gains the ability to stretch the floor on offense AND defend 1-5, look out.

Even if he never expands beyond a limited scoring role, though, he has game-changing ability on defense. I’d never expect to see a defense-first guy on 1st team All-NBA but I could see him being in contention for 2nd or 3rd team. Lots of work for him still to do to get to that level, of course, but imo the potential is there.

I have a dream.

Lively with a serviceable 3 point shot. :cool:
 
Defense-first guys have an uphill battle, but a transcendent defensive player does have a shot. Time will tell whether Lively c an reach that level, but he has a rare combination of size, agility and court awareness - all things that can’t really be taught. His passing is way ahead of where I’d expect at his age. He needs to calm down a bit but that will come.

The next step for him is to hit NBA 3s. He has good form but that’s not a reliable part of his game as of yet. If he gains the ability to stretch the floor on offense AND defend 1-5, look out.
.

{cough}
 
I don't want to overreact to one shot, but it certainly appeared to be repeatable, and it was clear he was set up in the corner specifically to take the shot.

If Lively could become a real threat to hit open 3's it would really raise his already high ceiling and be pretty scary for opponents. Reminds me of this scene

https://youtu.be/y6cjxHFCPcE?si=V0Z2N2RR-aer2TCf

Lively just turned 20. His potential is immense. He is long, quick, coordinated, with good hands and court instincts. Oh my!
 
Lively just turned 20. His potential is immense. He is long, quick, coordinated, with good hands and court instincts. Oh my!

His rebounding these past two games has been insane. He's relentless on the offensive glass. And his D 1-5 is already elite. If his offensive game continues to develop, and it should, then he will be a perennial All Star.
 
According to the Washington Post, Lively has the maturity of a veteran, at least based on his pregame advice to Luka.

“The first two times you get fouled, don't say nothing to the refs,” Lively remembered saying. “That's all I got. Just please don't do that, and I'll make sure you get open, make sure you're going be comfortable on the offensive and defensive end.”

Doncic kept his cool, and Lively kept his word, finishing with 11 points and 12 rebounds.
 
Watching Dereck dominate the paint yesterday and even step out for a 3, I can't help but fantasize about him having come back, like Donovan Clingan did at UConn, for a sophomore season. If we had had his rim protection, rebounding and rim running last season, and allowed Flip to play his more fitting 4 position, I think we might be have hung a 6th banner and Danny Hurley might now be coaching the Lakers.
 
Watching Dereck dominate the paint yesterday and even step out for a 3, I can't help but fantasize about him having come back, like Donovan Clingan did at UConn, for a sophomore season. If we had had his rim protection, rebounding and rim running last season, and allowed Flip to play his more fitting 4 position, I think we might be have hung a 6th banner and Danny Hurley might now be coaching the Lakers.

Lively’s last game at Duke was vs Tennessee, where he didn’t even attempt a shot and didn’t score. He just needed a bit more time, and one year later he’s obviously doing very well for himself in the NBA. I just hate it when guys leave Duke early and then flop in the NBA, but he’s not going to have that problem.
 
Watching Dereck dominate the paint yesterday and even step out for a 3, I can't help but fantasize about him having come back, like Donovan Clingan did at UConn, for a sophomore season. If we had had his rim protection, rebounding and rim running last season, and allowed Flip to play his more fitting 4 position, I think we might be have hung a 6th banner and Danny Hurley might now be coaching the Lakers.

It was his only make on the year. He's now 1-3.
 
Congrats to Jayson Tatum, who has established himself as the most successful Duke player in the NBA.

One thing I’ve been tracking is his playing time. These Celtics have been a juggernaut, and he has been on the floor more than anyone else.

Yes, he’s filled the stat sheets. He scores, racks up assists and pulls down rebounds. He plays both ways.

But more telling to me, he plays the most minutes. The Celtics rely on him to impact more plays in more important situations than anyone else on the team.

He’s the most valuable player on a dominant NBA championship team, something that no Duke player has accomplished before.
 
Congrats to Jayson Tatum, who has established himself as the most successful Duke player in the NBA.

One thing I’ve been tracking is his playing time. These Celtics have been a juggernaut, and he has been on the floor more than anyone else.

Yes, he’s filled the stat sheets. He scores, racks up assists and pulls down rebounds. He plays both ways.

And he plays the most minutes, because he’s the most valuable player on a dominant NBA championship team, something that no Duke player has accomplished before.

Yes. I was there for his last college game against the Gamecocks. A brutal memory. He has come a long way! Very proud of the young man.
 
Yes. I was there for his last college game against the Gamecocks. A brutal memory. He has come a long way! Very proud of the young man.

That was a tough one. Tatum, Kennard and Allen never really gelled. Luke was the best scorer on the team, but was not a two way player. Jayson was young, but often the best player. Grayson was . . . Grayson.

I recall getting into a discussion with Jim Sumner and CDu when I mentioned that Tatum was the best player on that team and they both pointed to Kennard as the alpha.

The funny thing about some Duke teams is that I wonder what would have happened if one player wasn’t there. Like the Bagley Carter year. Duke might have been more successful with just Wendell Carter Jr. manning the post.

That year with Tatum, Allen and Kennard I wonder if things would have worked out better with just Tatum and either Allen or Kennard.
 
The 2017 team was completely snakebit. Tons of injuries, including Tatum and Allen (and K!), a terrible/ unfair NCAAT matchup. Some teams are just cursed.
 
That year with Tatum, Allen and Kennard I wonder if things would have worked out better with just Tatum and either Allen or Kennard.

Well, we basically had a six man roster by the end of the year - it would have been tough to play with five.
 
The Ringer: The Derrick White All-Stars: 10 Players Who Could Complete a Contender

After watching how Boston and Denver won their titles, high-end role players could now be coveted around the league. These types of players tend to fall into three categories:

1. Hidden Gems

Collin Sexton, Jazz guard
Deni Avdija, Wizards forward
Ayo Dosunmu, Bulls guard
Day’Ron Sharpe, Nets center

Luke Kennard, Grizzlies wing

Contract: Unrestricted free agent

Kennard is one of the NBA’s best shooters. In his seven-year career, he’s made 43.9 percent of his 3s and 87.9 percent of his free throws. He can drain pull-ups from pretty much anywhere. He thrives when he’s moving without the ball. And he can make the right play as a passer. By no means is he a stopper on defense, but he gives effort and he’s physical. As an upcoming 28-year-old free agent, he should have a ton of appeal across the NBA.

Dream fit: Philadelphia. The issue with staying in Memphis is his redundancy with Desmond Bane, who is a better player and featured more prominently. In Philly, Kennard would be like a supercharged version of what the Sixers hoped Buddy Hield would be. Kennard could flank Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt, and operate in the two-man game with Joel Embiid, giving him a more diverse role than he can receive with the Grizzlies.


2. Reinventable Talents

Anfernee Simons, Blazers guard
Jerami Grant, Blazers forward
Patrick Williams, Bulls forward

3. Proven Veterans

Mikal Bridges, Nets wing
Bruce Brown Jr., Raptors wing
 
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