DBKilby
Member
Luke Kennard was the same coming in and he couldn't shoot as a frosh. Kon is way ahead of him. I and hoping for 37% from him this year.
MBB: Duke 72, KU 75 Post-game Thread
- Thread starter -jk
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SkyBrickey
Member
He has young Doncic driving skills. He is learning that he can drive the lane, fake a shot, and then pivot for a layup, a fadeaway or a kickout for an open 3. His teammates will learn to trust him and play off him. He stunk from 3 tonight. But the bigger story is his ability to drive the ball...
karmacoma
Member
I suspect Kon is just cold from three right now. His shot will come around.
DBKilby
Member
He was 40% coming in and now that is way down. I not worried in the slightest.
SkyBrickey
Member
All his shots are right on the rim. We all saw him make 28-29 in a shooting drill. Kid is an elite shooter and will figure it out. Neither Kennard nor Allen shot like this as a freshman, and they led the NBA in 3-pt % last year.
It is way too early to worry about tournament seeding. I for one applaud this scheduling. It should pay dividends. We played probably the most experienced and toughest team we will play all season. Kansas bent, but never folded.
Auburn/UNC also will also be tough, however….
Anyway….It could have gone either way, despite being down by 13 early. Finishing is a problem, but that will be better with experience. . Finishing games is a function of 80 % experience and 20% luck. We finished the Az game well…this one not so well. Ky game not so well. We were in a realistic position to win both games. Auburn will be the test…they reportedly have a good defense.
Flagg was doubled most of the game, he was bumped/slapped/held (things to come, Cooper!)….but still played pretty well…he really plays hard. He probably needs work on dribbling into the lane. His foul shooting is just ok.
We executed the end-game in bounds time out play well. Indeed, Knueppel played fairly well with the ball in his hands until the last few minutes (he will lose sleep tonight over getting caught in the air earlier—a high school mistake) and is still in a slump in shooting…he plays hard, is smart, and just needs time to settle in. Maluach has to assert himself more, but of course Dickinson is a master at the slap/hold/elbow/ push-shove/knee/ etc. M needs to set himself, anchor, and not let someone body him away from what he wants to do.
Problem… I am looking for somebody to emerge as the calming floor leader. Proctor just had his best all around game. So…Maybe it is Proctor. James played well. Brown is a super pest on D and showed some offense. But I have yet to see anyone except Flagg take charge…and it is hard when you have 2 guys giving you body blows.
My worry…and it is significant…is Foster. He shot a couple of 3s…ok. But his ball handling isn’t where it should be and his D is passable at best. He just hasn’t come back from where he was before the ankle…and we are counting on him…but not necessarily at the point.
Auburn/UNC also will also be tough, however….
Anyway….It could have gone either way, despite being down by 13 early. Finishing is a problem, but that will be better with experience. . Finishing games is a function of 80 % experience and 20% luck. We finished the Az game well…this one not so well. Ky game not so well. We were in a realistic position to win both games. Auburn will be the test…they reportedly have a good defense.
Flagg was doubled most of the game, he was bumped/slapped/held (things to come, Cooper!)….but still played pretty well…he really plays hard. He probably needs work on dribbling into the lane. His foul shooting is just ok.
We executed the end-game in bounds time out play well. Indeed, Knueppel played fairly well with the ball in his hands until the last few minutes (he will lose sleep tonight over getting caught in the air earlier—a high school mistake) and is still in a slump in shooting…he plays hard, is smart, and just needs time to settle in. Maluach has to assert himself more, but of course Dickinson is a master at the slap/hold/elbow/ push-shove/knee/ etc. M needs to set himself, anchor, and not let someone body him away from what he wants to do.
Problem… I am looking for somebody to emerge as the calming floor leader. Proctor just had his best all around game. So…Maybe it is Proctor. James played well. Brown is a super pest on D and showed some offense. But I have yet to see anyone except Flagg take charge…and it is hard when you have 2 guys giving you body blows.
My worry…and it is significant…is Foster. He shot a couple of 3s…ok. But his ball handling isn’t where it should be and his D is passable at best. He just hasn’t come back from where he was before the ankle…and we are counting on him…but not necessarily at the point.
For all the “Duke only lost by 3 in spite of x,y, z” you are aware that Kansas had the same amount of turnovers…
And their starting center was ejected with 10 mins to go. Yet Kansas still won the rebounding battle. Why do we think that was?
It’s okay to say that Duke suffered a bad loss. This one was very winnable with 1 min left. And that’s just in the context of this game. Now combine that with the meltdown vs Kentucky and while the sky is nowhere near falling and Duke still has a ton of potential, there are some legitimate concerns bubbling at the surface.
Namely, who plays point and initiates the offense. That’s the same guy we’d want with the ball in his hands at the EOG’s.
And their starting center was ejected with 10 mins to go. Yet Kansas still won the rebounding battle. Why do we think that was?
It’s okay to say that Duke suffered a bad loss. This one was very winnable with 1 min left. And that’s just in the context of this game. Now combine that with the meltdown vs Kentucky and while the sky is nowhere near falling and Duke still has a ton of potential, there are some legitimate concerns bubbling at the surface.
Namely, who plays point and initiates the offense. That’s the same guy we’d want with the ball in his hands at the EOG’s.
Hmm, interesting idea, Sky. But I think I’ll reserve my right to tune in to Duke Basketball as little or as much as I see fit, thanks.
And I will be in Cameron for the Seattle game Friday. And it will be fun. I enjoy watching the lads play, and I will be cheering them on. It’s just….I know how this freshman story has ended over and over again, and you do, too. However, maybe this year it will be different. I’m certainly not ruling it out offhand.
karmacoma
Member
Agreed. Candidly, I'm more concerned he might be asked to take on more of a primary playmaker/facilitator role that could diminish his three-point attempts and makes.
That is a possibility. He has excellent form but 3/19 in 3 big games is a worry. Shooters got to shoot but not a good stat in close games.
DBKilby
Member
I am not sleeping on Illinois. They will be a top 20ish KenPom team when we play them. Heck they would probably be the 3rd best team in the ACC.
SkyBrickey
Member
Steven! Channel your inner 2015. 10th year anniversary!Hmm, interesting idea, Sky. But I think I’ll reserve my right to tune in to Duke Basketball as little or as much as I see fit, thanks.
And I will be in Cameron for the Seattle game Friday. And it will be fun. I enjoy watching the lads play, and I will be cheering them on. It’s just….I know how this freshman story has ended over and over again, and you do, too. However, maybe this year it will be different. I’m certainly not ruling it out offhand.
I'm just giving you grief. I know you're a great fan.
simplyluvin
Member
Agree with
Truth be told, we probably haven’t had strong PG play since Tre’s sophomore year and his brother before that. But we have made due at times like in 2021 where Wendell was our point forward. I like the idea of trying Kon at the point. In such a case, should Foster still start?
This is an interesting point. We have had good guard play at times so far this season, but faltering at the end of our two losses and lack of offensive cohesion may have a lot to do with a lack of a true PG that can make plays in dribble-penetration and distribute the ball to players in space. Harris was doing that to us all night.
Truth be told, we probably haven’t had strong PG play since Tre’s sophomore year and his brother before that. But we have made due at times like in 2021 where Wendell was our point forward. I like the idea of trying Kon at the point. In such a case, should Foster still start?
Well, somebody has to play like an actual PG. I know Cooper likes to create, but his handle isn’t there yet.
Kansas PG (Harris) is so far beyond anyone we have that it’s going to be extremely difficult to beat these guys if we match up with them in the big tourney. Y’all know as well as I do that excellent PG play tends to win NCAA titles.
SkyBrickey
Member
This is a good discussion. Our closing lineup tonight was Kon as the playmaker and Sion in for Caleb, right?
I'm not ready to give up on Caleb. We need him to be able to drive the ball and make plays. I believe he has potential that Tyrese and Sion don't have. His emergence as a playmaker along with Kon and Cooper could in the end be the key to a natty IMO.
karmacoma
Member
. Caleb may be the key to unlocking the full potential of this offense. If he emerges, the ceiling strikes me as much higher than if the offense primarily runs through another of the starters.And yet we almost beat them tonight, and arguably should have.