Duke Basketball 2014-2015 Discussion thread

[rome8180]

I don't mind the idea of pressure defense with the big men camping out in the paint. That's sort of a middle ground between pack-it-in style and K's typical hard hedging overplay.

 

[physicsfactor]

That defense will change the first time a ball screen opens things up for an easy made 3.

 

[Slap the Floor]

It's a start.

I still don't understand why we have never really ever gone back to the pack-it-in style. It pretty much won us the 2010 National Championship. That team played great team defense. We saw it here and there with the 2013 Elite Eight team if I recall correctly. Ultimately though the big man switching up top was the kiss of death against Louisville.

Pitino owned K in the second half of that game. They ran screens at the top and we would just watch Siva blow right past Kelly and Plumlee. Plus their defense kicked it into an extra high gear mode but that was to be expected at some point during the game.

 

[torontoduke]

I think it is the latter, sadly. Sheed is so damn good at getting to the net...I don't understand why he struggles so much. Needs to add a pull-up j or a floater.

Also, either Jahlil is a better shot blocker than we were led to believe, or Sheed really just is that bad at throwing crap up near the basket.

 

[torontoduke]

I think it is reasonable to expect to see Matt Jones for at least 15 minutes a night. His defence will ensure that is the case. If he is able to become a fairly efficient offensive player, 20 minutes is possible.

I haven't watched it, but JohnTDD pointed out that in a video of them practicing their non-zone defense, Okafor and Marshall never switched out on top once, and remained inside the whole time.


Also, either Jahlil is a better shot blocker than we were led to believe, or Sheed really just is that bad at throwing crap up near the basket.

Sounds like K is more open to changing things up on defense, but we're going to pressure the ball no matter what. Scheme will be simpler which should hopefully help reduce all of the fuck-ups that plagued us last year.

If M. Jones can get real minutes (approx. 20?) and the amount of time that Tyus and Cook are together on the floor is truly limited, I'm hopeful that this group can be a top 50 defense.

 

[rome8180]

I think it is the latter, sadly. Sheed is so damn good at getting to the net...I don't understand why he struggles so much. Needs to add a pull-up j or a floater.

Also, either Jahlil is a better shot blocker than we were led to believe, or Sheed really just is that bad at throwing crap up near the basket.

Or the strength of a normal basketball player.

 

[rome8180]

I thought CTC was today and it turns out it's tomorrow. Today is now an entirely pointless 24-hour period of existence for me.

Also, I guess it's not on ESPN this year? (That's fine with me, since I am going to get GoDuke Inside Access for the exhibition games anyway.)

 

[duke9fan]

How's the quality on GoDuke now? I got it a couple years ago for CTC and it was a waste of $10.

 

[rome8180]

It's the same, I think. It still uses the same shitty player.

But it's totally fine if you just watch the replays later.

 

[rome8180]

Listening to an interview with K on GoDuke right now, in fact.

One good thing he mentioned was that with Tyus and Quinn on the court together, they'd be small and a liability defensively. So it seems like he's open to trying different things. He mentioned you might see some Sheed/M. Jones/Winslow when they need to go larger.

 

[rome8180]

"Semi is playing very well."

Lol.

 

[rome8180]

I really don't think we're going to see a lot of that lineup, based on who has been playing together in practices so far.

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

If K is willing to use zone for more than the usual 5-6 possessions all season, any lineup is possible and probably fine. The best lineup while playing 2-3 for offense and defense would probably be:

Tyus
Cook
Winslow
Jefferson
Okafor

Tyus and Cook would be free to jump passing lanes and take the same risks they would take in K's normal awful man to man, except those risks would be much more likely not to end horribly in a zone, and I think Cook will be a better offensive player than Sulaimon this season just because Sulaimon won't understand that his layups are bad ideas even after he shoots 35% on them for an entire season. Winslow and Jefferson are mobile and long enough to to be effective on the edges, with Okafor as the guy in the middle. In a 3-2, Winslow goes at the top. I assume a 1-3-1 is out of the question since K has not watched enough YouTube videos on it yet.

 

[childress22]

If K is willing to use zone for more than the usual 5-6 possessions all season, any lineup is possible and probably fine. The best lineup while playing 2-3 for offense and defense would probably be:

Tyus
Cook
Winslow
Jefferson
Okafor

I can't tell what guard combo is going to be the best yet. It's weird thinking that even if we are playing 2-3, our best lineup wouldn't be one that has one of our three 6'5" shooting guards, all of whom have like 6'6" or 6'7" wingspans, in there instead of one of the point guards.

 

[rome8180]

He was talking about full-court press and using our "defense to create offense," so get ready for that.

He also said we weren't a great rebounding team right now. I am not sure how that's possible.

 

[Pantone287]

CTC question. Do you think they'll actually not let people in to their seats after 7:45? I'd rather not sit through an hour of nothing before the BW game.

Countdown to Craziness presented by PNC Schedule of Events
4:00 p.m. - Inflatable Games, Live DJ, Face Painting in Krzyzewskiville
6:00 p.m. - Doors to Cameron Indoor Stadium Open
6:30 p.m. - On-Court Promotions and Student Performances Begin
7:30 p.m. - Women's Basketball Team Introductions
7:45 p.m. - Upper Concourse closed – all fans need to be seated
7:54 p.m. - National Anthem is performed
8:00 p.m. - 2014-15 Duke Blue Devil Player Introductions
8:30 p.m. - Blue-White Scrimmage (two 12-minute halves with an eight-minute halftime)
9:30 p.m. - Dunk Contest

 

[rome8180]

They need to add a three-point contest.

 

[StopThePumpFakesShav]

He was talking about full-court press and using our "defense to create offense," so get ready for that.

He also said we weren't a great rebounding team right now. I am not sure how that's possible.

I did a double take when I read the rebounding thing too. I hope he's just saying that they expect to get better as the season progresses and that they aren't as good as they could be. Even if Okafor can just equal Parker in rebounding, a junior Jefferson (who's likely to get more PT than last year), no Hairston minutes and Winslow instead of Hood should make Duke an above average rebounding team. This group seems to be bigger and stronger, and all we've heard is how in shape and jacked the returning guys are. No excuse to not hit the glass well this year.

I think I am most worried about (i) perimeter defense and (ii) FT shooting (I could see a Hack-a-Okafor strategy in certain situations), in that order in terms of tangible issues. Nothing else, from an on the court issue, strikes me as a particular worrisome weakness. Obviously the big intangible issues are as they were last year- high roster turnover/youth/leadership/toughness.

 

[rome8180]

Okafor, Jefferson, Plumlee, Winslow and Semi should all be good to great rebounders. Three of those guys will likely play 25+ minutes, often together. I don't see how that doesn't result in good rebounding.

He seems to at least understand that getting a defensive rebound is a key to good defense. He also said he wants our guards to rebound well so that we can push the pace. I think that might be a tall order if they are 40 feet out due to pressuring the ball.

 

[SeanMayTriedToEatMe]

Everything K says in the preseason is bullshit. They aren't going to run. They will be great rebounders. They won't play zone.

Source: Past 30 seasons.