Is this another "team of the century" year for Duke?!

[Iluvsuebird]

And we have plenty of examples of our bench blowing it against crappy teams and having to overplay our starters


Dan Hurley has been clear he's not happy with how much he is forced to play his starters.

Really? We are 27-3…. One of those losses was against the #1 team minus 2 starters. Do tell the “plenty of examples” of which you refer.

 

[Lafayette]

Boozer might statistically have an edge in Flagg but Flagg had a better supporting cast.

An Boozer has not had to taste lose and done in a tourney and as a Freshman that can be a lot. They won’t be tested for at least 3 games but then it gets real.

We’ve been there and won - only Mullins is a frosh starter but AK has 2 rings and is a calming focused force for the team.

 

[RuffRuff]

Boozer might statistically have an edge in Flagg but Flagg had a better supporting cast.

An Boozer has not had to taste lose and done in a tourney and as a Freshman that can be a lot. They won’t be tested for at least 3 games but then it gets real.

We’ve been there and won - only Mullins is a frosh starter but AK has 2 rings and is a calming focused force for the team.

I don't buy the Boozer tourney experience thing - Boozer plays like a veteran and plays mature well beyond his years. He plays different than Flagg - less highlight reel, more sound/regular. I'd feel way more comfortable with the ball in his hands late than Flagg last year. Yes, Flaggs supporting cast may have been a bit better - but I do like Ngongnba better than Maluach as an overall 5. Duke does have three guys starting that got to the F4 last year.

No one on Michigan or Arizona has really experienced much tourney. I'm not sitting on NC's from two years ago experience and AK being much of an advantage, wishful thinking. The best teams will win - maybe that's us. If this is an advantage, we may as well crown Florida.

 

[SeattleHoop]

Coach of the Year is ex-Xavier coach, Travis Steele.

If I was Providence I would go after Steele and give him another chance to prove himself in the Big East.

 

[NJHusky]

This is an insane take. Reibe would have started for a bunch of tourney teams this year. Smith had bad games, but he also won us several games. Ross is a defensive stopper, who can spot and shoot the 3 at a high level, and you can you do a lot worse than having him off the bench to spell Mullins. And Stewart, assuming he is healthy, is a very strong off the bench piece who can score and play D and has size. That is a rotation of 9 solid players. You mentioned conference play, but did that bench help us against the non-conference gauntlet we faced? I very much think so. Also, do we have to be reminded that we played several games without our starters? Who do you think came in to fill in the stat line? That is right, the bench guys. We are not 27-3 without a deep team this year.

Reibe was critical in the OOC with Tarris hurt. Without him we prob lose 2-3 more games and are talking about a 5 seed

 

[HW611]

View attachment 117735Our bench. Reibe has some really bad numbers. As a barometer, Clingan lead the team in this stat as a freshmen, by a wide margin, playing 13mpg. Reibe's numbers are not great.

Wonder what goes into these ratings that say Mullins is a better defender than Ross.

 

[UConnRock]

Wonder what goes into these ratings that say Mullins is a better defender than Ross.

Possibly that Ross gets the most challenging defensive assignments.

 

[Lafayette]

The question is who will be the Duke Slayer in the tournament this year ? Duke will not win it.

Literally any team that Boozer picks up 2 fouls quickly will do it. Would be beyond funny if Miami OH got that.

 

[RuffRuff]

Literally any team that Boozer picks up 2 fouls quickly will do it. Would be beyond funny if Miami OH got that.

Will be unprecedented as the guy hasn't fouled out all year, only averages 2.2 fouls a game.

 

[Lafayette]

I don't buy the Boozer tourney experience thing - Boozer plays like a veteran and plays mature well beyond his years. He plays different than Flagg - less highlight reel, more sound/regular. I'd feel way more comfortable with the ball in his hands late than Flagg last year. Yes, Flaggs supporting cast may have been a bit better - but I do like Ngongnba better than Maluach as an overall 5. Duke does have three guys starting that got to the F4 last year.

No one on Michigan or Arizona has really experienced much tourney. I'm not sitting on NC's from two years ago experience and AK being much of an advantage, wishful thinking. The best teams will win - maybe that's us. If this is an advantage, we may as well crown Florida.

dunno Ruff.. seeing Boozer play during the season and when the season as a whole is on the line is different. Much better talent this and last year than 3 years ago but saw a scared Duke team fold to NC State in E8.

Seen many a freshman wilt in the tourney too over the years. Do we get a Chris Webber moment? Boozer needs to experience down by 5 with 8 minutes to go and see if he rushes, hesitates or at all lets his emotions get the better.

AK, Solo, Stew, Ross all have rings - very calming when Braylon is the only starting frosh and he seems like nerves of steel anyway.

Let’s see how this plays out…Duke might have the easiest bracket anyway.

 

[Lafayette]

Oh Boozer fouled out vs Michigan State and got two quick ones in the first half at Chapel Hill.

 

[RuffRuff]

dunno Ruff.. seeing Boozer play during the season and when the season as a whole is on the line is different. Much better talent this and last year than 3 years ago but saw a scared Duke team fold to NC State in E8.

Seen many a freshman wilt in the tourney too over the years. Do we get a Chris Webber moment? Boozer needs to experience down by 5 with 8 minutes to go and see if he rushes, hesitates or at all lets his emotions get the better.

AK, Solo, Stew, Ross all have rings - very calming when Braylon is the only starting frosh and he seems like nerves of steel anyway.

Let’s see how this plays out…Duke might have the easiest bracket anyway.

A Kyle Filiposwki Duke is a lot different than this team. We'll see - I tend to see Duke is the most bullet proof team in the tourney given their ability to guard the perimeter and interior and having a somewhat unguardable force.

Oh Boozer fouled out vs Michigan State and got two quick ones in the first half at Chapel Hill.

Good catch - Chat said no.

 

[auror]

Wonder what goes into these ratings that say Mullins is a better defender than Ross.

Their rate stats (reb%, stl%, block %, foul rates, etc.) are pretty close, but Ross has better team on/off numbers. This particular stat has a bit of a memory, and it is predictive in nature, so stuff like pedigree comes into play, too. They are close enough that those last 2 factors are probably tipping the scale.

But I don't think defensive metrics are fine toothed enough to differentiate numbers that close.

 

[HW611]

Their rate stats (reb%, stl%, block %, foul rates, etc.) are pretty close, but Ross has better team on/off numbers. This particular stat has a bit of a memory, and it is predictive in nature, so stuff like pedigree comes into play, too. They are close enough that those last 2 factors are probably tipping the scale.

But I don't think defensive metrics are fine toothed enough to differentiate numbers that close.

I’d like to see them add opponent FG% to the stat.

 

[gsmooth]

If I was Providence I would go after Steele and give him another chance to prove himself in the Big East.

That's a good idea that I haven't heard anywhere else. If I am a PC fan I like it . I say that admitting that I don't know Travis Steele 's contract situation.

 

[BFieldHusky]

I don't buy the Boozer tourney experience thing - Boozer plays like a veteran and plays mature well beyond his years. He plays different than Flagg - less highlight reel, more sound/regular. I'd feel way more comfortable with the ball in his hands late than Flagg last year. Yes, Flaggs supporting cast may have been a bit better - but I do like Ngongnba better than Maluach as an overall 5. Duke does have three guys starting that got to the F4 last year.

No one on Michigan or Arizona has really experienced much tourney. I'm not sitting on NC's from two years ago experience and AK being much of an advantage, wishful thinking. The best teams will win - maybe that's us. If this is an advantage, we may as well crown Florida.

Wishful thinking? AK has played in 14 tournament games in his career. It doesn't guarantee anything, but I do think its a factor.

Then again, you think a team having to fly east in the MIDDLE OF THE WEEK is a factor so...