2-3 zone vs. Duke

[2-3zone]

Do you extend the zone right from the start and try to take away the 3-ball or pack it in and try to stop Parker on the inside?

Duke averages nearly 30 points per game from the 3-ball

Either way I think SU will have to score at least 75 to win

 

[LennX6]

Do you extend the zone right from the start and try to take away the 3-ball or pack it in and try to stop Parker on the inside?

Duke averages nearly 30 points per game from the 3-ball

Either way I think SU will have to score at least 75 to win

We have survived 30 from 3, especially if we are rebounding and stuffing the middle.
Your first question, is what is Duke going to do? Then we cover it, and stop it.

 

[TODDNTEXAS]

The beautiful thing about the zone is that it reacts and evolves throughout the coarse of the game. If Parker gets hot the zone will react and take away whatever is working for him. As silly as it sounds, the key is to keep taking away what is working. Confuse the offense and keep them guessing as to what you are going to do next. Will we trap the corner? Take away the high post? Pack it in and dare you to shoot? Duke will not know until the game has started. The key will be how patient the WHOLE team is for Duke and not just one player. You have to probe the defense on each and every possession to see what they will give you...I don't think Duke has that type of player or players on their team. Just my opinion.

 

[LennX6]

The beautiful thing about the zone is that it reacts and evolves throughout the coarse of the game. If Parker gets hot the zone will react and take away whatever is working for him. As silly as it sounds, the key is to keep taking away what is working. Confuse the offense and keep them guessing as to what you are going to do next. Will we trap the corner? Take away the high post? Pack it in and dare you to shoot? Duke will not know until the game has started. The key will be how patient the WHOLE team is for Duke and not just one player. You have to probe the defense on each and every possession to see what they will give you...I don't think Duke has that type of player or players on their team. Just my opinion.

Hood possibly, but the rest is full speed ahead.

 

[ImperialOrange]

I don't know if we'll give up 75. Its been 2 months since we've allowed 65 and a month since we've given up over 60. I don't think duke will rebound well against us.

 

[CorduroyG]

Extend the zone. They won't beat us shooting 2s.

 

[The General]

I think the offensive sets we see will be as versatile as the variations of the zone they see. It's gonna be a chess match. Adjustments will be key. Perfect storm for a great coaching and player battle.

Parker could play the high post, run the baseline or be on the wing.

 

[jordoo]

I wouldn't be shocked to see JB pull a couple old dusty rabbits out of his hat on K this weekend.

 

[PeteCalvin]

If our bigs can force Parker into some tough shots inside the zone, I'll take it. Defend the three and the baseline. Make Parker beat us. On offense, go right at Parker. Get him in foul trouble early. He's by far their best rebounder.

 

[anomander]

i'm not worried. teams that can hurt us on the offensive glass are teams i worry about. duke is not that, they are awful on the glass. i don't see Duke busting the zone up. it's not like we give up open shots, every single shot is highly contested. duke isn't going to get any easy baskets

 

[Orangezoo]

Biggest concern I have is duke playing to get us in foul trouble early. Really important our bigs play smart and go straight up. I think you dare them a little to take some deep 3s vs them roam free in the paint.

 

[pearl31]

duke is not that, they are awful on the glass.

I get what you're saying, and generally agree, but they did manage to outrebound Pitt the other night. They are getting much better on the glass, it seems, especially with the emergence of Plumlee.

 

[bevosu]

A lot of our games this year JB seems like early in the game he almost wants the other team to take 3's. I think he believes that even if they do make a few (some teams have) as far as he's concerned let em shoot. I think he thinks the percentages are eventually going to even out.

Only if they continue to be hot from 3 he sicks the guards and forwards on them. The zone becomes much more aggressive on the wings and the top of the key. It's worked.

 

[pearl31]

A lot of our games this year JB seems like early in the game he almost wants the other team to take 3's. I think he believes that even if they do make a few (some teams have) as far as he's concerned let em shoot. I think he thinks the percentages are eventually going to even out.

Only if they continue to be hot from 3 he sicks the guards and forwards on them. The zone becomes much more aggressive on the wings and the top of the key. It's worked.

Yep, unless there's a player on the other team "pre-advertised" as being a great shooter (Andre Dawkins, for example) - then JB will make sure the guys are out on him from the outset

 

[Entropic]

I have a feeling this game will be similar to the old style Nova 4 guard offense with 1 guy at the high post and 4 people launching 3s all game. Dawkins, Sulaimon, Cook, Parker and Hood will be spending a lot of time outside.

 

[Coach Orange]

A lot of our games this year JB seems like early in the game he almost wants the other team to take 3's. I think he believes that even if they do make a few (some teams have) as far as he's concerned let em shoot. I think he thinks the percentages are eventually going to even out.

Only if they continue to be hot from 3 he sicks the guards and forwards on them. The zone becomes much more aggressive on the wings and the top of the key. It's worked.

Good observation, bevo. In fact, this has been Boeheim's approach for years. He has said in coaching clinics that he feels when opponents hit contested three-pointers early, it tends to be fool's gold. Opposing teams tend to fall in love with that, which is not a high-percentage shot. The law of averages dictates that they will eventually miss those shots, and we will benefit from that.

He has also said that you cannot play zone if you do not recognize and adjust to great shooters--so true. Duke presents a challenge in that they have several players that can shoot.

I would guess that Boeheim will elect to start out in our "standard" zone to see how Duke attacks it, and then adjust accordingly. That will mean attempting to keep Duke out of the paint, forcing them to take contested three-pointers. Duke hitting a few contested three-pointers early doesn't bother me; if they score in the paint several times early, I will worry, because that is the recipe for foul trouble and more uncontested threes as the game progresses.

If Duke makes a few contested threes early, Coach B will adjust the zone to discourage how they are attacking, whether that be by screening the top of the zone, high-post entry, or by overloading one side of the floor. If that doesn't work, he'll shade defenders to the hot the shooter(s), which should reduce that player's effectiveness. However, that will open us up to more interior attacks.

In the end, the keys defensively, as so often they are against any team, will be to reduce Duke's ability to penetrate (by dribble or pass) and to limit the second-chance opportunities. Either of these will lead to zone collapses, which would allow Duke more "uncontested" three-pointers as we scramble to recover.

 

[Knicks411]

Fwiw, in conference play, Duke has made just under 43% of their 2's. And nearly 42% of their 3's.

 

[Toga]

It's not necessarily good shooting 3 point teams which most concern me - it's teams with a big at the foul line who is good at hitting athletic cutters along the baseline.

 

[Coach Orange]

It's not necessarily good shooting 3 point teams which most concern me - it's teams with a big at the foul line who is good at hitting athletic cutters along the baseline.

This is true, Toga--some teams even rotate guards to the high post for this exact purpose. An added advantage to this strategy is that they tend to hit that 15-footer more consistently than most bigs.

 

[TODDNTEXAS]

IMO, the one player to watch early is Parker. If Parker starts out playing smart, from the inside out and is successful at scoring, then we could be in for a long day. Parker's ability to play under control and attack the zone from the inside out will be key. If he starts shooting 20 foot jumpers from the get go then they are in for a long day. I think K is too smart to let that happen.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I really wish General20 would post his pre-game post soon. That would really make me feel better.

 

[General20]

I really wish General20 would post his pre-game post soon. That would really make me feel better.

Had a crazy week so I took the last two games off, but I'm writing up the Duke one right now.

 

[CraigForth]

I'm less worried about their offense scoring against the zone than I am our offense not scoring for long periods of time. Which seems to happen a lot. Can't happen tomorrow. Gotta get back and set up on D so fg % and rebounding will be important, if those go our way I think I really like our chances. Just my opinion - if you disagree no need to quote my post and tell me you feel bad for me blah blah blah.

 

[bnoro]

The good news is Duke doesn't play defense