Way-Too-Early preseason ACC Predictions

[Fly Rodder]

From The Athletic:

Way-too-early preseason ACC rankings for 2020-21

Duke is the team to beat, but usual suspects Virginia, UNC, Louisville and Florida State are all looming.

theathletic.com

SU 11th, listed under "The Rebuilders"

Aside from that, the lineup will look very similar to this season, when Syracuse struggled immensely on defense and on the glass. Unless Jim Boeheim can add some size by reeling in a big man or two through the transfer portal, it looks like another year on the bubble for the Orange.

 

[jdubs30]

This thread will just turn into the Griffin thread lol - this board seems split on if we’ll be better or not this year

 

[CuseRunner]

I think we will be better. I just worry about not having that alpha. Like Hughes and Battle before him. Quincy maybe can be that dude has the body mentality skill set if he improves his outside shooting.

 

[Trueblue25]

Im not sure how anyone, with eyes, could have watched Sidibe’s last 6 games and not feel better about our big man situation.

5’s not the issue. The issue is can QG, Joe and Buddy improve enough, paired with the arrival of Griff (if he can play immediately), to make up for Elijah’s departure?

I have faith.

 

[hoopsupstate]

I think we all should know who will and is willing to take big shots and that’s JGIII.

 

[UpstateSM]

I would bet my bank account we don't finish that low in the ACC. Griffin or no Griffin.

 

[721Comstock]

I would bet my bank account we don't finish that low in the ACC. Griffin or no Griffin.

I’d bet your bank account on that too!

 

[UpstateSM]

I’d bet your bank account on that too!

You’d be disappointed with your return

 

[Sherman20]

From The Athletic:

Way-too-early preseason ACC rankings for 2020-21

Duke is the team to beat, but usual suspects Virginia, UNC, Louisville and Florida State are all looming.

theathletic.com

SU 11th, listed under "The Rebuilders"

Bizarre that they have us at 11th(!) when we have four starters returning plus our 6th man. I thought these reporters and statisticians valued experience and returning minutes. Hmm...

 

[Cuse1055]

I’m sorry but it really bugs me to read the heading with “the usual suspects” that includes Louisville, Virginia, UNC, and Florida State but not us. Our program should be up there and no way should we be passed by the likes of Florida State.

 

[73CAV]

Well, it's behind a pay wall so I know little beyond the fact that Duke is picked first. So, what was Einstein's definition of insanity? Duke is picked first every year. Or, so it seems. And, yet, they haven't even shared a regular season conference title since 2010, and they haven't won one outright since 2006. Since that year, they've been dominated by UNC, exceeded by UVa, and equaled by FSU and Miami. Still, every year those in the know pick Duke to finish first.

 

[Briancuse]

The athletic sucks. It all depends on Griffin he plays next year I think we could be a top 5 acc team. If not expect similar struggles to next year with the acc being stronger.

 

[Ragman2000]

The athletic sucks. It all depends on Griffin he plays next year I think we could be a top 5 acc team. If not expect similar struggles to next year with the acc being stronger.

The Athletic is one of the best natural sources of sports news that we have going today, it's the best subscription I have. Their coverage of Syracuse has been fantastic as well. You are honestly missing out.

 

[Orangezoo]

The Athletic is one of the best natural sources of sports news that we have going today, it's the best subscription I have. Their coverage of Syracuse has been fantastic as well. You are honestly missing out.

Yeah their stuff is better than any of the other major outlets right now.

 

[Sherman20]

I’m sorry but it really bugs me to read the heading with “the usual suspects” that includes Louisville, Virginia, UNC, and Florida State but not us. Our program should be up there and no way should we be passed by the likes of Florida State.

100 percent.

 

[Orangezoo]

Sources: NBA talks Dec. start to 2020-21 season

For the NBA, the crux of the idea to delay the start of next season until December centers on the ability to buy more time to get fans back into arenas for the most possible games, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

You have to figure this decision weights heavily on college hoops too.

 

[Sherman20]

The Athletic is one of the best natural sources of sports news that we have going today, it's the best subscription I have. Their coverage of Syracuse has been fantastic as well. You are honestly missing out.

But this Danielle reporter who ranked the teams doesn’t know jack.

 

[sutomcat]

Sources: NBA talks Dec. start to 2020-21 season

For the NBA, the crux of the idea to delay the start of next season until December centers on the ability to buy more time to get fans back into arenas for the most possible games, sources told ESPN.

www.espn.com

You have to figure this decision weights heavily on college hoops too.

I agree. On the surface, starting in December seems strange. The general feeling in the medical community is that the virus is likely to come back strong once winter hits. I have to assume they have done a lot of research with their fan bases and got strong feedback people were going to be reluctant to attend games in person if the season started when it normally does.

As time passes, it looks more and more likely that baseball is not going to be played in front of fans this season. Football might be the first sport in the US played in front of crowds. I am guessing the NBA is thinking, let the NFL and/or college football give this a try for a few months and see how it goes.
If it is successful, people will feel good about going to basketball games too.

If is doesn’t go well, they will surely push the start of the season back again. Starting, stopping, then starting again would be such a logistical nightmare. They probably want to avoid it at all costs.