Why isn't Duke better?

[Lucid]

Bilas kept talking about how great of an on-ball defender Tre Jones is. Honestly, I just didn't see it. Meh.

 

[cuseincincy]

I've said all year that I though Barrett was the best player on Duke and the best pro prospect. I was wrong. I agree with the poster that said it seems like Duke has been saving Zion all year for the tournament and now he'll step up huge. As for Barrett...kind of wondering where he plays in the NBA. Not sure he has the handle or the shot to play the 2. Hasn't really shown the athleticism to be a 3. His strength is really the little things and a great knack for the getting the ball to go through the hoop. Or maybe Zion was so good he made everyone else look like they were standing still last night.

 

[realorange]

I still think Barrett is a good all around player. When Zion is rolling, like last night, they defer to him a lot-----as they should. We have nobody that could stand up to him.

I felt sorry for PC and Marek. They did their best, but they were never going to get the calls they should have had several times when Zion ran over them going to the basket to score or get a rebound.

If it hadn't been so sad, it was almost funny to see the expression on their faces after some of the so called fouls.

 

[MikeSU02]

I've said all year that I though Barrett was the best player on Duke and the best pro prospect. I was wrong. I agree with the poster that said it seems like Duke has been saving Zion all year for the tournament and now he'll step up huge. As for Barrett...kind of wondering where he plays in the NBA. Not sure he has the handle or the shot to play the 2. Hasn't really shown the athleticism to be a 3. His strength is really the little things and a great knack for the getting the ball to go through the hoop. Or maybe Zion was so good he made everyone else look like they were standing still last night.

The main issue with Barrett is his poor vision and passing. His assist to TO ratio is bad. Also, his three point shooting isn't great and his FT % should be higher as well.

He can fix some of that, but if his vision doesn't get better, he goes from being in the Harden-type to a much more one-dimensional player.

 

[SBU72]

Coach K is NOT doing a very good job coaching. With all that talent and 1 injury throws them way off! Jones gets hurt, none of the other McD AAs could take over during Duke1? Same when Z was hurt. Bilas said K was smart not to reorganize the team when Z was out? Pure bs. They have the dominating guy on the floor last night and they seem to forget about him in long stretches. Did the same during Duke1 and is probably why they lost. Lose Bolden for a few they struggle. SU loses its top player from a much less talented team and they actually play BETTER.

Funny thing, this is another example of bringing in a huge recruiting class does not produce the immediate results people were predicting. Cal at Kentucky didn't win a lot of NC after all his top recruiting years, now Duke won't with top 4 recruits. Not their freshmen year and they won't be there for their sophomore year.

 

[AZOrange]

I still think Barrett is a good all around player. When Zion is rolling, like last night, they defer to him a lot-----as they should. We have nobody that could stand up to him.

I felt sorry for PC and Marek. They did their best, but they were never going to get the calls they should have had several times when Zion ran over them going to the basket to score or get a rebound.

If it hadn't been so sad, it was almost funny to see the expression on their faces after some of the so called fouls.

Good? Barrett is way better than good.

 

[billsin01]

It's becoming more and more clear to me that as K has become THE recruiter in college hoops (with the help of staff), I find it harder and harder to point out where he's actually developing a team throughout the year. Last night, the only adjustment he made was waiting for the short SU rotation to get gassed. They have by far the most individual talent in college basketball and I'm not sure they'll even make it to weekend 3.

Reddish doesn't fit with these two (Zion and Barrett) and Jones isn't very good.

I disagree on this. Love to hate duke as much as the next guy but I thought sticking with the goldwire/Jones setup down the stretch was a really good move. The tendency would be to try and get o'connell to light it up once we got back into it, but Jones made some nice plays in the lane, Goldwire had five big points and the combo at least slowed Frank and, more so, Buddy down for the final 7 or 8 mins.

K drives me crazy but he's a really good coach. I think the reality of the one-and-done era with all the transfers and everything else is that it's hard to build strong, cohesive rosters. Once you get an injury (Bolden) and then work a player back into the lineup (Zion) and most of your guys are really young, it can get really inconsistent. We've seen that here the past few years.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I still think Barrett is a good all around player. When Zion is rolling, like last night, they defer to him a lot-----as they should. We have nobody that could stand up to him.

I felt sorry for PC and Marek. They did their best, but they were never going to get the calls they should have had several times when Zion ran over them going to the basket to score or get a rebound.

If it hadn't been so sad, it was almost funny to see the expression on their faces after some of the so called fouls.

I'm gonna say, I don't think it's a surprise that the guy that grabbed 18 rebounds against them found himself in immediate foul trouble playing against them in the great state of North Carolina.

 

[OrangeDW]

I'm gonna say, I don't think it's a surprise that the guy that grabbed 18 rebounds against them found himself in immediate foul trouble playing against them in the great state of North Carolina.

It really is amazing how it’s just like a given. Our guys will be in foul trouble and their guys will get away with everything.

Zion and Jones both should’ve had at least 3 fouls in the first half. Zion didn’t have any. He was mauling people for steals and loose balls.

It just felt very choreographed. Like the whole night was setup to be a big Zion showcase story. Calling fouls on him was not even a consideration.

 

[MikeSU02]

I mean, with Zion, they are back to being the favorites or maybe the second favorite behind the Zags?

I'm not sure what the issue is. K wasn't going to change the whole show knowing Zion was coming back.

 

[BludOrange]

Barrett is a decent player. His athleticism will never really wow anyone. His game reminds me of Billy Edelin's. Kind of a slow paced, feel the guy on your back and turn the other way and put up a floater style.

He's also the key to stopping Duke imo. Zion will always get his, but if you can limit Barrett or get him in foul trouble, they have no other player close to the threat that he can be on offense. Like I said, Zion will get his, so you have to limit Barrett's shots and force Jones, White, O'Connell, DeLaurier or Reddish to make a lot more plays.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

It really is amazing how it’s just like a given. Our guys will be in foul trouble and their guys will get away with everything.

Zion and Jones both should’ve had at least 3 fouls in the first half. Zion didn’t have any. He was mauling people for steals and loose balls.

It just felt very choreographed. Like the whole night was setup to be a big Zion showcase story. Calling fouls on him was not even a consideration.

I think for the most part the game was called pretty evenly.

I also think that it wasn't coincidence that our first 4 fouls were 2 on Chukwu and 2 on Marek.

 

[moqui]

if you could take zion off of duke & put him on any other team in the kenpom top 50, does that team & duke trade positions in the rankings? unknowable but i'd guess pretty close.

 

[tbonezone]

roster has been almost straight burger boyz last 20 years. makes you wonder.

 

[HoustonCuse]

Boy I hope you guys don’t get hit in the face when Duke throws in the towel!!

K made a good (or I guess lucky if you think he sucks) coaching move last night that was counterintuitive. He brought in Goldwire who has been nothing instead of Hermy who has killed us. Goldwire bothered our guards defensively and also made a couple freak baskets that happened to really swing momentum.

 

[cuse10]

They're a weird team. Someone in the tournament takes away Zion and they're in trouble.

Cam has talent but goes through the motions. This was a criticism of him in high school as well. West Town should have had a much better record than they did last season.

RJ Barrett needs the ball to function.

 

[MikeDamone]

Its not really a mystery. Zion is great, but he makes the TEAM worse. The poster that called out Barrett as Robin is spot on. Zion takes center stage and the other players shrink because of it. when it all comes out that duke is paying these dudes I will sit back , smile and light up the biggest fatty the world have ever seen.

Duke went 3-3 without Zion an almost lost to Wake, but Zion makes them worse?

 

[MikeDamone]

It's becoming more and more clear to me that as K has become THE recruiter in college hoops (with the help of staff), I find it harder and harder to point out where he's actually developing a team throughout the year. Last night, the only adjustment he made was waiting for the short SU rotation to get gassed. They have by far the most individual talent in college basketball and I'm not sure they'll even make it to weekend 3.

Reddish doesn't fit with these two (Zion and Barrett) and Jones isn't very good.

He also adjusted and brought in a terrible overall player in Goldwire simply to play D on Buddy after Buddy got hot. That was a good adjustment

 

[MikeDamone]

Bilas kept talking about how great of an on-ball defender Tre Jones is. Honestly, I just didn't see it. Meh.

Frank lit that fouling little punk up for 28

 

[CorduroyG]

i think reddish will be a better pro than barrett. reddish's game is more suited for the nba. he reminds me of jimmy butler, who was good in college but nothing spectacular.

 

[Cusefan0307]

if you could take zion off of duke & put him on any other team in the kenpom top 50, does that team & duke trade positions in the rankings? unknowable but i'd guess pretty close.

Any team that has Zion is top 5 minimum. Most dominant player in college.

 

[hoopsupstate]

i think reddish will be a better pro than barrett. reddish's game is more suited for the nba. he reminds me of jimmy butler, who was good in college but nothing spectacular.

Reddish doesn’t play a lick of defense and makes horrible decisions. I thought Coach K was going to kill him the other night. His turnovers are mind-boggling. His shooting percentage has not been good or consistent. He could really use another year of college, but he’s bent on going to the league. He’s had one moment the entire year and that was his game winner against FSU. He lacks toughness both physically and mentally. I expected more from him this year. His game has been exposed a little.

 

[Alsacs]

Duke’s PG can’t shoot.
They need to play Alex O’Connell more on offense and slide him to the slide Zion is on so he can get open 3’s that Zion generates.
It must be said also K’s coaching is not as good this year as it should be with his talent.

 

[Alsacs]

Any team that has Zion is top 5 minimum. Most dominant player in college.

Most dominant player in college since Durant.

 

[CorduroyG]

Reddish doesn’t play a lick of defense and makes horrible decisions. I thought Coach K was going to kill him the other night. His turnovers are mind-boggling. His shooting percentage has not been good or consistent. He could really use another year of college, but he’s bent on going to the league. He’s had one moment the entire year and that was his game winner against FSU. He lacks toughness both physically and mentally. I expected more from him this year. His game has been exposed a little.

he was also great in the louisville comeback. but he looks disinterested. probably doesnt wanna be in college. he'll be better in nba.