Duke Maluach enters NBA draft

[G-PIP]

Sometimes stats don’t capture a player’s impact of over a game. When Malauch was playing and not tired, his presence there, would made players think twice to go into the paint. Also, his presence in the paint allowed Duke’ s guards and forwards to extend their press defense beyond the 3 point line. If I remember correctly that game, when they were able to extended their press, we were having trouble scoring because we could not get the ball to our guards or shooting players…

I agree with fox2monk , Malauch being out helped, just like it helped that Pope read Scheyer ‘s over reliance on Flagg and of course , the prediction he had on Flagg spin move where Oweh was waiting.

That game we were lucky to win, at a certain point because Duke was in lead, but also luck is made by those who understand the small details of the game. Pope was better than Scheyer and in key moments of the game our experienced player executed better what Pope was telling them to , and made FTs , compared to how Duke unexperienced coach and player executed.

I don’t think we have much disagreement. I’ve never said Malauch wasn’t a big factor for Duke. I actually believe that was one of his better games. Flagg was a pretty big factor for Duke as well, right? But our guys (including Pope) weren’t chopped liver either, and in my opinion were the reason UK won. My point is Duke didn’t give UK the game, UK took it. Bill Self’s “we didn’t lose, we just ran out of time” rationale never held much sway with me; and that sounds a whole lot like “if Malauch hadn’t got cramps” excuse to me.

 

[Soupbean]

Dude has a huge upside and a great pick for whoever draws him.

Yeah this is a bigger story than some may see for Duke. This guys presence around the rim is what really made them special (along with Cooper). If he hadnt went out against us we probably dont win that one. He was a handfull on both ends at the rim. Glad to see them lose him

 

[kywildcats8]

How does a guy, supposedly lottery pick, great talent get zero rebounds in their final four loss- that's pathetic

 

[CatDadCoog]

He was playing against grown man strength and hustle. I’m not sold on maluach but the only two games I really watched him in were UK and UH so what do I know.

 

[SWEc/o95]

How does a guy, supposedly lottery pick, great talent get zero rebounds in their final four loss- that's pathetic

It was announced before that game his visa was being revoked. I’m sure a lot was going through his mind. Not saying that’s why Duke lost but could be factor why he mentally wasn’t in that game.

 

[W1LDCAT22]

But boy, that just got the Cedric Coward kid. They just seem to somehow reload. Coward is going to be really special if he doesn't stay in the NBA Draft smh

 

[Tapemaster8]

He should have drank some pickel juice. Instead, he took the L.

Works for me!

 

[bucsrule8872]

But boy, that just got the Cedric Coward kid. They just seem to somehow reload. Coward is going to be really special if he doesn't stay in the NBA Draft smh

Coward is a big time addition for them.

Gary Parrish pushed them up five spots after getting him.

Still kind of a slap in the face to UK, since it pushed us down a spot.

So Duke loses their top five players, and six of their top 8, which included the best college basketball player to play the game in recent memory, yet they are suppose to be better than UK, a team that returns its leading scorer and added one of the top, if not the best, portal/recruiting classes in the country?

I know they added Boozer, and return a bunch of former Burger Boys, but I don’t see how they can rank them ahead of us, especially given that they lost the other worldly talents of Cooper Flagg.

Did they not get the memo on Flagg?

Or did the narrative change now that he has declared for the draft?

 

[OmahaCats]

Flagg will likely go #1, and I’ve heard some NBA draft gurus say that both Knueppel and Maluach are likely top-10 picks. Crazy to think that Duke could potentially have 3 of the top-10 draft picks and didn’t win the NCAAT. Warms the cockles of my heart

Obviously we know how that feels. Being in a similar position a couple times as well in 2010 and 2015.

 

[Kingslayer07]

He's a decent shot blocker, that's it. Wasnt impressed with his game so year. And that final 4 flop just cements everything.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Not sure we beat Duke this past year if he doesn’t start cramping up. Felt like he was eating our lunch before he went down.

1000% accurate. I've said that on here before and got roasted for it. We beat Duke when he spent most of the second half cramped up and KK went 5-20 from the floor. Don't get me wrong, I'm taking the dub and running. Just glad we didn't have to play them again late.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

Flagg will likely go #1, and I’ve heard some NBA draft gurus say that both Knueppel and Maluach are likely top-10 picks. Crazy to think that Duke could potentially have 3 of the top-10 draft picks and didn’t win the NCAAT. Warms the cockles of my heart

Almost as bad as having two top 10 picks and losing to Oakland. Grrrrrrrr. Damnit Cal.

 

[Eagles_Ball_69]

According to ESPN, Malauch only had 3 fouls for the game. Fox2Monk, I’m not trying to call you out. You’re one of my favorite posters and entitled to your opinion. I just think you’re elevating Malauch to a pedestal on which he didn’t belong. And in the process you’re unfairly (although unintentionally, I’m sure) discrediting UK’s win?

Maybe UK did benefit from Malauch being off the floor for a few minutes at that point in the game. On the other hand, who’s to say he wouldn’t have had a couple of turnovers, key miscues or simply reverted to his norm in that time? That was the best game by far that Malauch played over the next month. And, again, he was already playing more minutes than he was used to, which may well be why he had cramps. I mean a person could just as well argue that Duke was lucky that Malauch was playing above his norm.

Players go in and out every game for various reasons, including scheme, fatigue, etc. Malauch played plenty of minutes – again more minutes than he usually played. In fact, Malauch usually played less minutes and only played one or two more minutes a handful of times the rest of the season. So, if he was so dominant and such a world beater that UK couldn’t compete why wasn’t that enough? Why couldn’t Malauch compel Duke to a win when he played unencumbered during the key final minutes and couldn’t stop Carr. My point is there’s a ton of factors contributing to the result in any game. UK beat Duke straight up and no excuse exists to take away from that.

His BPM for the game was 17.1. Translated, Duke was a whole lot better when he was on the court.

 

[cardsfan53]

To me he fits the mold of a Mark Williams and Derek Lively type role in the NBA. Will be good on the back end of your defense and a loop threat.

 

[Cowtown Cat]

Kid has a ton of potential. Duke misused him terribly this season.

This! Hardly even touched the ball in their loss to Houston in FF. I can see some good qualities in Scheyer and some real bad ones. More bad than good.

 

[Panthur]

around 2 million or more

This is the real reason we probably won't be getting a perimeter shooting specialist. Not the pathetic groupthink idea being thrown around that we "already have 12 players" as if that matters a lick when the limit is 15 and at least 2 of those guys are highly unlikely to see more than spot minutes and our whole roster is designed to make a perimeter shooting specialist happy except we don't have a perimeter shooting specialist. As if we kept reaching out to all those juggernaut sharpshooter guards without ever appreciating how much we could have used one.

In today's climate, every perimeter shooting specialist even the foreign ones will be able to get someone to pay him in this range. Our staff just doesn't seem willing to do that (or, probably more accurately, not both willing and able) and never has. Certainly never had anywhere near the twenty million dollars that's being floated around for people who are willing to believe anything.

I still trust our staff and am hopeful.