I'd ban the word "starter" from practice if I was Coach Capel. I'd begin each practice with, "Let's see who is ready to help the team today."
***DUKE VS. MIAMI POST-GAME THREAD***
- Thread starter dukehokie
- Start date
If you could, it would also be great to ban reading mock drafts and any type of media.
Jackson
Jones
Tatum
Jefferson
Bolden
Should start against nc state. Bring luke, Allen, and Giles off the bench. Better to start a defensive lineup than a scoring lineup bc we need that spark off the bench... Grayson or luck could slide back In the 2 guard spot... I have always hated seeing tatum play the 4 spot. That works good when other teams downsize but not to start the game off he doesn't have the bulk to rebound at the 4 in college better defender when he is at the top of the wing and causing havoc with his length on smaller wings not playing pf.
Jones
Tatum
Jefferson
Bolden
Should start against nc state. Bring luke, Allen, and Giles off the bench. Better to start a defensive lineup than a scoring lineup bc we need that spark off the bench... Grayson or luck could slide back In the 2 guard spot... I have always hated seeing tatum play the 4 spot. That works good when other teams downsize but not to start the game off he doesn't have the bulk to rebound at the 4 in college better defender when he is at the top of the wing and causing havoc with his length on smaller wings not playing pf.
It's amazing how fans now look at the second half last night and can already declare that as the starting lineup. Like someone else said, we have 8 starters. It just depends on match ups, so I would think it could and should change from game to game. I've always thought it's more important on who finishes than who starts.
It's even more amazing how many now want Matt on the floor.
Guys Grayson,Luke, Amile, Tatum and Matt are gonna start. I hope Bolden continues to play the way he did in the 2nd half vs. Miami but that was just one half. Giles just isn't ready for starting time. He may break out and soon, who knows. Jackson will continue to get his minutes. As far as Chase and Javin go they both are going to have to blow up in order to get big minutes. We will just have to see. Also it depends on who we are playing as to who is on the court. For example NCSU have some big guys up front and we can't just let them stand under the basket and put back slam dunks. They need to be on the bench because we make them ineffective. OFC
How much of that better D was a result of improved stamina/health? Really hope that improving health going forward is game changing.
Matt emphatically proved to Luke that hustle, grit, and smarts can lead to very good defense. Sure hope Luke embraces that lesson.
Hustle and D aside, hitting shots is key. Duke shot 0-8 from 3 in the first half on decent looks. If Grayson doesn't blow a wide open dunk to start the game and goes just 2-8 from 3, that is a totally different first half. D probably would have been better too. Also, that second half looks a lot different and maybe the D suffers if Matt misses those threes. Matt, Tatum, and Luke all hit 3's in the second half that they missed in the first half. This team needs to forget about missing shots on offense when they head back for defense.
Most fired up I've been in a while watching that second half.
Matt emphatically proved to Luke that hustle, grit, and smarts can lead to very good defense. Sure hope Luke embraces that lesson.
Hustle and D aside, hitting shots is key. Duke shot 0-8 from 3 in the first half on decent looks. If Grayson doesn't blow a wide open dunk to start the game and goes just 2-8 from 3, that is a totally different first half. D probably would have been better too. Also, that second half looks a lot different and maybe the D suffers if Matt misses those threes. Matt, Tatum, and Luke all hit 3's in the second half that they missed in the first half. This team needs to forget about missing shots on offense when they head back for defense.
Most fired up I've been in a while watching that second half.
The second half was great but I am not getting to excited yet. We looked great against Georgia Tech and then looked like we had not touched a basketball for 4 games after. Consistency will be the key. Until this team finds it I will keep my expectations down.
State is going to come in desperate, fighting like a wounded tiger for its life! Have to stay focused, as Gottfried may be fighting for his job....Wolfpack Nation is angry with him to say the least...
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I think many are saying they would like to SEE that second half team start to SEE if that lineup has a CHEMISTRY. I don't think anyone is declaring that should be the lineup going forward. I just think it would be a shame not to atleast SEE if there is something there beyond just circumstances, hustle or the stars just alligning. During first substitution in the second half when Allen and Luke replaced Bolden and Frank, there APPEARED to be a drop off IMO. It absolutely could be me just seeing things but I don't think it hurts to do a "heat check" per se to see if anything is there.
Don't get crazy, this team is built to score and that is what the coaches want, if you were to count on the 5 that started the second half for the rest of the year to set the tone I think you would be disappointed, they played great and created a spark, but let's be realists, that team can not score enough points to win games, if we are planning on 15 out of Matt Jones we are not a good team, he needs to have those sparks from time to time but keep doing the stuff not seen by the masses and that is ok.
This team will not give us that defense every game, but that was fun to watch.
I have a feeling we are going to kick their butts no matter how mad they are. They play hard but make some really dumb decisions. We will have Cameron rocking once again. Frank seems like he might be ready to turn the corner. I think he's realized his role is drive and finish/kick. The open jumpers aren't his thing yet.
Maybe it is too fast to anoint that group as the starters but it is extremely nice to know that if we're struggling we can use that unit as a kick in the *** to get things moving in the right direction. In my opinion nothing builds confidence like shutting a team down on that end..it's demoralizing and this team needs that kind of feeling (killer instinct) more than anything else.
Man, I've been hard on Bolden all year. But I'll give credit where credit is due, and that kid I saw last night was a Bolden I hadn't seen all year. It wasn't just that he played so much better; he had sooo much energy and effort and hustle! Huge props to Bolden!
Also, major credit to Capel for that gutsy lineup. Yeah, you guys are right that it seemed to have clearly defined roles and defense and so on, but to me, it also forced our guys like Frank and Bolden to take responsibility for the team and what's happening on the court since they couldn't rely on Grayson and Luke for points/to lead.
Also, major credit to Capel for that gutsy lineup. Yeah, you guys are right that it seemed to have clearly defined roles and defense and so on, but to me, it also forced our guys like Frank and Bolden to take responsibility for the team and what's happening on the court since they couldn't rely on Grayson and Luke for points/to lead.
Hope you are right. I've seen enough big 4 scraps to know nothing is a sure thing. I remember when we were mauling them in Cameron mid 80s, and Lorenzo Charles went bonkers...One at a time..
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Why? He played literally like crap before Christmas but after has completely turned it around. He did exactly what he needed to do to see valuable minutes and I'm glad
I disagree. He didn't shoot well before Christmas but his value to the other side of the ball and to the team has been clear to all those who don't simply look at the amount of stars next to a player's name and assign worth. I'm not saying he was playing lights out but I'm saying he was unfairly criticized ad nauseum because he has his limits on offense and that is all we seem to care about as fans today.
We can argue about the nitty gritty until we are blue in the face but this team needed someone to step up and lead by example and there is no question that Matt did that last night. This season was in serious jeopardy, hell it still may be if we slip back into our old ways, but it took someone like Matt to step up and take some pride in the jersey he has worn now for 4 years. You are claiming that you are still justified in your early criticism because he was playing like crap until last night. The rest of us are saying that we have always wanted a guy like Matt, a guy who is a veteran, who has been through the successes but even more important the failures and knows what it takes to turn it around. It's nice to have a million young McDonalds all Americans on the team but when push comes to shove you need a veteran who puts the team on his back and says follow me. IMO Matt Jones has been valuable to this team all year long, you just got to see the tangible fruits of that last in the most clear form of ways last night.
I bet Matt has been good for Grayson. He's just a solid dude, so I've been told. No nerves whatsoever either.
Duke hasn't found its right rotation now. I feel that players are having a hard time defining roles. With the lineup that started 2nd half. You could make a argument that it was best we have looked on defense in a very very long time. If we expect to win a championship this year I guarantee you that it want be from out scoring opponents. If we don't set the tone early in the ACC play that given up 100 points like unc isn't exceptable. Duke has always been traditional with having Great D and starting both Grayson and Kennard is clear as ******* day that they can't stay front of ACC level guards. Just like bring schemer off the bench if it helps the team gel and gain chemistry I'm all for it... I could careless who starts on the back of the jersey but heart and passion mean alot when you put on that Duke Jersey. That 5 last night had heart and will to play that I haven't seen from us in a while
This team on paper is built to score. But we can not AND will not win anything by alow other teams layups... by this team having time to play together defense will improve but It just seems like playing the best defense lineup we have and then blowing the Doors off teams with bringing in a fresh allen, kennard, and Giles would only motivate those guys to play harder once they get in. Going against other teams reserves would boost our bench adding some fire power...
Grayson has been thru a lot and most of it he brought on himself but he was not into the game. I watched the replay today and he was going at half speed it looked to me. I'm hoping we bring this intensity from the second half to the next game.
Grayson is feeling the weight. He needs to turn off all media and listen to the home crowd. He is loved.
I agree, but even in a subpar game for Grayson he does some memorable things. His zip pass from the key to Tatum in the corner for the dagger 3 was beautifully done...
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