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Top Ten Duke Squads in the K Era

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bleediteveryday30

All-American
Jan 24, 2013
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10. '98
9. '02
8. '10
7. '15
6. '86
5. '04
4. '99
3. '91
2. '01
1. '92

Tough to rank championship teams below squads that didn't cut down the nets. But I think '86, '99, and '04 are three of the best squads all time at Duke. They just didn't quite get the job done. '86 is the class that really got it all going and almost finished out on top. K has said that if he could go back in time this is game he'd like to change the way he coached more than any of them. I think we've had other good to great teams that could've been put on the list. Like, '89, '94 (Hill was a God that year), '11, '13, '18, and '19. All of those were teams that had a shot to win it all. Anyway, I thought it would be a fun topic to debate. My favorite teams are the '91, '92, '01, '10, and '15 teams though :)
 
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skysdad

Heisman
Mar 3, 2006
42,753
22,653
0
bleediteveryday30 said:
10. '98
9. '02
8. '10
7. '15
6. '86
5. '04
4. '99
3. '91
2. '01
1. '92

Tough to rank championship teams below squads that didn't cut down the nets. But I think '86, '99, and '04 are three of the best squads all time at Duke. They just didn't quite get the job done. '86 is the class that really got it all going and almost finished out on top. K has said that if he could go back in time this is game he'd like to change the way he coached more than any of them. I think we've had other good to great teams that could've been put on the list. Like, '89, '94 (Hill was a God that year), '11, '13, '18, and '19. All of those were teams that had a shot to win it all. Anyway, I thought it would be a fun topic to debate. My favorite teams are the '91, '92, '01, '10, and '15 teams though :)
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Really hard to argue with that.OFC
 
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christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
20,006
113
I was watching the MSU semifinal in 99. It's shocking that team got beat. Maggette came off the bench and was like a force of nature. And Brand was such a monster down low. Avery at the point and Battier and Carrawell on the wings. Burgess off the bench. What a team. The most crushing loss ever for me.
 
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bleediteveryday30

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Jan 24, 2013
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The night of the game I didn't sleep afterwards. Just laid there tossing and turning all night. Even went out in the backyard to shoot some hoops myself. Couldn't understand what happened to that team that night. Would've much rather seen them lose in the ACC tourney and then refocus. At times I think that's needed. Kentucky in '15 would've benefited from a regular season loss or a SEC tourney loss. I mean, I am tickled to death with how it all turned out for them and us though :)
 
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Mac9192

Heisman
Jan 25, 2017
9,133
12,944
107
1–92
2–86
3–01
4–91
5–99
6–15
7–02
8–10
9–89
10–04

Give 86 edge over 01. I just don’t see 98 as a top 10 Duke team. To me, the 89 team gets no love. Final 4 team.
 
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bleediteveryday30

All-American
Jan 24, 2013
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'89 team is definitely underrated. Robert Brickey getting hurt changed the course of that team's destiny in '88 and in '89. I've just always had a real soft spot for '98. That team was talented and deep. Wojo was a great senior leader that year too. Brand doesn't get hurt and the team probably develops even more cohesiveness. Though he did come back and give them a chance. I still think if they hold on against Kentucky they would've won it all. Utah wasn't beating Duke.
 
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christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
20,006
113
Brand leaving made sense; even Maggette as he had pro written all over him. But Avery should have stayed another year. Still, it allowed J Will to get thrown into the fire (along with the others) and allowed our title run the next year.
 
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dbav

All-American
Mar 14, 2014
8,042
5,875
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bleediteveryday30 said:
Hell, just think about what that team would've done with them as juniors in 2000? Avery should've never left anyway. I get why Brand and Corey left early. But, Avery? Never understood that one.
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Rumor was that Avery left because Williams was on his way in. The buzz was that Williams was good enough to start from day one and Avery didn't want to deal with that.
 
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DiehardDukeFan4Life

All-Conference
Jan 20, 2011
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I always have trouble with these “rank the top players/teams”, especially a list like this of top 10 teams during the Coach K Era because 2 Final Four teams will get left off the list.
 
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christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
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The thing that struck me about the 99 team is they seemed to have no weaknesses. I mean they did, as they got beat. Langdon went into a shooting slump in the Final Four which made outside shooting a weakness. Brand and Avery did not really play well in the final as well. But before then they were beating teams by almost 30 points in the tournament. Overconfidence maybe?
 
M

Mac9192

Heisman
Jan 25, 2017
9,133
12,944
107
christophero said:
The thing that struck me about the 99 team is they seemed to have no weaknesses. I mean they did, as they got beat. Langdon went into a shooting slump in the Final Four which made outside shooting a weakness. Brand and Avery did not really play well in the final as well. But before then they were beating teams by almost 30 points in the tournament. Overconfidence maybe?
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Looking back at the rest of the teams, we sure didn't get tested much. If I remember correctly, Maryland was the only other team in the conference that was decent.
The 2 best teams definitely played for the title, but I'm not sure there was a lot of competition out there that season.
 
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timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
christophero said:
The thing that struck me about the 99 team is they seemed to have no weaknesses. I mean they did, as they got beat. Langdon went into a shooting slump in the Final Four which made outside shooting a weakness. Brand and Avery did not really play well in the final as well. But before then they were beating teams by almost 30 points in the tournament. Overconfidence maybe?
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Eh, i don’t like how K coached that ‘99 final four, especially the championship game. Avery shot poorly, but Langdon had a huge game. He had 25 on 7-15 (5-10 3pt) shooting against UConn. Now my issue, (give UConn credit i guess bc i havent and won’t watch that game again) was that Elton didn’t get the ball enough. He was 5-8. He needed to have 10+ attempts before the second half began. He was that good. I do remember Shane not playing well and Avery wasn’t himself. Looking at the box score though, they outrebounded us considerably and shot much better than we did from the field. Still sick over that loss.
 
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christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
20,006
113
Yes I can't watch that either. Langdon did not play well against MSU, but I forgot he played well in the final. My bad.
 
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dbav

All-American
Mar 14, 2014
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timo0402 said:
Eh, i don’t like how K coached that ‘99 final four, especially the championship game. Avery shot poorly, but Langdon had a huge game. He had 25 on 7-15 (5-10 3pt) shooting against UConn. Now my issue, (give UConn credit i guess bc i havent and won’t watch that game again) was that Elton didn’t get the ball enough. He was 5-8. He needed to have 10+ attempts before the second half began. He was that good. I do remember Shane not playing well and Avery wasn’t himself. Looking at the box score though, they outrebounded us considerably and shot much better than we did from the field. Still sick over that loss.
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I think a lot of people forget how good Brand was. He was a rebound and block machine.
 
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christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
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Brand was just so big. He was a wide body with long arms and big hands. He was so strong with the ball as well. He was probably only 6-7 or so which made it all the more impressive. My favorite Duke big man ever. We were lucky to get him a second year.
 
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dbav

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Mar 14, 2014
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christophero said:
Brand was just so big. He was a wide body with long arms and big hands. He was so strong with the ball as well. He was probably only 6-7 or so which made it all the more impressive. My favorite Duke big man ever. We were lucky to get him a second year.
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He was definitely a good 6'10", and that's what made the size work. ESPN did an article on it, but his hands measured just over 10" from the base of the palm to the end of the middle finger. He was a monster. And he was mean on the court. One of my favorite players ever.

You got Branded!
 
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timo0402

Heisman
Feb 24, 2009
13,868
13,709
57
dbav said:
He was definitely a good 6'10", and that's what made the size work. ESPN did an article on it, but his hands measured just over 10" from the base of the palm to the end of the middle finger. He was a monster. And he was mean on the court. One of my favorite players ever.

You got Branded!
Click to expand...
Brand was 6’10???? Cue up the Jim Carey from Liar Liar, “130lbs??? Yeahhhhh in your Bra!!”

no chance Elton was 6’10”
 
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christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
20,006
113
The great part about getting Brand and Battier and Avery is suddenly we were better than UNC after being manhandled the Jamison years. Re: Brand he came in listed at 6-8/6-9 but I remember reading the pros measured him at 6-7 or even 6-6. My guess is 6-7.
 
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christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
16,640
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113
99 was definitely the most dominant team. Unfortunately they couldn't finish (in the old days the entire team would be back the next year minus Langdon) so I'd have to say 92 or 01 were the best.
 
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