UPDATE on Zion at 1 pm
- Thread starter Quavarius
- Start date
What!? I thought it was his knee? How the heck is he supposed to dunk now?
Roy and Fluke Maybelline Maye are saying some prayers too. lol
I have a feeling this is going to be great news and he is playing against UNC ... or horrible news and he is shut down for the season..
I don’t expect anything in between.
I don’t expect anything in between.
I disagree with the second part. I think there's a good chance he doesn't play against UNC and will be back for the ACC tournament. K has said this much already. It wouldn't surprise me for K to say this is a game time decision.
He's playing tomorrow and Maye has officially been ruled out due to pooping his UNC pants.
This was on his Dukes podcast the other night. Don't get your hopes up for him to play against the Cheats. Makes no sense to play him in that game when he can continue to workout, practice, and get a few more days off before their semi-final game in the ACC Tournament.
I mean, getting a game under his belt with a long rest (first game isn’t until next Thurs.) would be ideal IMO. Our game next Thursday should be against an easy opponent so K can rest the starters and have him ready for UNC on Friday and UVA on Saturday, where he’s going to log more minutes.
I'm sure he is anxious to get back out there, but I'm betting he has to have confidence that he can still do the same type of movement before the injury. He knows there is a lot on the line with him after Duke, as well as the staff. There is absolutely nothing gained by playing Sat when the real season is about to start. Cheats if they win sat, I'm sure there will be another chance at them will a full, healthy squad.
True in a sense, but I don't think this is the game to do that. Zion won't need to get a game under his belt in reality. He is by far the best player in the country. As long as he is in decent shape, he will be just fine. Just my 2 cents.
I just hope it's not something vague like he'll be out for Saturday and we hope to have him back for the ACC Tournament. I have a friend at work who every day tells me Zion is done for the year.
But it’s not just Zion, it’s also his teammates who will need to adjust to having him back as well. We all saw what happened when K brought back a star during a single elimination tournament format in 2011.
I can’t blame that loss on kyrie, Williams had a career night and couldn’t miss. That tourney got him drafted at #2. But I do agree they need time to mesh again
im going to the game tomorrow so i hope he plays. i hope we kick you guys' *** but at least if we lose i get to say i saw zion lol
It's an interesting question; do we have a better chance against UNC with the team we have now or in Zion's first game back? I guess it depends on if we get the Miami team or the Wake team. I'd have to think Zion would help, even if he just played 10 minutes.
I think him playing against UNC (even 12-15 min) will make his first ACC tournament game much easier.. I really don’t want his first game back being in a tournament..
I hear you, but I think Zion is a different guy all together and can’t compare with Kyrie, if that’s what you are referring too. Kyrie needed the ball in his hands which totally disrupted what duke had done all season with Nolan running point. Also Kyrie only played a total of 10 games. Zion has only missed 4 games. The team don’t have a big adjustment to having him back. The adjustment is for Dukes opponents. Again just my take.
I don’t see any “adjusting” happening when Zion comes back. I don’t see much if any rust from Zion either.
If anything his defense and rebounding would be super useful
Zion is a player that we haven’t seen before. I remember him getting hurt in high school and came back dominating. Now before anybody says that was high school, go back and look at his tapes. He is dominating college guys and teams the exact same way he did in high school. I would say it’s worse, because of the level of competition he has faced all year. No team has been able to deal with him. Also go back and look at how many minutes he actually plays. Zion adjust to what is going on around him instead of the team having to adjust to him when he comes back. He is just that different.
Our first game next week will be against Louisville, Syracuse or VT, most likely. Nothing easy about any of those teams.
I expect Zion to be out tomorrow, but it would be a pleasant surprise to learn he's a go. My expectations are set....so I won't be disappointed if he's not playing, but happy if he somehow returns.
Oh no, not blaming it on Kyrie, but Nolan just did not look like the All-American performer in that game. Everyone BUT Kyrie didn’t look good that game.
Lol, they talking about Zion on first take wearing adidas on that live Instagram video the other night.
I mean, that's almost certainly what is going to happen tho
You’re right! I forgot we play the single bye team that will beat up on the crappy team that played the night before. Neither of those games would be considered easy, but Duke with Zion will be considered favorites.
This strengthens my argument of getting him back Saturday (if we can) since our next four games could be:
@ UNC
vs. UL/SYRACUSE/VT
vs. UNC
vs. UVA
Some tough matchups for Duke, with the last 3 games coming on no rest days.
Last edited:
Don't understand why Duke would announce it ahead of time and not just make it a game-time decision? At the very least, to keep Roy guessing....
Roy already said he is preparing that Zion is playing. Would be easier to go that route and then find out he’s not playing, than vice versa. I think the update from K at 1 will hit more on he’s been practicing, about to practice again and we’ll see how that goes lol. If it’s anything different, I would be shocked lol.
While I agree it's not ideal to bring Zion back until the tournament, I do think this is different than Kyrie.
Zion can be the best player on the floor while taking less than 10 shots a game and not really touching the ball.
Kyrie needed the rock to be effective. Kyrie's teammates had to make a bigger adjustment due to going back to off the ball.
I just think Zion is gonna make things so much easier for mainly Cam and Tre (RJ is already fine.) The only true adjustments made will be a lot less Jack minutes and probably no Baker.
Agreed. Roy is already preparing for him to play.
Lots of gamesmanship going on. Me likey
If I was a betting man, I would place all my money on him being out tomorrow. If I was wrong, I would be just as happy. But not getting my hopes up. Another thing is, when Zion do return, I think we are forgetting about the amount of determination and mentality this team will have knowing he is back out there with them. So maybe I’m crazy, but I could care less about who they will play. This team will be jacked up regardless of who they line up against.
The timing of the announcement gives it away. If he was going to play they wouldn’t announce anything or would just say it’s a game time decision. Being that Coach K will make an official statement, I’m sure that means it’s a no go