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Overall, I saw some things I liked, I saw some thing I didn’t like. However, since this is a meaningless game in a far off land, take everything I say with a grain of salt.

THE K-MAN
Ryan Kelly came up huge Thursday and not just because his sexy new Zoub-like beard. Fact is, he’s ten pounds lighter and he’s moving around a lot better. He’s playing a lot of confidence and he’s a player that thrives on confidence.

Listen, I’m not shocked by the scoring. He’s arguable the streakiest guy in college basketball. When he’s hot, he’s flaming. Thursday night, he was flaming. He led all scorers with 20 (totaling 34 in two games).

The thing I want to know about Kelly is his defense. Last year, especially in the NCAA Tournament, he (like the Plumlee’s) were abused by stronger, athletic big men. Unfortunately we won’t learn too much during this trip. The Duke front line will face some size against China, but they aren’t loaded with athletes.

THREE-MAN OFFENSE
It’s a good thing Kelly is scoring, but I can certainly see this team falling into that same trap they run into a lot. I’m talking about all the scoring coming from just three players. The Blue Devils basically have three shooting guards on the floor, Austin Rivers, Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins. All three love to shoot the long ball, but only Rivers is capable of really getting into the lane and doing damage. Any of the three can 20+ on any given night.

I can easily see these three each averaging 14-15 points per night (which Rivers scoring about 17-18 per game).

I’d kill to have this team be a five-man offensive team. Of course this requires an inside game.

POINTS IN THE PAINT
In the first half of Thursday night’s game, Duke made little effort to work the ball inside. I can’t recall a single time when a Duke big man had the ball in his hands with his back to the basket. Obviously though the coaching staff made a big stink about it during halftime, because for a good 8-minute stretch in the third quarter, that’s all Duke did.

Overall, I saw some good things. Miles did a great job of spacing and taking the ball up strong. He worked the best with the penetrating guards, often standing in the right spot for easy baskets.

As for Mason, I wasn’t even sure he was in China until that put-back dunk in the third quarter. I’m sorry, but the kid is too talented to be invisible during long stretches of any game. Inside, he did manage to put in a running hook, something he was working on at the end of last year. Still, other times he seemed hesitant, allowing the Chinese defenders to come over and help.

Ryan Kelly did most of his damage from outside, but he did have one sweet turnaround jumper with his back to the basket. Give us more, Ryan. More!

Both Josh Hairston and Alex Murphy got some minutes, but not enough to really judge them. Hairston looks a little stronger and a bit more in control of his body. I know he pulled down seven boards the other night, but I’m not sure what his stat line was for this game.

THE D
No one expects the Blue Devils to dominate on the defensive end. Let’s face it, the game is meaningless. A couple things stood out though. Obviously the guards did a poor job getting back a few times. Rivers got sent to the bench for not running back after a turnover. Sorry Sub Zero, that’s not acceptable.

In Durham, every fast break needs to be stopped. You run down there like you’re trying to prevent someone from slapping your mamma. Great move by the coach to sit him down.

Last year, Andre Dawkins saw some of his minutes disappear because of his defensive inability. At this point, I’m not prepared to make a decision on whether he has improved. He certainly looked more aggressive, looking to disrupt passing lanes. He’s a junior now and he has to know if he wants minutes in a crowded back court, he needs to be a stud on defense.

POINTLESS
So Curry basically ran the show, while Ty Thornton brought the ball up court. I didn’t see anything Thursday that changes my opinion that freshman Quinn Cook is the best option at the point.

Here’s the deal, Curry’s got smarts and good vision, but he’s just not a facilitator. He’s not making anyone around him better with his passing. He’s never shown the ability to penetrate and create havoc. He’s basically a shorter, a bit more athletic version on Jon Scheyer.

When he ran the offense, he spent most of his time waiting for Dawkins or Rivers to come off screens. I could do that (not really).

Thornton is a true point guard, but I still think he’s a step behind the game. He struggled a bit against the trap, picking up his dribble too often (fatigue maybe) and on the one or two occasions he drove it into the paint, he didn’t seem to know what to do with it once he got down there.

On Thursday, the offense seemed to work best when Austin Rivers was in control. I’m not saying it was perfect, but I just felt like when he had the ball, he’s such a threat, the other Duke players were playing more loose.

Overall, Rivers hit some nice shoots from deep and penetrated at will against the Chinese. However, he did struggle to finish at the basket.

END RESULT:
Overall, very happy. Yes, there are a lot of kinks to work out, a lot of roles need to be figured out, but you certainly can see the talent on the floor. I can certainly see a night when this team knocks down 20+ threes. Again, I’m extremely happy to be watching Duke basketball in August.   At least the team didn’t get into a fist fight.

The old saying, Duke doesn’t rebuild, they reload, is absolutely true. Despite losing five senior starters over the last two years, the Blue Devils will once again be locked in the top-10 in all 2011-2012 preseason polls.

Having said that, Duke’s roster is in flux. The coaching staff has a lot to learn over the summer before a five-man starting unit can be picked. Of course the one position that seems to be the most baffling is also the most important…point guard.

Who will run the point guard for Duke? 

Except for 11 games last year, it seems like this is a question we’ve been asking a lot over the years, at least since Jason Williams left school a decade ago (has it really been a decade?). Of course in the years prior to Kyrie Irving, the question was being asked because the Blue Devils simply didn’t have a great point guard.

While this year’s roster may not have a “great” point guard yet, this team does have plenty of good options. Let’s look at them.

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PLAYER:

2010-11 STATS: 1.6 ppg, 1.0 apg (.448/.839/.267)

DEEP THOUGHTS:
With Kyrie Irving headed to Cleveland, the most talked about position being talked about in Durham is the point guard spot. Who will run the show? There are four legit options.

Tyler Thornton and Quinn Cook are true point guards. Austin Rivers is mote of a shooting guard, but he also works best with the ball in his hands. Also, don’t count out Seth Curry. At 6-1, he’s going to need to be a point guard at the next level, so he could play some minutes running the show.

Ideally though, the competition will come down to Thornton and Cook. Obviously Thornton has the experience. Thanks to Irving’s injury last season, Thornton got a lot more playing time than expected

Now Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler think Tornton should get the start next year. However, since you’re seeing Thornton ranked 66th, you can probably guess who I think the better option at point guard is.

Thornton is a pass happy point guard, who always has his head up, looking for the open man. That’s exactly how I would describe North Carolina’s Kendall Marshall. However, Thornton is no Marshall.

Last year, Thornton showed that he can run the offense, but he never was one to create the offense. Yes, he brought the ball down, yes he was capable of hitting a three, but he never proved to be a threat. Sure he was able to help the ball club when he was on the floor, but did he ever make any of his teammates better? I’d argue no.

On the defensive end, he impressed his all with his desire and his motor. He took charges like a man under the basket. However, he also fouled…a lot. He averaged about eight fouls/per 40 minutes. That’s way too much for a guard.

I think Thornton has the heart to accomplish a lot, I just don’t thing the talent is there yet. I’ve always said Thornton is a long-term project, someone I suspect would never start until his senior year.

Looking ahead to just next year, I suspect Thornton will start at point guard from the get-go. However, once Coach K begins to tinker with that lineup, I suspect Cooks’ talent will eventually get him into the starting lineup.

TO SEE THE REST OF THE LIST (SO FAR), YOU ARE JUST ONE CLICK AWAY

Courtesy of HoopMixTape.com.

PLAYER: Josh Hairston
POSITION: Power Forward
TEAM: Duke
YEAR: Sophomore
TAPE: 6-7, 210

2010-11 STATS: 1.4 ppg, 1.2 rpg (.361/.565/.000)

DEEP THOUGHTS:
They call him a “Lance Thomas” clone and for good reason. Hairston, like Thomas, is a tweener forward. He prefers the power forward spot, but he is a bit undersized at 6-7, 200 pounds. Hairston is also a high-energy guy, often playing the role of a spark plug off the bench (just like Thomas).

In his limited time on the floor, Hairston never tried to force anything, often relying on a decent mid-range jumper, almost always from the baseline. He doesn’t feel comfortable putting the ball on the floor, even though he did in high school, especially from the foul line.

On the defensive end, he never was a strong straight up defender and he was certainly not a shot blocker (one all of last season). Instead, he tried to use his smaller frame and quickness to an advantage. He often maneuvered around his opponent, attempting to front the player to deny the ball.

Moving forward, Hairston will need to continue to extend his range, hopefully capable of hitting a three from time to time. While his jump shot has good form, he needs to work on a quicker release. He’ll also need to work on his ball handling skills. He has good feet, so he can beat bigger defenders to the basket.

He also needs to continue to bulk up allowing him to do more work on the boards. If you’re a PF who can’t rebound, you’re not going to get a lot of playing time. Speaking of…

This is the big difference between Josh Hairston and Lance Thomas. When Thomas was a freshman and sophomore, Duke had a paper thin front court, thus Thomas played heavy minutes. In fact, he started 18 games as a freshman and 28 more as a sophomore.

On the flip side, Hairston struggled for playing time as a freshman and looking ahead, he will again struggle to get his minutes.

Mason Plumlee, Miles Plumlee and Ryan Kelly will be the main rotation of big men. This leaves Hairston battling for time with incoming freshman Marshall Plumlee, who is a true center.

Obviously Hairston could find some minutes at the small forward spot, battling with two more incoming freshman, Alex Murphy (who can also play some power forward) and Michael Gbinije. However, Duke also has a ton of guards, including three shooting guards (Austin Rivers, Seth Curry and Andre Dawkins) who are too good to be spending a lot of time on the bench.

At best, I expect Hairston to be stronger and better, yet he’s still a year of way from becoming an important contributor.

TO SEE THE REST OF THE LIST (SO FAR), YOU ARE JUST ONE CLICK AWAY

2011-2012 DUKE ROSTER

3 – TYLER THORNTON, Guard — 6’2, 180 (So)
5 – MASON PLUMLEE, Forward — 6’10, 230 (Jr)
15 – JOSH HAIRSTON, Forward — 6’8, 215 (So)
20 – ANDRE DAWKINS, Guard — 6’4, 190 (Jr)
21 – MILES PLUMLEE, Forward — 6’10, 240 (Sr)
30 – SETH CURRY, Guard — 6’1, 175 (Jr)
34 – RYAN KELLY, Forward — 6’8, 240 (Jr)
51 – TODD ZAFIROVSKI, Forward — 6’5, 210 (Jr)
N/A – AUSTIN RIVERS, GUARD — 6’5, 180 (Fr)
N/A – MICHAEL GBINIJE, FORWARD — 6’6, 180 (Fr)
N/A – QUINN COOK, GUARD — 6’0, 155 (Fr)
N/A – MARSHALL PLUMLEE — 7’0, 215 (Fr)
N/A – ALEX MURPHY — 6’8, 180 (Fr)

COACHING STAFF
Head Coach – Mike Kryzewski
Associate Head Coach – Steve Wojciechowski
Associate Head Coach – Chris Collins
Assistant Coach – Jeff Capel
Special Assistant – Nate James
Director of Basketball Operations – Chris Spatola
Graduate Assistant/Head Team Manager – Chris Carrawell

PROJECTED LINEUP:

STARTING FIVE:
PG – Seth Curry
SG – Andre Dawkins
SG – Austin Rivers
PF – Mason Plumlee
C – Miles Plumlee

BALLSY THOUGHTS:
I’ll be straight with you, I have no clue what the coaching staff is going to do. I don’t feel bad though, neither do they. The trick for the 2011-2012 team is to become more balanced. No more of this three-man offense. Scoring needs to come from outside and inside. With so many options available to the coaching staff, if you can’t put the ball in the basket, enjoy your view from the bench.

Anyhow, there are two basic questions that need to be answered. Who will play the point? Who will play the wing? Let’s start up top.

Duke basically has three options, Thornton, Cook or Curry. Ty Thornton had his moments last year, but he tended to foul to much on defense (most fouls per minute on the team) and I’m still not confident he has the athleticism to be a great point guard. If I had to pick between Thornton and Cook, I’d put my money on Cook. The freshman needs to get bigger and stronger and work on his outside shot, but he’s a smart, head’s up leader, who has the ability to get the ball inside to create baskets for others.

For now though, I’d go with Curry to start the season at PG. He doesn’t have a ton of experience at the point in a Duke uniform and he’s not going to scare anyone with his quickness, but he did a solid job in last season’s ACC quarters when Nolan Smith went out.

Also, if I can throw a curve ball option at you, how about Austin Rivers playing some point? If he’s really as good as advertised, then you’d want your best player with the ball in his hands. Just think about it.

Now let’s move to the wing. No matter who runs the point, the next big decision is, does Duke go with a traditional small forward or do they roll out three guards? Obviously I think the match up will dictate the decisions. There are a lot of three-guard teams in the ACC, so Duke can simply match. Of course if we’re facing North Carolina, I’m not sure you want to put a smaller guard up against Harrison Barnes.

For now, I clearly believe Austin Rivers is too talented to come off the bench, so he’s in there. I also expect bigger and better things from Andre Dawkins. I see both starting, with Duke’s freshman combo at SF (Murphy, Gbinije) coming off the bench. (more…) ]]> http://balldurham.com/2011/05/20/early-peak-at-dukes-2011-2012-roster/feed/ 5 http://balldurham.com/2010/10/03/austin-rivers-come-on-down/ http://balldurham.com/2010/10/03/austin-rivers-come-on-down/#comments Sun, 03 Oct 2010 05:03:10 +0000 Robert Murray http://bigdukeballs.com/?p=2621 I think we can finally put to rest the notion that Coach K’s time and effort for Team U.S.A. is “hurting” Duke. Don’t you agree? Welcome Austin Rivers, the No. 1 rated high school player. Who is Rivers (Like I really have to answer this question for any Duke fan, but I will anyway)? Offensively, [...]

Austin Rivers…Come on Down - Ball Durham - Ball Durham - A Duke Blue Devils Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and more.

He does list a bunch of schools that Rivers could end up at. In my opinion he has too many. Hell, he has Boston College on there. Sorry Eagles’ faithful. The only way this kid ever plays basketball in the city of Boston is if the Celtics draft him.

I’m still picking Duke.

This fall, Doc Rivers kid will be visiting North Carolina (October 1) and Duke (October 16), followed by trips to Kansas and finally Florida.

Two notables here.

First…Austin is not visiting Kentucky. Does that mean Calipari is done? I can’t say for sure simply because you can never count out Coach Cal. He’s already brought in four studs in 2011, but none of them are shooting guards. The only issue is, they did bring a shooting guard (Stacey Poole) this year. Poole is good, thus potentially can be a one-and-done, I just don’t think he will be, so does Rivers want to share time?

Second…He’s got Carolina first. This is a tough sell for Coach Williams. You have to believe Roy is going throw everything at this kid. Hell, if dressing up Michael Jordan as Santa Claus and letting Rivers sit on his lap could help him land Rivers, he’d already have a baby blue Santa suit ordered.

Austin isn’t going to commit on the spot. This means by the time Rivers is done, Carolina’s pitch will probably be the first one forgotten. I’d feel better about Carolina’s chances if they went after Duke.

The fact is, Duke is still the favorite in my book. I’d be shocked if he ended up anywhere else. Of course I probably would have said the same thing about Harrison Barnes a year and a half ago. (more…)