Four key takeaways from Duke basketball’s first intrasquad scrimmage

A second takeaway from the first Duke basketball scrimmage…

2. Duke should be a dynamic transition team

Duke basketball has had some impressive transition teams over the past few years, but the 2020-21 Blue Devils have the chance to be one of the program’s all-time best. I previously mentioned that Duke will be a guard-led team due to a roster stacked with ballhandlers.

Early on in the scrimmage film, you see Duke pushing the ball up in transition and getting out on the fastbreak. Jeremy Roach, Jordan Goldwire, DJ Steward, and Wendell Moore all possess the ability to handle the ball effectively and race up the floor.

The footage even shows freshman forward Jalen Johnson bringing the ball up at times. The Blue Devils may not have the halfcourt scorers that they enjoyed in previous years, but they have some dynamic athletes who can get the ball up the floor and make things happen.

Scoring in the halfcourt in college basketball is quite difficult. Having to grind out possession after possession in the halfcourt is draining for both the offense and defense. It leads to slower games, fewer points, and more foul trouble. Good teams should be able to execute in the halfcourt, but great teams can dominate in transition.

Duke will not be a team that tries to slow the game down and grind it out in the halfcourt. Rather, the Blue Devils will likely look to push the ball at every opportunity. Even the big men are mobile and can run the floor.

Duke has the ballhandlers, speed, and athleticism to run teams out of the gym this year. When watching the Blue Devils this year, expect to see a lot of running and pushing the ball in transition.