Duke basketball: 20 serious concerns about 2020-21 Blue Devils

Question No. 20 for the 2020-21 Duke basketball team…

Will Mike Krzyzewski deactivate the revolving door to his doghouse?

A common thread to Duke’s five national championships has been the core contributors’ consistent, well-defined roles. Even if just a sign of lackluster talent, what never works out to the tune of wins in April is when several Blue Devils seem to spend the entire season moving in and out of Mike Krzyzewski’s doghouse.

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Maybe the players who are the quickest to get yanked after making a mistake didn’t deserve what might have only served as artificial confidence boosts. Also possible in some instances, though, is the coach’s short leash acted as an unnecessary confidence ding.

Last season, Joey Baker, Matthew Hurt, and Wendell Moore were among those who rode a roller coaster in terms of playing time from one game to the next. This season, with so much youth, it could be vital for Coach K to let guys play through mistakes.

On the same token, it’s vital for the players to never stop playing like they are worthy of the roles the staff initially tries to trust them with.

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