Two reasons why Duke basketball is committed to small-ball
The biggest reason for Duke basketball small-ball: Defensive liabilities
More than ever, teams are playing five players out on the perimeter. Teams value floor spacing plus having multiple ballhandlers and shooters on the floor at the same time.
Having a big man who can sit in the paint and protect the rim sounds great in theory, but it actually leaves the paint exposed and easier for opposing teams to get all the way to the rim.
That is because whenever a team has a traditional big man who just sits in the middle of the lane, opposing teams will ball screen that big man to death. The ball screen forces the big man away from the basket and out onto the perimeter.
Most traditional bigs lack agility and foot speed to defend smaller and quicker guards on the perimeter. Most guards in college basketball can take advantage of big men on the perimeter and dribble right by them to get all the way to the basket or draw a secondary defender, which leaves a wide-open shooter.
The problem is that both Coppin State and Michigan State played small-ball lineups. They would have gone right after one of the Duke bigs and put the defense in a vulnerable position.
This is why the development of Jaemyn Brakefield is so important. The four-star freshman has the versatility to defend both on the perimeter and down low. He has the agility and quickness to defend ball-screens and stay with smaller guards. We have also seen flashes of his ability to protect the rim.
While it may be hard to believe right now, the frontcourt rotation of Matthew Hurt, Jalen Johnson, and Jaemyn Brakefield is the best way to go.
While I do think that Duke should sprinkle in Williams, Coleman, and Tapé a little more often, they are just not ready to play extended minutes. They will shrink the floor on offense and leave the Blue Devils exposed on defense due to their inability to defend on the perimeter.
Duke will have to be a rebound-by-committee team this year. As Johnson gets more experience, he will also become a more reliable defender.
We will see if the Blue Devils stay committed to the small-ball lineup or work in more of their big men at 7 p.m. Friday (ACC Network Extra) when Duke hosts Bellarmine.
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