Three positives to keep Duke basketball fans happy

First positive about Duke basketball: MATTHEW HURT HAS BEEN AS ADVERTISED

Going into the season, I posited, and many agreed, that the three surefire scoring options going into the season were sophomore forwards Matthew Hurt and Wendell Moore plus freshman forward Jalen Johnson.

One out of three ain’t bad, I guess. Jalen Johnson has shown flashes of talent, having gone 8-for-8 from the field and dropping 19 in the opener vs Coppin St. But his shot selection and ability to finish through contact have looked nothing short of shaky since.

Don’t even get me started on Wendell Moore. The guy is super talented, and I stand by my position that he’s the most important player in Duke’s success. He should be able to turn it around just by seeing the ball go through the hoop a few times.

But one guy who seems to be in midseason form already is Matthew Hurt.

The 6-foot-9 stretch-four is averaging 19.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game and is the only real sure thing the Blue Devils have right about now. Hurt’s mid-range game is what’s impressing me the most to this point, with a silky smooth step-back jumper and a quick first step.

There’s still work to be done for sure. Hurt still looks a bit lost on the defensive interior, seeming to be a step behind on rotations. He also isn’t the greatest rim protector, with only two blocks so far this year.

For all the talk of Mike Krzyzewski still trying to figure out lineups, I’m willing to bet my nonexistent reputation that he is hoping Hurt will get a bit quicker on the low block to make his small-ball lineup work.

The last thing I would like to see from Hurt is the willingness to take and hit big shots when Duke needs him to. The lack of a leader who will put the team on his back is showing. And Hurt, for now, looks to be the guy most in place to step up with his game and his emotions.