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Duke's defense

TheDude1

TheDude1

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Apr 15, 2010
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After being a serious weak point all year, Duke's D has really stepped up, especially since the switch to zone.

Duke is row rated 18th overall in AdjD by Kenpom, along with that #2 AdjO. That compares nicely to the teams above them... Virginia is 38th/1st, and Nova is 1st/35th.

Not bad. Title teams must have offense and defense.
 
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Duke's defense is significantly improved. However, efficiency rankings by themselves don't tell the whole story.

Duke is 126.0 on offense (2) and 96.6 on defense (18).

UVA is 116.5 on offense (38) and 84.1 (1) on defense.

Title teams must have an offense or defense good enough if the other is elite.
 
I love when teams switch to zones randomly to switch it up and confuse 18-22 year olds for a couple of possessions.

But one thing Ive never understood, is how a defense who openly concedes the best shot in all of basketball (the wide open 3), can be successful in a large sample size.

I mean, at some point, teams should be able to just bombs away youd think, right?

But for whatever reason, that doesnt always happen.
 
I didn't see the game Saturday but from what people have said UNC had open shots in the second half and just missed them. Duke obviously didn't, lol. So the zone has clearly been a good move for them but there is the concern that at some point teams don't miss them I'm sure. I've always believed that the zone gives up more threes (many at least lightly contested though) but a poor man-to-man gives up better quality threes so there is a trade off.
 
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We're damn near undefeated while playing zone exclusively (one point loss to VT). This has been the better defense for this team all season, especially with the way we score the ball. I wish K would've made the switch a lot sooner, but better late than never.
 
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Mgkcbb said:
I love when teams switch to zones randomly to switch it up and confuse 18-22 year olds for a couple of possessions.

But one thing Ive never understood, is how a defense who openly concedes the best shot in all of basketball (the wide open 3), can be successful in a large sample size.

I mean, at some point, teams should be able to just bombs away youd think, right?

But for whatever reason, that doesnt always happen.
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Playing zone and defending the 3 aren't mutually exclusive. The biggest problem Duke had was straight line drives to the basket, zone has eliminated this for the most part and other than 1 game (when Duke went ice cold on offense) it has been successful. It's never going to be UVA smothering defense but it is light years, and I mean light years, better than it was before the switch. Duke was near 100 defensive rating on kenpom before the switch, which is ****ing awful.
 
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Joel Berry was surprisingly terrible with his shooting. Did not see that coming.
 
Mark Gastineau said:
Joel Berry was surprisingly terrible with his shooting. Did not see that coming.
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Can't help but wonder if the airball chants started to get to him. After the game, Berry himself admitted that he played scared:

"Speaking for myself, I played scared as hell," Berry said. "And that's just not me. I'm a confident dude and I just didn't go out there and play my game tonight."
 
Mgkcbb said:
I love when teams switch to zones randomly to switch it up and confuse 18-22 year olds for a couple of possessions.

But one thing Ive never understood, is how a defense who openly concedes the best shot in all of basketball (the wide open 3), can be successful in a large sample size.

I mean, at some point, teams should be able to just bombs away youd think, right?

But for whatever reason, that doesnt always happen.
Click to expand...

College teams just aren't good enough to consistently punish a zone. Add in that for an elite team about 85% of your games you'll have a huge talent gap, and a lot of the downside disappears.
 
dukedevilz said:
Can't help but wonder if the airball chants started to get to him. After the game, Berry himself admitted that he played scared:

"Speaking for myself, I played scared as hell," Berry said. "And that's just not me. I'm a confident dude and I just didn't go out there and play my game tonight."
Click to expand...
I was actually wondering about that during the game when he looked rattled and then Roy took him out for a couple of minutes.
 
tw3301 said:
Playing zone and defending the 3 aren't mutually exclusive. The biggest problem Duke had was straight line drives to the basket, zone has eliminated this for the most part and other than 1 game (when Duke went ice cold on offense) it has been successful. It's never going to be UVA smothering defense but it is light years, and I mean light years, better than it was before the switch. Duke was near 100 defensive rating on kenpom before the switch, which is ****ing awful.
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Yep, which is why IMO a man is more vulnerable to those wide open threes. They come off penetration and help.
 
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coryfly said:
I didn't see the game Saturday but from what people have said UNC had open shots in the second half and just missed them. Duke obviously didn't, lol. So the zone has clearly been a good move for them but there is the concern that at some point teams don't miss them I'm sure. I've always believed that the zone gives up more threes (many at least lightly contested though) but a poor man-to-man gives up better quality threes so there is a trade off.
Click to expand...

I meant to ask this... how did you miss the game? Last regular season game of the year, and a rather big one to boot?
 
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TheDude1 said:
coryfly said:
I didn't see the game Saturday but from what people have said UNC had open shots in the second half and just missed them. Duke obviously didn't, lol. So the zone has clearly been a good move for them but there is the concern that at some point teams don't miss them I'm sure. I've always believed that the zone gives up more threes (many at least lightly contested though) but a poor man-to-man gives up better quality threes so there is a trade off.
Click to expand...

I meant to ask this... how did you miss the game? Last regular season game of the year, and a rather big one to boot?
Click to expand...

Had a night out with the wife and decided to just enjoy it and not even pay attention to the score or anything.
 
coryfly said:
Had a night out with the wife and decided to just enjoy it and not even pay attention to the score or anything.
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Mine made me have a night out during the first Syracuse at Duke game. Went for Indian food with some friends. Turns out, it was a bad game to miss.
 
JimboBBN said:
Your wife told me she didn't like Indian food. I guess she doesn't have an appetite first thing in the morning.
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I want to make a joke here, something something your dick smells like Indian food something something, but I’m too tired to figure out where to go with it:(

You gonna be on tonight? You’ve been awol!
 
coryfly said:
I didn't see the game Saturday but from what people have said UNC had open shots in the second half and just missed them. Duke obviously didn't, lol. So the zone has clearly been a good move for them but there is the concern that at some point teams don't miss them I'm sure. I've always believed that the zone gives up more threes (many at least lightly contested though) but a poor man-to-man gives up better quality threes so there is a trade off.
Click to expand...
I agree with you on that last statement. I'd much rather give up some wide open/ slightly contested 3's or 15 footers then consistently give up wide open 3's, jumpers, lay-ups, dunks, or any other shot you could take against Duke's man defense.
 
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I thought this thread was going to be about what Defense they have in place to excuse the mass amounts of $ they pay their recruits. Was disappointed to read the actual responses... proceed
 
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Whatever... however much we’ve increased the payments by to include this new “Playing Defense” package, it’s worth every penny.
 
Z-Unit_08 said:
I thought this thread was going to be about what Defense they have in place to excuse the mass amounts of $ they pay their recruits. Was disappointed to read the actual responses... proceed
Click to expand...
Keep working at it buddy. You'll post something funny one day. Just takes a little practice. I believe in you
 
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Z-Unit_08 said:
Not your buddy. Wasn’t looking for a laugh. Appreciate your support though.
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Dang. I was hoping we could be pals. You seem so grounded and logical. If we cant be buddies then i withdraw my support.
 
lurkeraspect84 said:
Twenty he never says, but I'm leaning UNC.
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615800052f1ac350bf7e
 
U do realize I could name any team I want right, just to mess with you? What if I told you I was a Duke fan, lol
 
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