Kentucky vs. Duke in November. Who wins and why?

[ExitFlagger]

Ayton doesn't play defense. Bolden and DeLaurier do.


You're relying on Quickley, Hagans and Herro to be knock down shooters?

Kennard came in to Duke with the reputation of being a much better sharp shooter than any of those guys and he was mediocre his freshman year.

You need to temper your expectations.

Temper expectations? Them?

Funny thing is, their recruiting class and returning players are arguably less talented than what they had last year (a team that was considered top 3 or 4 at worst going in) and Cal found a way to screw that up. Hard to say what makes them so confident that this will be different. The roster is full of scrawny guys who don't shoot particularly well. Is an inefficient forward really enough to catapult them to greatness?

 

[uncfan in ky]

Temper expectations? Them?

Funny thing is, their recruiting class and returning players are arguably less talented than what they had last year (a team that was considered top 3 or 4 at worst going in) and Cal found a way to screw that up. Hard to say what makes them so confident that this will be different. The roster is full of scrawny guys who don't shoot particularly well. Is an inefficient forward really enough to catapult them to greatness?

Funny how they think a guy that entered the nba draft, wasn’t projected to be drafted, is going to come in and make them a juggernaut.

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

Ayton doesn't play defense. Bolden and DeLaurier do.


You're relying on Quickley, Hagans and Herro to be knock down shooters?

Kennard came in to Duke with the reputation of being a much better sharp shooter than any of those guys and he was mediocre his freshman year.

You need to temper your expectations.

I don't need to temper anything. Take a sig bet on the game?

I'ld say Baker, Herro and Green are pretty darn good 3 pt shooters. I may overstated the 4th. DeLaurier won't be on the floor long enough. Foul magnet.

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

Funny how they think a guy that entered the nba draft, wasn’t projected to be drafted, is going to come in and make them a juggernaut.

Funny thing, that guy had a good camp and would have been drafted. He wants to improve and this year's a weak draft and he's looking to go higher.

 

[uncfan in ky]

Funny thing, that guy had a good camp and would have been drafted. He wants to improve and this year's a weak draft and he's looking to go higher.

I never saw him in ANY mock drafts.

I also don’t see him listed in this 2019 mock draft.
http://www.nbadraft.net/2019mock_draft

 

[HRTheCard]

Idc if he’s “fat” or not, he can still do this

 

[Big_Blue79]

Funny how they think a guy that entered the nba draft, wasn’t projected to be drafted, is going to come in and make them a juggernaut.

I don't think Travis makes UK a juggernaut, but plenty of players are very productive in college despite not being significant draft prospects. It's two different things - current production versus future production - in two vastly different environments.

 

[bignish]

I don't need to temper anything. Take a sig bet on the game?

I'ld say Baker, Herro and Green are pretty darn good 3 pt shooters. I may overstated the 4th. DeLaurier won't be on the floor long enough. Foul magnet.

Jemarl Baker....UK's savior

This is the same fanbase that thought Isaiah Briscoe would be a knock down 3 point shooter after a HS 3 Point Shooting contest and that Keldon Johnson would shut down Barrett after he did it in 1 play in the MCDAAG.

 

[bignish]

Idc if he’s “fat” or not, he can still do this

View embedded media

Before he committed to Duke...

Rupp Rafters was like "he's the next Larry Johnson", "surefire 1st round pick", "a bull in a chinashop", etc. etc.

After announcing for Duke...

Zion: 'fat", "lazy", "bad rebounder", "can't shoot"

How is this dude Zion even a top 100 recruit I wonder after going over to RR?

 

[Big_Blue79]

Temper expectations? Them?

Funny thing is, their recruiting class and returning players are arguably less talented than what they had last year (a team that was considered top 3 or 4 at worst going in) and Cal found a way to screw that up. Hard to say what makes them so confident that this will be different. The roster is full of scrawny guys who don't shoot particularly well. Is an inefficient forward really enough to catapult them to greatness?

"arguably less talented." How do you define talent?

 

[RR30]

Jemarl Baker....UK's savior

This is the same fanbase that thought Isaiah Briscoe would be a knock down 3 point shooter after a HS 3 Point Shooting contest and that Keldon Johnson would shut down Barrett after he did it in 1 play in the MCDAAG.

Well considering your takes the last 2+ years, good luck this year going for the three peat.

Also great job generalizing a fanbase on what a few people said.

 

[Big_Blue79]

Jemarl Baker....UK's savior

This is the same fanbase that thought Isaiah Briscoe would be a knock down 3 point shooter after a HS 3 Point Shooting contest and that Keldon Johnson would shut down Barrett after he did it in 1 play in the MCDAAG.

Before he committed to Duke...

Rupp Rafters was like "he's the next Larry Johnson", "surefire 1st round pick", "a bull in a chinashop", etc. etc.

After announcing for Duke...

Zion: 'fat", "lazy", "bad rebounder", "can't shoot"

How is this dude Zion even a top 100 recruit I wonder after going over to RR?

Wow, the opinions posted on RR are not rational and/or sway with a slight breeze? I am shocked! Good find, Bernstein, keep 'em coming!

 

[RR30]

UK has a bazillion guards, only one true wing and big men who all have the same skillset. How is that roster better constructed?

Tre Jones is a true PG.
Reddish and Barrett are versatile wings.
Zion is a true forward.
Bolden is a true Center.

This is the best constructed OAD Duke team I've ever seen.

Lulz

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

I never saw him in ANY mock drafts.

I also don’t see him listed in this 2019 mock draft.
http://www.nbadraft.net/2019mock_draft

Mock drafts have nothing to do with the REAL draft. PJ got good feedback about being drafted.

 

[RR30]

Idc if he’s “fat” or not, he can still do this

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Zion is a phenomenal athlete. I think there are going to be a lot of growing pains for him next year considering how Duke won't have the floor spacing they normally do. He'll be going against actual D1 players and not white kids #1-45 that have made up his mixtapes too. I think he'll be a double double guy next year, but not have the impact that they lost with Bagley or Carter.

 

[LetsGoDuke301]

Idc if he’s “fat” or not, he can still do this

View embedded media

I'd rather his fat ass not blow out a knee before the season.

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

Jemarl Baker....UK's savior

This is the same fanbase that thought Isaiah Briscoe would be a knock down 3 point shooter after a HS 3 Point Shooting contest and that Keldon Johnson would shut down Barrett after he did it in 1 play in the MCDAAG.

LMAO Make stuff up. What about the sig bet? Nobody is going to shut down barret for an entire game. KJ is a high motor kid who will most likely be attached to Barret. UK will slice up your friggin zone...

 

[Big_Blue79]

UK has a bazillion guards, only one true wing and big men who all have the same skillset. How is that roster better constructed?

Tre Jones is a true PG.
Reddish and Barrett are versatile wings.
Zion is a true forward.
Bolden is a true Center.

This is the best constructed OAD Duke team I've ever seen.

Wait, if Reddish and Barrett are "versatile wings," does that mean that Duke has zero "true wing?" Are UK's "big mean who all have the same skillset" considered to be "true Center?" Are any of UK's "bazillion guards" "true PG," or are they "versatile wings," or some unholy bastardization of both (i.e. combo guards)? Who has more "true" players? What is truth?

 

[ExitFlagger]

"arguably less talented." How do you define talent?

I judge talent by eye. But I know you guys love your rankings. They certainly don't have more highly rated players than last year.

I'm honestly not sure why you guys are so cocky about this group. So, you know you have a couple solid but probably not spectacular post players and a few fast guards. What else do you know? No one is concerned about shooting? Or the fact that everyone but Travis is a stick?

I've seen the mix tapes of all of Kentucky's incoming players and aside from possibly Hagans, they look pretty underwhelming.

 

[Big_Blue79]

^ so you didn't answer the simple question, lumped me in with "you guys," and talked about mixtapes?

K.

 

[bignish]

Wait, if Reddish and Barrett are "versatile wings," does that mean that Duke has zero "true wing?" Are UK's "big mean who all have the same skillset" considered to be "true Center?" Are any of UK's "bazillion guards" "true PG," or are they "versatile wings," or some unholy bastardization of both (i.e. combo guards)? Who has more "true" players? What is truth?

Reddish is a true wing future SF/small ball PF in the NBA. Barrett can play the 2 or 3 in college seamlessly.

Everything on this Duke roster just fits. We might lose because of poor shooting or bad communication on defense but not because players are playing out of position.

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

This will undoubtedly be the best rebounding and defensive front court that Duke has had since 2010. Everyone is a plus defender and has good rebounding instincts.

Their issues will be staying out of foul trouble, doing anything on offense and making foul shots but the days of Duke giving up layup lines are over.

This is the most unique OAD Duke team that UK fans have seen. We"ll likely suck at outside shooting and defending the perimeter which are usually Duke strengths.

Fortunately, UK’s coaches are usually a few steps ahead of K, especially with one and dones. I’m pretty sure they’ll be able to handle what dUKe throws out there

 

[BigBlueCatNation]

Reddish is a true wing future SF/small ball PF in the NBA. Barrett can play the 2 or 3 in college seamlessly.

Everything on this Duke roster just fits. We might lose because of poor shooting or bad communication on defense but not because players are playing out of position.

You will undoubtedly have players playing out of position, especially if you’re going to try to out athlete the other team. You won’t have to try hard to do that because of the talent you have, however you will most assuredly have to do that against Kentucky when you play them.

Similar to most K coached teams that heavily rely on one and dones, you’ll get crushed by Kentucky early in the season.

 

[Montana81]

I actually think Zion will do well. He has a high motor and that translates.

They're going to struggle on defense. Defense is the side of the ball they most commonly struggle with and they're going to be starting 4 freshman again and none of those guys are Justise Winslow.

They can hide some of their issues with a zone again. Especially since they're even longer on the perimeter than they were last year. But zone creates offensive rebound opportunities for the opponent and they don't have Carter and Bagley to chase those balls down this year. I think Bolden aka Zion will rebound okay for them at the 5 and 4 but they're not going to be Carter and Bagley IMO. (I think Duke was #1 in the country in rebound rate last year largely because of those 2).

 

[Hank_]

You're relying on Quickley, Hagans and Herro to be knock down shooters?

Kennard came in to Duke with the reputation of being a much better sharp shooter than any of those guys and he was mediocre his freshman year.

You need to temper your expectations.

Tre Jones is a true PG.
Reddish and Barrett are versatile wings.
Zion is a true forward.
Bolden is a true Center.

This is the best constructed OAD Duke team I've ever seen.

 

[rockycard]

We'll revisit this after the UK game.

Revisited

The “fat” boy can play.

 

[toonces11]

There is a lesson in here somewhere....

 

[rockycard]

I actually think Zion will do well. He has a high motor and that translates.

They're going to struggle on defense. Defense is the side of the ball they most commonly struggle with and they're going to be starting 4 freshman again and none of those guys are Justise Winslow.

They can hide some of their issues with a zone again. Especially since they're even longer on the perimeter than they were last year. But zone creates offensive rebound opportunities for the opponent and they don't have Carter and Bagley to chase those balls down this year. I think Bolden aka Zion will rebound okay for them at the 5 and 4 but they're not going to be Carter and Bagley IMO. (I think Duke was #1 in the country in rebound rate last year largely because of those 2).

How are you and Jimbo Kentucky fans? Y’all are better than that.

 

[KYtotheCore]

I’m going to say Duke by 30 +.

 

[tw3301]

Lots of great takes ITT. Oh my...

 

[tw3301]

are you saying he is not chunky with a lot of baby fat?

I'm not sure I'd call him chunky. He's a big boy, haven't seen a lot of 6' 5" fat guys throwing down windmill dunks.

We'll revisit this after the UK game.

 

[IndyCat1995]

I'm ashamed

 

[della]

I'll go with Duke, big.

 

[mrbud]

If we play duke again we will get destroy.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

If we play duke again we will get destroy.

Nice name.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

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Called it.

 

[bignish]

Ayton doesn't play defense. Bolden and DeLaurier do.


You're relying on Quickley, Hagans and Herro to be knock down shooters?

Kennard came in to Duke with the reputation of being a much better sharp shooter than any of those guys and he was mediocre his freshman year.

You need to temper your expectations.

UK has a bazillion guards, only one true wing and big men who all have the same skillset. How is that roster better constructed?

Tre Jones is a true PG.
Reddish and Barrett are versatile wings.
Zion is a true forward.
Bolden is a true Center.

This is the best constructed OAD Duke team I've ever seen.

Before he committed to Duke...

Rupp Rafters was like "he's the next Larry Johnson", "surefire 1st round pick", "a bull in a chinashop", etc. etc.

After announcing for Duke...

Zion: 'fat", "lazy", "bad rebounder", "can't shoot"

How is this dude Zion even a top 100 recruit I wonder after going over to RR?

Lets face it, I'm basically Nostradamus.

 

[ExitFlagger]

I'll go with Duke, big.

Bigly indeed.

 

[LandofOzDevil]

Lets face it, I'm basically Nostradamus.

 

[lurkeraspect84]

You Duke fans are handling this win with much more class than I would if roles were reversed. Thanks for that.