FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT WAIT
By
DAVID BRUMFIELD
I will not apologize.
I am a Duke fan providing a service that is valuable only to those of my
ilk. If you believe anyone but Duke
is going to win the ACC stop reading this now.
If you would even dare to question that Chris Duhon is the second best
point guard in the ACC for 2001-2002 go check out the terps board.
If you think Lang, Capel and three freshman will push Duke then get off
the computer you know your mommy told you the internet was for big boys and
girls and that if you pull up your grade in reading next year she’ll think
about letting you get e-mail. Now
that we have culled the chaff from the wheat lets have some fun.
10 Summer questions:
1.
How good is Dahntay Jones?
2.
Can Duhon get better?
3.
Will Jason cut down on his turnovers?
4.
Can Casey stay with Mama Wojo to add a little bulk?
5.
Did Dunleavy really add ten pounds?
6.
Which Carlos is coming back?
7.
Who is the mother hen?
8.
You mean K hadn’t turned them loose defensively last year?
9.
Will Daniel Ewing be ready for 8-10 minutes a night of solid defense and
ball-handling?
10.
If we promise to take on all comers would anybody show-up?
1.
How good is Dahntay Jones?
Kind of scary isn’t it.
We have four players from the title game invited to the United States
Basketball tryout camps and Dahntay Jones who was a sharply dressed cheerleader
at that game is the leading scorer. Wait
didn’t I hear last year during the season that he was the best man-on wing
defender at practices last year. Didn’t
I just read last week that he would guard Battier or Williams whoever was hot.
Mike Dunleavy is my favorite player but those first few
games my eyes are going to be on Dahntay Jones. If he is 80% as advertised he’ll be a Carrawell type
defender on the wing, finally somebody to shut down Juan Dixon, and Corey
Maggette, without the technicals or Myron Piggie, on offense.
That type of player would be a solid 2nd team All-ACC member.
Just think if he is 100% as advertised!
2.
Can Duhon get better?
If Duhon does not improve a lick this summer he is still
the second best point guard in the ACC, behind J-Will, and the third best guard
in the ACC behind J-Will and Dixon. Duhon
works too hard, is too smart, and is surrounded by too many quality people and
coaches not to improve.
That said you can’t really expect Duhon to improve his
Asst/TO ratio of 3/1, you can’t expect him to play better defense, so I guess
he’s going to score. We all heard that Duhon had the best stroke since Trajan,
until Reddick comes along. I have
to expect Duhon to hit 40% of his threes and stop blowing dunks.
Pencil him in for 13 points, 6 assists and 3 steals a game.
3.
Will Jason cut down on his turnovers?
Jason decided to rest this summer. Which is only fair, if he got as little sleep as I did before
the draft deadline (side note: Devil Momma, I’m sorry I doubted, no not Seth
Davis degree doubts, but there was apprehension, I should have known better.)
If there is one thing Jason has proven through his play the last two
years its that he is always trying to improve; so I assure you there will be
improvement.
There are only two conceivable weaknesses
non-superlative strengths: turnovers and preventing penetration.
Jason will always have more turnovers than Duhon because he attempts the
impossible. Whether Jason can work
towards a 2.5/1 ratio or not remains to be seen, but there should at least be
progress. There are only three
times I ever yell at the TV in anger because of Jason: 1) injury, 2) when he
takes an Avery shot I yell at the TV right until the ball goes through the hoop,
and 3) when Steve Blake gets penetration. I
expect that at least a few of the times that his opposite number got passed him
Jason was exhausted. I would hope
that he has enough confidence in Duhon this year to come out when he is feeling
that way.
By the way even if he does not improve one iota he is still
player of the year.
4.
Can Casey stay with Mama Wojo to add a little bulk?
As a former college offensive lineman this one baffles me.
How is it that in a country that spends billions of dollars every year on
dietary aids a man whose name is synonymous with the ultimate purveyor of greasy
chicken can’t gain in a year what most housewives can gain in a week.
At this point maybe they should just tape fat to Casey just
so he can hold his position in the low post a little better.
Casey is a great athlete and can cause problems for any team when he is
in the game, but until he is big enough to hold his spot against the likes of
Lang, Isenhour, Watson and the rest of the 5s in the ACC not named Baxter he
will never be a stud.
5.
Did Dunleavy really add twenty pounds?
Its times like this that I just laugh.
Here we have Mike Dunleavy who shoots the three (just ask Arizona), takes
it to the rack (truly old-school reverse lay-ups), and plays D (53 steals and 16
blocks) all with a wisp like 6’9” 205 pound frame.
My one concern coming in was that our most dangerous line-up (Boozer,
Dunleavy, Jones, Duhon and Williams) would require Dunleavy to play post defense
at 205 pounds. Now it would appear
that he’ll do it at 225 pounds.
If Dunleavy has added twenty pounds without sacrificing
quickness he should be able to handle the low blocks as needed.
6.
Which Carlos is coming back?
Carlos could be the second best big man in the ACC next
year. Or, if he plays the way he
did in the final four, he can be the best big man in the country.
Carlos at 80% is a decent defender and an offensive threat, Carlos at
100% is a beast on the low blocks fighting for every inch stuffing every ball he
gets his hands on. I’d like to believe that Carlos will carry his performance
forward from last year.
More importantly I’ll be hoping that Carlos watches his
feet this year.
7.
Who is the mother hen?
Mother hen is making millions long live mother hen.
No one will replace the unique leadership role that Battier held.
Nor does there appear to be a Laettner on this team.
This team does have three juniors with at least 60 games and 30 starts
for Duke. The projected starting
line-up also includes Jones, a two-year starter at Rutgers and Duhon whose first
NCAA start was against UNC and his next nine were in tournament play.
No matter how much experience a team has it needs leadership.
I doubt one leader will emerge but I also believe that the things that
need to be said will be said.
8.
You mean K hadn’t turned them loose defensively last year?
During a recent press conference Coach K said that he
though he would turn this year’s team loose defensively. What? The team
that was third in blocks in the ACC and first in steals was playing restrained
defense? It boggles the mind to
think that K believes this year’s squad can be more aggressive on defense. I mean come on, Michigan does not want to hear that we are
going to make it tougher next year.
9.
Will Daniel Ewing be ready for 8-10 minutes a night of solid defense and
ball-handling?
Who cares? Daniel
Ewing will be what freshmen should be: a student. Ewing will get mop-up time.
His only job will be to learn to play ball the Duke way.
If a game matters and Duhon or Williams need to come out Boozer, Dunleavy
and Jones will slide down a spot and Sanders or maybe Horvath will come in.
Anything we get will be pure gravy.
10.
If we promise to take on all comers would anybody show-up?
Yes, I’m being arrogant, if you knew me this would
not come as any surprise. But
really, Maryland will be good, Kentucky returns a lot and Florida’s talented
… assuming that Dupay didn’t pull a Pete Rose.
Well I’ve had my fun for now. Your comments and critiques are welcome, even you non-Duke
fans as long as you promise not to point out the absence of objectivity.
Who knows, maybe if I get worked up in August I’ll preview the 2002-2003 team with Shavlik, Redick, Shelden, Dockery, Thompson and Melchionni.
***************
Dave, although convinced he is right, would appreciate your comments on his column at Dave@DukeUpdate.com