AJC > Sports > Columnists > Archives > 2006 > February > 23 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USDuke. Ehhh…
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mark Bradley
After seeing them in person, I don’t know about the Dookies. I’ve thought all along they were going to win the national championship, but now I’m beginning to wonder. If a bad team like Georgia Tech can make 70.8 percent of its first-half shots against you, that doesn’t say much for your on-the-ball defense. Something else that doesn’t: Despite the presence of Shelden Williams, who leads the ACC in blocks, Duke is 10th in the ACC in field-goal percentage defense.
I wonder, too, about Duke’s ability to run its offense against big, quick defenders. Would Williams score 20 points against the massive UConn front line? Would Greg Paulus get the ball past halfcourt against Villanova’s pressure? Would a team that goes 10-deep wear out the Devils, who use only seven players and who count on Redick playing 40 minutes every time out?
I know, I know. Other good teams have issues of their own. (Example: Can any UConn man save Rashad Anderson make a 3-pointer?) But the more I see of the ACC, the more I’m convinced it’s no better than the third-best league in the country this season — behind the Big East and the Big Ten, respectively — and I’m not certain that Duke’s unbeaten run through the conference tells us much about the worth of this team.
Bottom line: J.J. Redick will have to score 30 points six times in a row against NCAA tournament competition for Duke to win it all, and at least four of those games should be against better competition than anything the ACC has thrown up. I think J.J. Redick is a great player. I’m not sure he’s great enough to manage that.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Categories: Mark Bradley, Quick Hit
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By George
February 23, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this
Well this is just another example of Duke hating. Duke had a bad night last night and still came away with a W and the world is upset. Every team has bad nights and Duke did but was able to overcome it. Dont mistake a bad night as NOT POSSIBLE TO WIN IT ALL and please dont bet against them because if you do just give me that money so I can put it on Duke and win us both some money.
By Wes
February 23, 2006 05:09 PM | Link to this
Look I don’t care if it’s a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat VA Tech, or a 30 point spanking of then #2 Texas…bottom line is that Duke finds ways to win and they’ll continue to do so through the NCAAs.
By Don
February 23, 2006 05:56 PM | Link to this
I would think a sportswriter who follows college basketball would have an idea of why Duke gives up a relatively high field goal percentage. Their philosophy is to overplay the passing lanes, pressure the ball and take away the 3 point line. They create a lot of turnovers and are #1 in the ACC (and at least top 3 in the country) in defensive 3 point percentage, holding the opposition under 30%. But you’ve got to give up something to do that and Duke gives up a lot of layups and putbacks when their defenders get beat off the dribble (last night’s first half was an extreme case) and/or backdoor cuts. Duke has been playing with that defensive philosophy for the last 20 years or so since the 3 point line came in.
If you look at defensive efficiency, or points given up per possession, I think you’ll find Duke ranks very high in the country. They also rank very high in offensive efficiency because they hit a lot of 3’s and a lot of free throws.
Duke takes everybody’s best shot. Tech sure didn’t play like a 10-14 team for the first 22 minutes last night. Paul Hewitt hasn’t gotten this year with the amount of talent Tech can put on the floor. He doesn’t have an experienced point guard but there aren’t any really good point guards in the ACC this year, which is a big reason the league is down.
Is Duke beatable? Of course they are. Everybody in the country is. Duke is particularly vulnerable to teams that can spread the floor and slash to the basket (like Villanova) or teams with big athletic front lines (like UConn). I’d make Duke co-favorite with UConn to win the whole thing, but wouldn’t make either one of them better than about 4:1 to win the tournament.
By Dan
February 23, 2006 06:32 PM | Link to this
Mark- your column on “Duke …Ehhh” is not particularly distressing for reasons including:
You previously have picked Duke to win it all and they have soon thereafter crashed in the Tournament.
You make no secret about your lack of affection for what the Duke program has become in your eyes.
Although I must have missed your column after last week’s UNC-Georgia Tech game in which you lamented at great length how unfortunate it is that the Tar Heels get all the calls, your recent perennial Duke bashing column (a sure sign of spring to me) assured us that Duke does, in fact, get all the calls, so I am confident that mean Coach K will intimdate the refs into making whatever horrible calls are necessary in order for Duke to win the NCAAs.
See you in Indianapolis in April - be sure to be wearing your I love Coach K button :)
By LAC
February 23, 2006 10:36 PM | Link to this
Simply Put Another Great DUKE Win !!!!!!!!
By Robert
February 23, 2006 11:58 PM | Link to this
I won’t call Tech a “bad” team. They are a “scary” team. They have the talent and the heart, but simply not the experience. Don’t blame Duke for anything.
Tech could beat any team if they can get their act together for two consecutive periods of ball. Watch out - they might pull an upset in the ACC tourney.
By Hugh G. Rection
February 24, 2006 12:04 AM | Link to this
Georgia Tech University’s squad may, in fact, pull off an upset in the ACC tourney, but I think Mark may be onto something by pointing out that GTU’s shooting and offensive execution probably exposed some potentially fatal flaws in the Blue Demons’ armor. I think Redick is the real McCoy, though, no doubt about that, the kid’ll be a great pro.
By Tech Man
February 24, 2006 12:19 AM | Link to this
Hugh, You could at least get the name right.
All together now: Georgia Tech University doesn’t exist. The school that played Duke last night is the Georgia Institute of Technology, otherwise known as Georgia Tech, or as GT.
By Jim Calhoun
February 24, 2006 06:55 AM | Link to this
This Bradley gentleman is absolutely correct. Duke has flaws, unlike my team, the UCONN Huskies. We are going to win it all, basically because I am the best thing since sliced bread. Coach Shew-sheski has nothing on me and my UCONN Huskies baby. Nobody in the ACC can touch me, just ask that Paul Heww-it guy. Gave that Georgia Tech University a whipping a couple of years back, because we are the UCONN Huskies.
By brewerfaninATL
February 24, 2006 07:06 AM | Link to this
Mr. Bradley, name me ONE team that is perfect…I mean all teams have some cracks in them. Just because Duke didn’t blow Tech out of the building doesn’t mean they can’t win the championship. If anything, Duke showed that they can win under adversity and when Redick isn’t at his best. This is important because most every team, if not all, teams in the NCAA tourney will make an attempt to make sure Redick doesn’t beat them. What’s going to happen when opponents of Gonzaga do the same thing to Morrison? Who knows, but Duke passed their test. UConn is a fine team too but they can be beaten…just like EVERY team, including Duke. I’m really looking forward to a great NCAA tournament this year where any number of teams can claim the ultimate prize! Remember Mr. Bradley, the championship is won in April, not February 22nd…there’s plenty more ball to be played!
By Scooter11
February 24, 2006 11:41 AM | Link to this
Whether it’s against the Dookies in basketball, or the Dawgs in football, GTU/GIT/GT/NATS will overachieve - and still lose - to superior teams that just don’t always bring their best games. It’s a little hard for those teams to get that fired up.
By Ga_Tech_92
February 24, 2006 12:07 PM | Link to this
This blog is pretty insulting to GT so far. Nice kharma building ladies and gents. GT, everyone’s favorite rock to kick. I’m proud of our guys for being able to perform even with all these negativity.
By DKM
February 24, 2006 12:07 PM | Link to this
All season Duke is soft in the middle! If Sheldon Williams weren’t protected in the league, they would have lost 3 or 4 by now(see FSU). They struggle on the road and at this point in the season Reddick’s legs are shot because he plays too many minutes! They are a good shooting team, who will lose to a team with a good interior game with big guards. Tech’s guards are tall with long arms and they play best when penetrating and not shooting 3’s. They are the type of team(FSU) who can beat Duke. When you play most of your games at home against teams that have no interior play and try to outshoot you, it is pretty easy for them to compile this many wins.