Last night’s narrow victory over Belmont exemplified the glaring weaknesses of Duke since J.J. Reddick was recruited in 2002. The lack of penetration and interior presence become severe obstacles when the game becomes a halfcourt contest or the Blue Devils are faced with an athletic team. Television views have seen this situation unfold twice, during the final regular season game versus North Carolina and the 71-70 First Round victory.
When pressured, Duke’s two guard front is neutralized. When Jon Sheyer and Greg Paulus dribble or pass the ball back and forth, several turnovers seem imminent. On the other hand, due their poise, the Blue Devils don’t throw the ball away often. They still throw possessions away when they force low percentage shots. If the team does not score in transition and make a three-point shot, they have difficulty creating their own shots. Even DeMarcus Nelson and Gerald Henderson get stuck and appear not to maximize their quickness and athleticism.
Kyle Singler is not a dominant big-man and would rather shoot from the outside. If outside shooting abandons the team, their motion offense is very stationary, a departure from past championship teams. Interior defense and rebounding are question marks and the team is vulnerable to bigger opponents (losses include Pittsburgh, North Carolina, and Wake Forest). West Virginia, Purdue, and U.C.L.A. pose similar threats and Duke will not beat all three teams. This year, almost any team in the country with a winning record can beat the Blue Devils.
Yet, the demise of the Duke Men’s Basketball Programme is greatly exaggerated. Coach Krzyzewski and the team still lead the N.C.A.A. in tournament and regular season wins over the past ten years. A core of talented recruits (Brand, Williams, Battier, Dunleavy, Deng) rebuilt the team after the 1994-96 debacle and reached four Final Fours in seven seasons. Strengthening inside and wing play in order to curtail reliance on the outside shot will permit Coach Krzyzewski to repeat that accomplishment.