Let's take a look at 5 things to watch as Duke enters conference play on Saturday.
How will the freshman respond to road environment?
This is a question that every team is asking as conference play begins. For Duke, how will Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, and Tyus Jones respond to playing in tough road environments? More specifically, how will they respond when Duke is struggling or even down? Yes, they did play on the road against a very good Wisconsin team, but what about when playing at NC State, Wake Forest, or Virginia? There is no doubt that these three are the best players on the team, but they are also 18-19 years old. They are kids. Kids can get rattled by signs or chants by an opposing student section. This is where guys like Quinn Cook, Amile Jefferson, Rasheed Sulaimon, and company need to make sure the younger players are calm and not getting distraught when things aren’t going their way. Okafor, Winslow, and Tyus Jones haven’t had many struggles so far, even against the better teams that Duke has played. Will these diaper dandies stay collected when in hostile environments?
Can the bench be more effective?
The Duke bench has struggled mightily so far this season and heading into ACC play, it is a big question mark for the number two team in the nation. As most know, the starters scored every point in the win against UConn in East Rutherford. That won’t bode well against the likes of Virginia, UNC, or Louisville. To key on some guys coming off the bench, Rasheed Sulaimon and Matt Jones are two players who need to step up for the Blue Devils. Much has been said about how Sulaimon has declined since his stellar freshman season. He has been forcing his play too much, looking out of control in his dribble drives and getting ahead of himself (traveling, shuffling his feet before the drive). Sulaimon needs to play within himself and not try to do too much. Matt Jones’ contribution to the team needs to be for him to knock down threes and play solid defense. His shot as of late hasn’t been falling, but when it does, it forces defenses to rotate towards him. This opens up his ability to drive to basket, which he does well too. Jones needs to defend without fouling, which was an issue for him in the last game as he had three fouls in the first half. There is no question that the bench needs to contribute more for Duke by scoring, providing energy, and being reliable replacements when the starters are tired or in foul trouble.
Can Duke start games better?
This has been a big issue for the Blue Devils ever since their first break after the 80-70 win over Wisconsin. They have been starting games slow, almost expecting their opponents to roll over after an early deficit. They started slow against Toledo and Wofford, but then were able to dominate in the second half, blowing out the Rockets and Terriers. Being as talented as Duke is, they can rebound at halftime and come back to obliterate the weaker teams they play. Heading into conference play, this won’t work as well for the undefeated Blue Devils. They need to start games with the same intensity, especially defensively, that they do after Coach K has spoken to them in locker room after 20 minutes of play. If they don’t, there will be teams who take advantage and give Duke a run for their money. Strong starts are key to winning and taking crowds out of the game when on the road.
Will the defense step up?
Wondering if the defense can intensify bounces off of the previous question dealing with Duke’s slow starts. The offense has been there all year, especially when Okafor touches the ball in the post, but the defense has really only been “Duke” defense in the second half. The Blue Devils have been allowing dribble drives and open shots early on in the first half of games as of late this season. Yes, they have been able to recover and play lock-down defense later, mainly after the first twenty minutes had been played. For Duke to become an even more dominant team, they must play better defense. It isn’t necessarily one or two players, but the team as a whole. When all five players on the floor are committed to shutting down their assignment, the team defends better. Something to look for against ACC opponents is whether or not Duke can apply pressure and defend well.
Can Duke rebound?
This question isn’t pointed at just the big men. Yes, Jefferson, Okafor, and Plumlee can all box out and grab rebounds at a more efficient rate, but the team needs to rebound better. Now, this isn't the issue that was evident last year, but it’s worth bringing up. Two seasons ago, Steve Wojciechowski talked about how when guards rebound, it is an instant start to a fast break. Not only that, but it helps out the big men, showing that they don’t need to grab every rebound. Cook, Matt and Tyus Jones, Winslow, and others need to crash the boards, but do so intelligently. All five players on the floor need to box out and grab rebounds. It has been seen too much as of late, opponents flying in with ease to grab offensive rebounds, leading to second and even third chance opportunities. If Duke doesn’t rebound, Montrezl Harrell, Kennedy Meeks, Desmond Hubert, Anthony Hill, Mike Tobey, and others will take advantage and make Duke pay.
