Not even December and the Blue Devils have defeated three of last season's final 4 squads.

 

They've only beaten two. Kentucky's Final Four team is all playing in the NBA right now! :sssh:

 

Hats off to Duke though. They've gotten it done early on this season with a brutal schedule.

I'll still take the Wildcats against the Dukies at the end of the season if they meet!!

 

As you should. I'd still take Duke.

I'm gonna go ahead and say this again. Sulaimon will be a STUD.

 

Will be crazy to a lot of people but I think Duke is better with Sulaimon than they were with Rivers. K seems to do better with guys he gets to keep around a few years, the Kyrie and Rivers teams didn't ever seem to have that Duke unity on offense. This team looks much more like the Duke teams of the past.

I must say that this Duke team has been fun to watch and I don't really care for the Dukies at all.

 

That said, it would be a good matchup with Indiana because the Hoosiers are deeper and I think those are the two best teams right now. Take your pick depending upon which day you watch them.

 

(It burns my tongue just to make the above comments.)

Will be crazy to a lot of people but I think Duke is better with Sulaimon than they were with Rivers. K seems to do better with guys he gets to keep around a few years, the Kyrie and Rivers teams didn't ever seem to have that Duke unity on offense. This team looks much more like the Duke teams of the past.

 

I think they are better because Curry isn't running the point and playing out of position to keep him and Rivers on the court. The year before Kyrie and Nolan were both point guards who needed the ball in their hands. I wouldn't say it is Sulaimon who makes that difference. I would say the pieces Duke has now fit better than they did with Rivers and Kyrie. Everybody is playing where they should be playing instead of just having the best 5 on the court.

I think they are better because Curry isn't running the point and playing out of position to keep him and Rivers on the court. The year before Kyrie and Nolan were both point guards who needed the ball in their hands. I wouldn't say it is Sulaimon who makes that difference. I would say the pieces Duke has now fit better than they did with Rivers and Kyrie. Everybody is playing where they should be playing instead of just having the best 5 on the court.

 

Which means Sulaimon is a better fit, meaning Duke is better off with him as opposed to Rivers. Even though they had guys playing out of position, Rivers is a guy who commands the ball and a guy who's going to get his shots. Sulaimon fits the system better as he is a guy who is still going to score, but he will do so playing within the system allowing other guys to be able to do their thing as well. They were the Austin Rivers show last year, this year they are a team.

 

 

I also can't devalue the importance of Quinn Cook and his growth as a player.

Which means Sulaimon is a better fit, meaning Duke is better off with him as opposed to Rivers. Even though they had guys playing out of position, Rivers is a guy who commands the ball and a guy who's going to get his shots. Sulaimon fits the system better as he is a guy who is still going to score, but he will do so playing within the system allowing other guys to be able to do their thing as well. They were the Austin Rivers show last year, this year they are a team.

 

 

I also can't devalue the importance of Quinn Cook and his growth as a player.

 

I still disagree. Rivers and Curry handled the point last year. With the emergence of Cook AND Thornton the shooting guards can be shooting guards. That is why I say Cook's emergence is more important. If there was a quality point guard last year that Duke team is entirely different IMO.

I still disagree. Rivers and Curry handled the point last year. With the emergence of Cook AND Thornton the shooting guards can be shooting guards. That is why I say Cook's emergence is more important. If there was a quality point guard last year that Duke team is entirely different IMO.

 

It would have still been the Austin Rivers show. They may not have lost to Lehigh, but I doubt they make it past the first weekend of the tourney.

It would have still been the Austin Rivers show. They may not have lost to Lehigh, but I doubt they make it past the first weekend of the tourney.

 

That team should have made it past the first weekend regardless. Just saying that last year's team would have benefitted from quality play at the point guard position. I've never seen shooting guards become quality point guards in less than a season. By putting shooting guards at the point you have ruined two positions. There aren't any ruined positions this season.