Kids in a high pressure game

jeffrey236

All-Conference
Aug 29, 2004
3,641
3,090
63
I think folks are underestimating the emotional effect of tonight’s game on the team, including the coaches. While I hoped we would win tonight, this may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, I’m hoping everyone will be more focused going forward. I can still see us winning it all.
 
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sheyduke

All-American
Apr 13, 2010
14,147
9,689
108
I think folks are underestimating the emotional effect of tonight’s game on the team, including the coaches. While I hoped we would win tonight, this may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, I’m hoping everyone will be more focused going forward. I can still see us winning it all.
And I’m going to hit a million dollars tomorrow in the lottery . Seriously? K will go out on the round of 32
 

LetsGoDuke83

All-Conference
Feb 21, 2019
1,549
2,239
0
And I’m going to hit a million dollars tomorrow in the lottery . Seriously? K will go out on the round of 32
This team will be lucky to win one game lol. They’ll get matched up with some 3pt shooting mid major loaded with seniors and choke. Paulo will go 10-28 and sulk the entire 2nd half
 

christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
17,371
21,082
113
Sweet 16 as I have said most of the season. They may surprise us to either side of that.
 

KDSTONE

All-Conference
Oct 15, 2004
6,096
4,013
40
I’m a true Duke fan but let’s be serious here . Do you really see this team going far outside of the round of 32?
Not with Paulo laying a big old egg the whole second half. My mom was like I thought he was supposed to be good. Lol
 

mhjoie

Redshirt
Aug 31, 2005
17
8
0
This group has Mercer written all over it. We have no one with tourney experience.
Moore is the elder states man...ugh
Keels said this team is more talented than 2015. That’s laughable as these AAU level players have accomplished nothing yet compare themselves to title team.
This loser!!! Lose your name cause it isn't your own and it's a name that you (fan boy) ever earned a second of! Tired of seeing knobs like you talk about this team and program like you earned a ******* thing!

Laettner was a player who lost by 30 the first time he played in a national championship. Yeah he lost in the semi s his first year...I remember cause I was there!

But you wouldn't know that because you were probably a Georgetown fan that year. All the while stroking UNC dudes...I am begging to be banned because I use to come here for good banter, amongst solid Duke fans. But I come here now and see these losers talking **** without realizing the pitfalls of only recruiting players who will stay a year regardless of our opinions of what these 19 yr old should do! This is what it is, it isn't Duke 1992...
Laettner, Hurley, Hill, were all flawed players their 1st year. And yet you **** on All American Freshman who come to Duke?

and news flash. Jon ain't changing the formula! So go root for UNC! But all hail "Laettner cause he is a HOF poster, nothing more than a armchair knob! FOH
 

Laettner

All-Conference
Mar 11, 2002
6,249
1,390
0
MHjoie, you are absolutely right “it is what it is”. I grew up watching Duke teams of 80’s, 90’s, 00’s etc... and just have to accept that is over. I coach High School basketball and the AAU circuit has soured me on the direction of the sport I love.
 
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SDevada

Senior
Dec 8, 2009
1,087
501
113
Keels said this team is more talented than 2015. That’s laughable as these AAU level players have accomplished nothing yet compare themselves to title team.
Have you forgotten some of the stinkers that team laid? Yes, this team could get upset in the first round. Or it could win the whole thing. They probably won't do the latter. That is simply a really hard thing to attain. But they are unlikely to do the first. They had been playing absolutely great ball up until last night. But the pressure must have been unbearable last night with all the articles written about K and all the old-timers coming back. I hate that we lost but it might not be such a bad thing. They are now really hungry for the ACC Tournament.
 

pisgah101

Heisman
Dec 26, 2005
15,649
13,548
113
Have you forgotten some of the stinkers that team laid? Yes, this team could get upset in the first round. Or it could win the whole thing. They probably won't do the latter. That is simply a really hard thing to attain. But they are unlikely to do the first. They had been playing absolutely great ball up until last night. But the pressure must have been unbearable last night with all the articles written about K and all the old-timers coming back. I hate that we lost but it might not be such a bad thing. They are now really hungry for the ACC Tournament.

I can’t stand when people say crap like “I hate we lost but it might not be such a bad thing” idk what world you grew up in/live in (actually I do so that might explain this) but winning= Good
Losing= bad. “Good losses” are a lie
 

BM16

Freshman
Aug 8, 2006
5,512
77
0
Coach K should have just announced after the season was over that he was retiring. Instead we had to have this grand finale last night which compounds the losing. They could have honored him with a full ceremony after the season ended.
 
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LetsGoDuke83

All-Conference
Feb 21, 2019
1,549
2,239
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Coach K should have just announced after the season was over that he was retiring. Instead we had to have this grand finale last night which compounds the losing. They could have honored him with a full ceremony after the season ended.
I think he did it for recruiting but I absolutely agree, it was wayyyyy to much
 

christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
17,371
21,082
113
You know why Laettner learned something? He came back. The moment was too big for our guys because they were young. And it will be too big for our guys next year because we will be young. I don't know what the answer is. I think we need to balance out the youth with more transfers. 3 and 4 freshman starters will only get us so far. Yes we are good but watching the same freshman mistakes every year is frustrating.
 

LetsGoDuke83

All-Conference
Feb 21, 2019
1,549
2,239
0
You know why Laettner learned something? He came back. The moment was too big for our guys because they were young. And it will be too big for our guys next year because we will be young. I don't know what the answer is. I think we need to balance out the youth with more transfers. 3 and 4 freshman starters will only get us so far. Yes we are good but watching the same freshman mistakes every year is frustrating.
I agree but that’s what happens when you depend on one and done mercenary’s every year. I don’t know how active Duke will be in the transfer portal because they’ve never been a big transfer school but maybe things will change with Jon. I dam sure hope the 6-7 man rotations and non in game adjustments change
 

BluePhil

All-Conference
Jan 28, 2008
2,481
1,116
113
I’m a true Duke fan but let’s be serious here . Do you really see this team going far outside of the round of 32?
I never laughed at and insulted the football team even when it was at its worst. I'm certainly not a sorry enough fan to do so when the basketball team has won the ACC outright and beaten 2 top ten teams convincingly, but have had a few stumbles along the way.

Maybe they will not make it out of the first weekend. I tend to think they will. But whether they do or don't I don't care to jump on the all is lost bandwagon over a rivalry game.
 
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geddoughton23

All-Conference
Dec 6, 2019
2,943
2,471
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Yesterday was pressure, sure. But I am not sure the NCAA tournament, with every game potentially being K's last, will be less pressure.
It will be more pressure, but you can learn from it. I gave a speech in front of 200 people and choked. I could hear my voice shaking. It was awful. The next week, I had to give the same speech in front of 2,000 people. It was awesome! I didn't care if I failed. I received a standing ovation. Beyond shocked. Nothing better than learning from failure
 

Liftee

All-American
Mar 6, 2011
3,201
5,513
113
I read this board every day but the manic depressive attitude is terrible. One bad loss and every game before that is forgotten. I'll bet if I go back one week I'll see that the people who are now saying Duke will be 1 and out were saying Duke was on its way to the final four a week ago.

You can't expect a team averaging 19 years old to play their best every game, especially in front of basically the Duke Basketball Hall of Fame. I look forward to seeing better play later this week.
 

denverexpat

All-Conference
Feb 1, 2006
4,567
3,338
93
There are two ways to react when faced with pressure, fold or succeed...when you have the talent, it makes it even more concerning that we failed in the face of pressure....whether thats from the other team, the crowd or the occasion. Given more pressure is coming...single elimination in both the ACCT and the NCAAT...can we show more fortitude and change the outcome when in these games or will we fold again? it will all play out...
 

christophero

Heisman
May 2, 2017
17,371
21,082
113
There's nothing wrong with being 19 and nervous. But if they are that nervous it raises some questions. It was just one loss but it was the biggest game of the year against an inferior opponent. But they have a few weeks to sort it out. The ACC tournament is a chance to build on our recent progress. And we did win the ACC.
 
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Mac9192

Heisman
Jan 25, 2017
9,980
14,014
107
Carolina isn't as bad as we thought. They just aren't deep, and have little margin for error. The five they start aren't bad offensively, other than Black. When they're on defense, you have to attack them, especially Bacot and Manek.
Saturday was just too much. We say it was too much on the kids, but I think it was too much on K as well. We allowed them to score 55 on us in the 2nd half. The really sad part is we never made them do anything different. No zone, press, NOTHING. Surely that's not all on the players. Goat or not.
Our man issue is we don't have an on court leader, and when things get tight, we revert back to too much one on one ball, while the others are merely spectators instead of moving the ball around. See AJ for reference. The kid only took 5 shots the entire game. Banchero may be our most talented player, but he's as close to a Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde as I've seen out of a star.
Doesn't mean we can't win it all, but I'd be more surprised if we did than if we don't.
 

BluePhil

All-Conference
Jan 28, 2008
2,481
1,116
113
Carolina isn't as bad as we thought. They just aren't deep, and have little margin for error. The five they start aren't bad offensively, other than Black. When they're on defense, you have to attack them, especially Bacot and Manek.
Saturday was just too much. We say it was too much on the kids, but I think it was too much on K as well. We allowed them to score 55 on us in the 2nd half. The really sad part is we never made them do anything different. No zone, press, NOTHING. Surely that's not all on the players. Goat or not.
Our man issue is we don't have an on court leader, and when things get tight, we revert back to too much one on one ball, while the others are merely spectators instead of moving the ball around. See AJ for reference. The kid only took 5 shots the entire game. Banchero may be our most talented player, but he's as close to a Dr Jeckyl and Mr Hyde as I've seen out of a star.
Doesn't mean we can't win it all, but I'd be more surprised if we did than if we don't.
Yes - one of K's worst games for adjustments.

As someone here already stated there is no such thing as a "good loss" - all losses are bad. But there are worse losses. The worse one are the ones you do not learn from.
 
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