Archive for the ‘Kyrie Irving’ Category

With Irving’s Injury, Is Duke Still the Overwhelming Favorite?

Friday, December 10th, 2010

On last Tuesday night’s Jerry Tarkanian Show, our guest was Billy Packer.  During his interview with Jerry, Billy made a statement many prognosticators, including Tark, have said - “Duke is not only the best team in the country, they’re head and shoulders above everybody else.”

I’ve blogged previously that the difference between this Duke team and the others is that freshman Kyrie Irving is unlike any of the point guards who’ve played for the Blue Devils - including Jay Williams.  He’s not just savvy and tough like Hurley, Wojo, Dawkins and the rest.  He’s more like a guard you see on the roster of Kentucky, UCLA or Kansas.  Lightning quick, impossible to stay in front of, with the ability to get others great open looks.  And now, according to the release from Duke, he’s out indefinitely.

Some may say that with Coach K at the helm the Blue Devils are still the team to beat.  Possibly, but with the way Kansas, Ohio State, Syracuse, UConn and Pitt are playing, “head and shoulders” might no longer be applicable.  Don’t count out Michigan State either.  The Spartans have to have played not only the toughest schedule in the country but the toughest ever by a team that doesn’t have to, e.g. Coppin State where head coach Fang Mitchell (who doubles as the school’s AD) sacrifices his basketball team in the preseason so that their other sports - men and women - can exist.  Tom Izzo and Sparty have no such monetary problems.

When Josh Selby becomes eligible for KU, there might be a new sheriff in town and if UK’s appeal for Enes Kanter goes through, the Wildcats just might surpass both Kansas and Duke.  No doubt, even with Kyle Singler, Nolan Smith and the Plumlees, Duke will feel the loss of their precocious floor leader.  As far as Irving’s return goes, I imagine Mike Krzyzewski shares the same feeling expressed by Sandra Knell, who said:

“I’m looking forward to looking back on all this.”

Posted in Pittsburgh, University of Kentucky basketball, UConn basketball, Michigan State Basketball, Kyrie Irving, color commentary, Duke, Johnny Dawkins, Jerry Tarkanian, basketball, scheduling, Mike Krzyzewski, Billy Packer, dealing with adversity | No Comments »

It’s a Pretty Safe Bet Duke and Michigan State Will Play Again

Thursday, December 2nd, 2010

Last night #1 Duke beat #2 Michigan State (yeah, they lost to UConn, but they’re still the second best team in the nation), leading from start to finish.   The game was played at Cameron Indoor Stadium which, if it weren’t the home of the defending national champions and the perennial power Blue Devils, would be considered an antiquated dump (I know because that’s what MacArthur Court at Oregon, where I spent a grad assistant year in 1975-76 when we were known as the Kamikaze Kids and played to raucous full houses, became).

For true basketball fans, the game was a thing of beauty - not because of scintillating dunks (I must have a Dick Vitale hangover using the word scintillating) - but because the viewers got to see defense played at such a high level against players that are, as the late Abe Lemons used to say, “hard to guard.”  The game had to set a record for shot fakes (and somebody, somewhere, probably has that stat), mainly because every shot was contested.  Coaches always are saying they want their guys to “play hard.”  No problem in this contest.  Every young kid should have seen the game - or shown a video of it.

Most prognosticators claim that there is a significant gap between Duke and every other team in the country.  Michigan State can hang in against them because of their toughness, a trait starts at the top with head coach Tom Izzo.  Duke’s head man, Mike Krzyzewski, is a tough SOB too.  The main difference in this Duke team and the others that Coach K has put on the floor is freshman point guard Kyrie Irving.

The youngster is unlike any guard Duke has had - Hurley, Wojo, Dawkins, Scheyer, even Jay Williams.  Irving cannot be kept not only from penetrating, but from getting all the way to the rim.  The one area the previous Duke guards excelled where he has yet to is on defense.  And don’t think the staff at Duke won’t be constantly harping on him to improve that aspect.

It’s so hard to go through a season unbeaten, but barring an injury to one of their major contributors, this might be the year.  Don’t be surprised if the team that has the final chance to knock them off is, as long as they, too, avoid serious injury, Michigan State - in the final game in Houston.

That’s thinking waaaaaay ahead, but as the saying goes:

“Stay tuned.”

Posted in Duke, Final Four, Tom Izzo, Michigan State Basketball, Kyrie Irving, color commentary, tradition, Johnny Dawkins, work ethic, basketball, Dick Vitale, coaching, Mike Krzyzewski, fans | No Comments »