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Duke
It is a true testament to Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski the level of excellence that Duke plays to every year. Take note of last season- a 30-7 record, 11-5 in the ACC, a 17th ACC Tournament championship and another trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Duke fans have almost become complacent with these incredible seasons that seem to come effortlessly year in and year out. It was not a smooth year with three changes at the point guard position, but the results were the same. This year should prove to be just as successful.
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There are some losses to absorb for Coach K and his staff. They knew senior Greg Paulus was leaving and had an idea Gerald Henderson would go to the NBA, but the surprise was losing soph Elliott Williams. His transfer has left the backcourt a little thin but this is still a talented team. Kyle Singler may be one of the best all-around players in the league. He should be much more effective moving back to his more natural position at small forward. He should vie for player of the year honors in conference. Duke's most important player may be Jon Scheyer. He will be a primary ball handler and is one of the most reliable three-point shooters on the squad. Just as important will be the growth of Nolan Smith. His role changed a lot last year but he has worked hard this summer and has been very impressive in preseason workouts. The Devils have a lot of size returning. Brian Zoubek, Lance Thomas and Miles Plumlee all saw action and should give Coach K options and combinations to work with along the front line.
The freshman class will get an opportunity to all contribute. Mason Plumlee, Miles' brother, is probably the furthest along. He has more of an edge to him than Miles and will use that toughness to take pressure off Singler. 6'10" Ryan Kelly is more of a skilled perimeter player who needs to add a little more size to his frame. Duke got a bonus when Andre Dawkins decided to graduate from high school early and come to Duke in August. He is very athletic and will give Duke some nice depth on the perimeter.
The biggest key for Duke this year will be the health of their core players- Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith. Having them on the court will be critical not only for their production but also for their leadership. How quickly the freshmen adapt and produce will also be a major factor. Look for Plumlee to acclimate the quickest. This will be as big a Duke team as we have seen and they could utilize that by playing a little more zone on defense but the depth there will be critical because the league, in general, is big. At the end of the day, Coach K is worth 20 wins by himself. How great this Duke team becomes will be determined in the other 20 games. This team will once again be a factor not only in the ACC but nationally as well.
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