GREENSBORO - Mike Krzyzewski said that because Duke is playing with one of the biggest lineups he has coached, he has made significant changes to how the Blue Devils will play.
At the ACC's Operation Basketball event on Sunday, Krzyzewski laid out two major changes:
- The Blue Devils will break down opponents with screens rather than the dribble. Duke has traditionally heavily emphasized penetration and kick-out passes to open 3-point shooters. But Nolan Smith is the team's only threat to penetrate, so Duke will rely on screening and will look for more post feeds. "We need to have more vision when we pass the ball," Krzyzewski said.
- Because it has size rather than quickness, Duke won't extend its defense or trap as much as in the past. There's been a lot of talk that the Blue Devils might play some zone defense, but the change will be obvious even when Duke is playing man to man. "You'll be able to see the zone principles in our man to man more," Krzyzewski said.
Comments
Things unlikely to change...
Mon, 10/26/2009 - 10:01 — heelsno11. More Duke basketball players deserving of Oscar awards for their dramatic on-the-court presentations that include flopping with loud, well-rehearsed grunts and agonizing facial contortions;
2. Perimeter defense that features hand-checking and "reach-in" fouls that are seldom called; and
3. Special K's patented scowl, hot temper, foul language and intimidation of ACC officials.
Heelsno1...neither a Duke
Mon, 10/26/2009 - 10:51 — wjollyHeelsno1...neither a Duke nor a Tarheels fan...but what you just listed appears to be the litany of what many would accuse the Heels' of doing...ESPECIALLY the flopping part...that has long (the forty years I've been watching ACC basketball) been a part of the UNC strategy....the opponent gets some air on you, you crumble like a heap of broccoli and get your favorite ref (Lenny Wirtz, Jamie Luckie..etc...) to call the foul and voila!..you go to the foul line twenty to thirty times more than you opponent...