Duke Basketball: What Are the Biggest Obstacles Standing in the Blue Devils Way?
There wasn't any debate over who the best basketball team in the country was in December of 2010. Not only did the Duke Blue Devils boast a returning Final Four MVP in Kyle Singler and a preseason All-American candidate in Nolan Smith, they also introduced Kyrie Irving to America—a freshman with the potential to be the first pick in the upcoming 2011 NBA Draft.
Irving certainly did not disappoint, and may have even exceeded the ridiculous expectations he faced coming into Durham, when he dropped 31-points against Michigan St, leading the Blue Devils to an 84-79 victory in a prime time game televised on ESPN.
He followed this up with a 21-point effort against Butler and suddenly people were talking about Duke's place from a historical perspective. The Blue Devils were 8-0, ranked number one in the country (unanimously), and looking to win their fifth national title in the last 20 years.
It was an intimidating group to face, prompting Butler head coach Brad Stevens to gush, “they have, arguably, three of—if not the three best—players in the country in their starting lineup".
And then disaster struck. Irving suffered a rare toe injury for a basketball player, which later turned out to be diagnosed as the equivalent of the infamous football injury known as "turf toe".
With Irving in a walking boot, the Blue Devils didn't skip a beat, running off another seven straight wins to get to 15-0, but it was clear they weren't the same dominant team that featured Irving at the point earlier in the season.
Duke went 12-4 over their next 16 games that included a season ending 14-point loss at North Carolina that left many wondering if Duke would even be a 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Which brings us to today, where after reeling off three straight wins en route to another ACC Conference Championship, head coach Mike Krzyzewski dropped a bomb shell during a media session two days before the first round of the Big Dance.
He indicated that Kyrie Irving had been practicing with the team and would likely be available to play during the first two rounds of the tournament.
Two wins and one sweet 16 berth later, here we are with Irving back in the mix and the Blue Devils considered by many to once again be the favorites to cut down the nets on April 4th.
After only playing a total of 41 minutes (and scoring 25 points) during the first two rounds, Krzyzewski said today that Irving will play "significant minutes" in the West regional semifinal against Arizona.
With that in mind, let's take a look at the biggest obstacles standing in the way of a back to back title run by the Blue Devils.
Can They Re-Adjust to Moving Nolan Smith off the Ball?
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This is the most common misconception amongst all of the fans who didn't pick Duke in their brackets.
If you watched Duke in their first two games, it's clear that if Nolan Smith wants the ball in his hands, his teammates will give it to him.
Smith led the Blue Devils in scoring with 24-points, including 10 straight during a dominating stretch in the second half, allowing Duke to escape with a 73-71 win over Michigan in the second round.
Despite the narrow win over a very talented Michigan team, one thing is clear, Duke is a better basketball team with Kyrie Irving and Nolan Smith in the lineup at the same time.
It doesn't matter who is running the point and who is playing off the ball, they are much more difficult for opposing teams to guard when they have to worry about both superstars at the same time.
Oh, and who scored what turned out to be essentially the game winning basket with 32 seconds left?
That would be Mr. Irving, who banked in a soft floater just like he had been playing all season long.
Will They Be Able to Get Any Production from Their Front Court?
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If the Blue Devils are going to repeat as national champs, they are going to have to get some sort of contribution from their front court, in particular, starters Mason and Miles Plumlee.
The two combined for just eight points in 33 minutes against Michigan, however, 6'11" sophomore forward Ryan Kelly came off the bench to score 11-points in 23 minutes on five of six shooting.
If they can continue to get right around 20-points combined from their three big men, Duke will be nearly impossible to beat.
At this point in season, Coach K is going to shrink his rotation and will not be afraid to employ a four guard approach (with Singler as the lone "big man") if he is not getting any production from his front court.
We saw this strategy put in play against Michigan when the Wolverines went to a 1-3-1 zone late in the game and I wouldn't be surprised if we see it again against Arizona.
History...Will Coach K Surpass His Mentor or Will the Pressure Be Too Great?
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Let's be honest, Coach K is either going to break Bobby Knight's record during the Final Four this year or early next season.
As a graduate of Indiana University, I had to include this as a possible roadblock for the Blue Devils because as we all know, the General's shadow can loom very large.
Coach K graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point and played basketball for Knight while training to become an officer in the Army.
He was also an assistant coach under Knight during the 1979 Pan American games and the 1984 Olympics—both teams won gold medals.
The General has long served as a mentor to Krzyzewski and one has to wonder if the legend of Bobby Knight will be too much for Duke to overcome this year.
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A Matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Final Four?
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If the Blue Devils are to cut down the nets in a couple weeks, they will likely have to get past Ohio State in the Final Four.
The Buckeyes are firing on all cylinders right now, scoring 98-points against George Mason in the second round while hitting 16 for 26 from three point land.
Ohio State is arguably the nation's most talented team with a roster filled with NBA talent from their freshman class all the way up through the seniors. This list includs David Lighty, who has appeared in more college basketball games (156 and counting) than any other player in the history of college basketball.
Not only does OSU hold a major advantage inside with their All-American freshman Jared Sullinger, they have the guards to match up with the Blue Devils in Lighty, three point marksman Jon Diebler and freshman point guard Aaron Craft, who had 15 assists in their blowout win over George Mason.
They even have a prototypical NBA wing in William Buford who matches up extremely well with Kyle Singler.
Coach K is going to have an awfully tall task in front of him to reach his record breaking 903rd W.
Kansas in the Finals?
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As if having to beat Ohio State in the Final Four wasn't a big enough obstacle in itself, the Blue Devils may very well be tasked with having to knock off an extremely talented Kansas team two days later in the Championship.
The Jayhawks are led by the Morris twins, Marcus and Markieff, who combine to average over 31-points and 15 rebounds per game.
The pair of powerful forwards combined for 41-points and 24 rebounds in their 73-59 win over Illinois in the second round.
The names don't stop there. Kansas gets significant contributions from guards Tyrel Reed, Tyshawn Taylor and Brady Morningstar.
The Jayhawks are still a slight favorite in Vegas to cut down the nets on April 4th, and they also remain a slight favorite as Duke's biggest obstacle over the next two weeks.
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