Preview #2: Duke Blue Devils

Last Season:  32-4, 14-2 ACC

Key Losses: JJ Redick, Shelden Williams, Sean Dockery, Lee Melchionni

Backcourt: Greg Paulus took over the point guard position from day one as a freshman last year, and had his ups and downs like most freshmen.  Paulus is superb at finding passing lanes, but struggled with his shot last season due to an injured wrist.  Speaking of injury, as is well known now, Paulus injured his foot during the 2^nd practice of the season. The good news for Duke is that Paulus is expected back mid-November, possibly without missing a game.  Attempting to replace JJ Redick at shooting guard will be Demarcus Nelson.  Nelson will be returning to the starting lineup, a place he held at the start of last season before fracturing his ankle in a game against Drexel.  Nelson is the best defender the Blue Devils have, and is very good at getting to the basket off the dribble.  Nelson’s biggest weakness is his inconsistent shooting, mostly due to an awkward release that he has worked on over the summer.  On the wing, freshman Gerald Henderson brings an athleticism Duke hasn’t had since Dahntay Jones.  Henderson has an outstanding mid-range game, and is only a 3 point shot away from being a possible All-ACC selection.  Coming off the bench, Lithuanian, Martynas Pocius is a very skilled offensive player, although as good as he is offensively, he is equally bad defensively.  Coach K will also look to freshman, Jon Scheyer, who will likely fill in for Paulus at point guard in his absence. 

Frontcourt: The frontcourt starts with sophomore, Josh McRoberts who hopes to fill the shoes of lottery pick, Shelden Williams.  While Williams was a bruising center, McRoberts is much more athletic and mobile, and more in the mold Duke centers of the past, such as Christian Laettner and Danny Ferry.  McRoberts will even be looked at to help bring the ball up the floor during the absence of Paulus, as his ball handling and passing are exceptional for a big man.  Most likely playing next to McRoberts will be freshman, Lance Thomas.  The 6’9” Thomas is aggressive on the boards, has a nice mid-range game, and should be able to guard 4 positions defensively, making him an extremely valuable player in Mike Krzyzewski’s switching man-to-man defense.  Freshman, Brian Zoubek, will surprise most as the 7 footer is extremely skilled offensively.  Zoubek will likely backup Thomas and McRoberts early in the season, but could crack the starting lineup before the season is over.  Also seeing time in the frontcourt will be sophomore, Jamal Boykin, an intense, energetic player and David McClure, a heady, defensive player who missed last year with a knee injury.

Intangibles: Demarcus Nelson, the only junior on a team with no seniors, will be called upon to lead a team that is very young.  Nelson is a tough, athletic defender at 6’4” with very long arms, a daunting opposition for most guards.
Potential Breakout Player: Over at Duke, people see Gerald Henderson as Grant Hill II with his smooth movements on the court, and his impressive leaping ability.  Henderson is one of a few players that can create his own shot in the half-court offense, making him extremely important to the Blue Devils.

Summary: Duke lost 2 All-Americans who will likely have their numbers raised to the rafters at Cameron Indoor, but Coach K and the Blue Devils are ready once again.  Of course, this Blue Devil team has more question marks than any team since 1999:

1. Without Redick and Williams, who can score consistently in the half court offense?
2. Does Duke have enough shooters to spread the floor and give McRoberts room to operate in the post?
3. Can Coach K take a team with no seniors and one junior deep into the NCAA Tourney?

This team is far different than last year’s Duke team that went to the sweet sixteen, and is more similar to Duke’s teams of the 90’s, with quite a few slashers and a mobile big man.  Those teams strived on defense and passing the ball, two areas the 2006 Blue Devils should succeed in as well.  The Blue Devils margin of error is larger than Boston College who was picked #3, but their upside is also quite higher, which lands them being predicted to finish 2^nd.
Top Returning Fantasy Player: Josh McRoberts averaged 7.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.3 spg, 1.1 bpg in conference play last season.

Up Next: #1 North Carolina Tarheels