Didn't get to see much of the game, other than the last 4 minutes. Obviously, Redick had a big game. How did G-town beat them? Was it Duke foul trouble for Williams that was a big factor? It looked like Paulus and the other duke young bucks were turning the ball over, and really showing their inexperience. Anyway, just wondering how the Hoyas ended up beating Duke. What a big win, and something that could help them out when it comes to their season profile for the NCAA tourney.
As a big Duke fan, I think this just goes to show a couple of things: 1.) This team is not as good as I'd like to think they are. That 2001 team would have cleaned the floor with these guys. I still think that Duke is Final Four bound, but there are too many glarring holes in this team. 2.) Sheldon Williams is more important that J.J. Redick. Yes J.J, is a scoring machine. But he doesn't really do to much else to help us. Williams is a defensive stopper---NO ONE comes into the paint when he is around---ask Maryland (Williams had 10 blocks). McRoberts did not step up today in Williams absence caused by foul trouble. He is young yet, but today would have been a proving game for him. 3.) Duke is beatable and may be overlooking some teams. Remember Va Tech? No reason that game should have been close in terms of talent. Today? I think talent wise Duke is much better. Don't get me wrong, G'Town deserves tons of credit--they did it (though they almost crapped all away). But I think Duke may be overlooking some games on thier schedule. Remember this though: After Duke inched by VA Tech, who did they play? Texas, and they were on a mission that game. Ironically, VA Tech is next on the schedule. I'm prediciting a 30+ point win for the Dukies on Thursday.
i don't see how people can even consider reddick a lottery player. he struggles when long players like bowman are on him and pretty much every 2-guard in the association is long.
Please share what you are smoking....if this is your true opinion, fine. But PLEASE don't share it after Redick blows up for 41 in a game....not wise timing! Duke will go as far as those young guys, Paulus and McRoberts, will take them. Come tourney time, there will come a game where Redick or Williams get in foul trouble. If those guys aren't mature enough as basketball players to step up, Duke will go down. Probably still one of the top two teams in the nation, alongside UConn, but they do have weaknesses.
I don't care about his 41 because most of that was scored on shorter guys who won't ever make it to the nba. even billy packer talked about how whenever bowman was on him he couldn't get his shot off. if g'town had bowman on him all the time he would have been in the teens and gotten most of that off multiple picks. the nba is loaded with long players like bowman and rodney carney (another guy he struggled against when calipari put him on jj in the 2nd half). hey he's a great college player. i'm just saying he's not a good nba prospect. at best he's a 3point specialist off the bench. try to make him do more than that (say starter) and he'll be exposed.
I'm going to disagree with this assessment. When G-town put bigger players on Redick today, he just went ahead and did what he has done every time other teams have put a bigger player on him this year - drive to the basketball and score. He could not do that in the last 2 minutes because his team needed him to hit 3 pointers. Every time Duke ran a pick and roll today, the man guarding the screener jumped out and double-teamed Redick. NBA teams can't afford to do that. If you call playing every minute of a game, being the focus of Georgetown's defensive effort, and scoring 41 points struggling, then I'd like to see Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Rafer Alston & Co. struggle every single game. I can pretty much guarantee that Redick will succeed in the NBA
by succeed what do you mean? an nba all star, good starter, good role player? i don't think reddick will be a star. his ballhandling and passing aren't good enough to be a starting nba pg, but his height and athleticism aren't on par to be a sg. i think he's going to be a shooting guard, but i don't think he'll be an allstar or even really good player. i believe he'll serve as a pure scorer off the bench or as a starter who doesn't play a ton of minutes because of the mismatch of him having to play taller and much more ahtletic 2's.
He seems like the next rex chapman. A good player that can be a starter (at least for a little while) and a guy who will nail clutch shots but he won't be a superstar. He'll have a nice long NBA career. I used to be much more skeptical of him but he's developed a more all-around game that will allow him to survive in the NBA.
what does my previous statement have to do with anything? i never said he wouldn't make the league. i just said he doesn't look like an nba starter (good nba prospect). that doesn't mean he won't have success or "make it in the league." if he has a career like steve kerr i would consider that a success because i don't expect anything more from him other than 3 point specialist. i just don't think you draft "off the bench 3 point specialists" in the lottery. he would be a good value in say the early 2nd round (our knicks pick), like salim stoudamire (who was a much better 3point shooter in college than jj). well those guys are already at the highest level so if they were doing that against nba teams there wouldn't be a need to analyze how they scored because they aren't prospects for a higher league. when i'm watching jj, i'm not watching him as a fan of that game ... i could care less about duke or georgetown. i'm watching it to see how his game might translate to a higher level. when i see him struggle against long players it gives me pause because that's all he's going to see in the nba. then i start to wonder why are people talking about him as a high lottery pick then? have they forgotten about another former dookie who's best attribute was his 3 point shooting: trajan langdon? jj is definitely an nba player and could have a steve kerr like career which would be awesome in my book, i just don't see him as a future starter on a good team. rex chapman was a GREAT athlete. that's a huge difference in the nba game. so basically what you're saying is he's rex champan minus the great athleticism ... well that's not similar to rex chapman at all.
Redick could be a shorter Wesley Person when he gets to the league too. Same perfect jump shot form and moderate creating ability at the college level. Person averaged almost 20 per game for his 4-year career at Auburn and then was drafted in the first round. While he's had a great career, he's definitely not a game-changer. Now, if Redick joins a team with a Shaq-type big man, he could make some noise, ala Derek Fisher. As far as Shelden Williams goes, people don't realize that he isn't a good man-to-man post defender. He's an out-of-this-world shotblocker and rebounder, but he gets in foul trouble and lets good post players who are smart enough to use their bodies and prevent the blocked shot, run roughshod on him. Case in point: Marco Killingsworth this year. I think Shelden would be a good addition to any team, but don't expect Tim Duncan defense, he's more of a shotblocker extraordinaire than anything.
My take based on seeing Duke a few times and seeing almost all of this game: I think Redick is more likely to do well in the NBA. His shooting ability should carry him a long way. I never thought Sheldon Williams would succeed against NBA talent. I put him somewhere in between Lonny Baxter and Carlos Boozer; closer to Baxter. His greatest asset is his brute strength. He isn't very skilled.
While this thread seems to have turned into a J.J. Reddick thread I can't say I'm not proud of my Hoyas. They overwhelmed Duke with stifling defense and picked apart the Dukies with backdoor cut after backdoor cut. Well done. Hoya Saxa!
yeah, rex chapman was a great athlete and I think he had a lot more range. I loved watching chapman play.
Yeah seconded, for a while I almost forgot we had a basketball team. If JT III's career is ever in trouble, this will always be in his backpocket.
