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When faced with a similar problem on how to dole out PT on Team USA, coach K used a platoon system like UNC used to use.

Duke’s top 6 minutes played last year

34 Scheyer
32 Paulus
32 Nelson
22 McClure
19 Henderson
15 Lance
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154 before Zoubek-Pocius-3 frosh

Though all agree 34 for Scheyer is way too much, they also agree 19 for Henderson is too few. Most would agree the total of 53 for the combo Scheyer-Henderson is reasonable, and that Lance should get more minutes, so let that be the 2 from both Nelson and Paulus to bring their minutes to 30 each and Lance up to 19.

If Singler plays 26 minutes, that accounts for all 180 minutes, which spread across top 7 players would be 26 minutes each, leaving zero PT for Zoubek, Pocius, Smith and King which is problematic.

The more I ponder the problem, the more I think it may make sense to use the platoon system pairing Smith-Pocius-King-Zoubek and either Henderson-Singler whom most agree are Duke’s two most high potential guys at this point.

Whether that group deserves 5 minutes PT, 10 minutes PT or more minutes PT is not something everyone will agree on.

But while they are in as a unit, Scheyer, Paulus, Nelson, McClure, Lance and other of Henderson-Singler can be rested a couple minutes before a TV timeout to get a decent cumulative breather. Or Coach K can bring in his swat team after a time out to change momentum.

I think it is likely coach K’s starting unit, and the bulk of the minutes other than possibly Zoubek, comes from the 7 guys Paulus-Nelson-Scheyer-(Henderson-Singler)-(McClure/ Lance).

The swat team could have some interesting combinations and could also be the basis for the Blue-White lineup, now just two months away, with mostly returnees (Paulus-Nelson-Scheyer-[Henderson/Singler]-[Lance/McClure]) versus

Smith-Pocius-Henderson-King-Zoubek

Smith-Pocius-Singler-King-Zoubek

Smith-Pocius-Henderson-King-Singler

Smith-Henderson-Singler-King-Zoubek

Another way to look at the PT problem is to group the six smalls of (Paulus-Nelson-Scheyer-Henderson-Pocius-Smith) and the five “Bigs” of (Zoubek-Lance-McClure-Singler-King).

Using a simplistic 120 minutes for the smalls and agreeing it is virtually certain Paulus and Nelson secure at least 60 minutes, leaves 60 minutes to spread across Scheyer-Henderson-Pocius-Smith with the first two averaging 53 last year, leaving crumbs for Nolan Smith and Marty Pocius, unless some of these premises are challenged.

Similarly, with McClure (22) – Lance (15) and Zoubek (7) having averaged 44 minutes last year, that only leaves 16 for Singler and Kingsnoggle combined and they will surely rack up more than that. Hard to imagine Zoubek the lone true center getting less than 7, or even Lance getting less than 15, so that implies McClure’s PT takes a pretty big hit, despite the fact that he is a glue guy, knack for the ball, yada, yada.

Anyway, one solution is for Smith-Pocius-King-Zoubek to either succeed or fail as a group when they get into a game paired with (Henderson/Singler). If they are holding their own, they play more than token minutes each half against that opponent. If they are not, coach K reverts to his top 7, which is pretty much last year’s team with Singler instead of Josh.

In the latter scenario, unless that extra 6 man years of experience plus an injury free Paulus makes a big difference, or unless this year’s competition is significantly weaker than last year’s , Duke’s relative success pretty much depends on the second platoon making the bigger difference that last year’s bench could not. It was pretty much curtains for the Offense when Josh or Paulus was not on the floor last year.

The minutes at the beginning of the year are never the same as at the end. K whittles the rotation down to 7 players - something I think is not always the best idea. I'd like to see him use 9 or 10 bodies, even if they only get 5 minutes total, to spread out the wear and tear of the season.

79 Devil Wrote:The minutes at the beginning of the year are never the same as at the end. K whittles the rotation down to 7 players - something I think is not always the best idea. I'd like to see him use 9 or 10 bodies, even if they only get 5 minutes total, to spread out the wear and tear of the season.

I hear you at about what usually happens. But this year there is no big delta between any two guys at a given position.

It's a given at the 1.2 and 3 at least Paulus-Scheyer-Nelson-Henderson will share those 3 spots. I doubt if both Marty and Nolan get eliminated.

Hard to imagine keeping King Taylor off the floor as he will likely be given the JJ exemption.

K already has shown confidence in McClure and Lance and Singler will play.

That coupled with Duke bigs will be in a lot of foul trouble which brings more guys onto the floor by necessity and I expect at least 9.

I can see Nolan or Marty being eliminated more due to numbers game than talent and possibly Zoubek if the Summer injury inhibited his development.

But I expect at least 8 or 9 even during most of ACC play.

Paulus
Scheyer
Nelson
Henderson
(Smith or Pocius)
Singler
McClure
Lance
King
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other of (Nolan/Marty)??
Zoubek?? though he should be given every opportunity since he is Duke's only true big to guard other bigs and draw fouls on same.

I truly believe(and pray) K uses a larger rotation this year. His best plan would be to get every one of these kids in incredible shape and run the holy crap out of teams front to back. We have some incredible speed this year.

I think K is willing to adapt to what he has. He likes to trim his rotation because it helps get players in a rhythm and often he just has 6 or 7 guys that are just better than the other players. It really just depends on who he has confidence in as to how many guys get the minutes.

Controlling tempo, good defense, and spreading the fouls around are going to be Duke's best method to over come our lack of size inside... which adds credence to all the comments above of playing a larger rotation this year.

I think he'll do what he's pretty much always done, which is to shorten the bench as the season goes on, but extend the bench when he has to; as is the case when he plays a deep, strong, aggressive team like Carolina.

Am I wrong or is this the smallest team in K's history?

It seems to be Zoubek and a bunch of SF's at the 4 and 5 spots.

Didn't UNC go to a FF with Stackhouse at PF?

Supersport Wrote:Didn't UNC go to a FF with Stackhouse at PF?

Yes. He started at power forward for the '95 team, along with, I believe, McInnis, Donald Williams, Calabria and Rasheed Wallace; an extremely quick and athletic team; but when needed, they also had Pat Sullivan and Serge Zwikker to rotate in.

Zwikker 7'2"
Sullivan 6'7"

Interesting comparisons....