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Today's boxscore:
https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf8/7806 ... EM_ID=4200

I'm going to watch the game this evening.

I watched the last 15 minutes of game #2 and came away with these impressions:

1. Ryan Kelly looks very good. He is probably the most improved returning player.
2. Miles Plumlee made a couple of nice offensive moves in the low post (he scored in double figures) and knocked down a left-handed jump hook. He deserves to start over Mason.
3. Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry are going to be solid on the wing.
4. Austin Rivers needs some development in the decision making area. This isn't suprising seeing as it is August and he is a freshman.

I'm anxiously awaiting the Box score. I like to stare at the numbers and pretend they make me better understand what I already watched.

Bob Green wrote:I watched the last 15 minutes of game #2 and came away with these impressions:

1. Ryan Kelly looks very good. He is probably the most improved returning player.
2. Miles Plumlee made a couple of nice offensive moves in the low post (he scored in double figures) and knocked down a left-handed jump hook. He deserves to start over Mason.
3. Andre Dawkins and Seth Curry are going to be solid on the wing.
4. Austin Rivers needs some development in the decision making area. This isn't suprising seeing as it is August and he is a freshman.

I'm anxiously awaiting the Box score. I like to stare at the numbers and pretend they make me better understand what I already watched.

Boxscore

Here are the Top 5 plays video highlights at Duke Blue Planet:

8/17: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PknUclqp ... tube_gdata

8/18: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17OJ_ibl ... tube_gdata

Game 3 Final Score: 93-78. I watched the whole 1st quarter, first 2 minutes of the 2nd quarter and then the last 2 minutes of the game. We jumped out to a big lead, 30-16 at the end of the 1st quarter, behind solid play from Curry and Miles Plumlee. Dawkins had 8 points when I left home for work. He hit a couple of 3-pointers and had a monster slam off a nice backdoor cut and pass from Mason Plumlee.

Anxiously awaiting the Box score as usual.

Jesus_hurley wrote:Today's boxscore

Six players in double figures is impressive. Miles with a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds. Hopefully, he can replicate those type of numbers in games played after January. Ryan Kelly with an impressive 20 points. The team shot 38% on 3-pointers.

Next up: UAE. It does look like we are playing their national team, not one of the junior teams. Here are a couple of articles I found from their perspective:
http://sport360.com/article/packed-sche ... their-toes
http://sport360.com/article/uae-take-fa ... s-thursday

Jesus_hurley wrote:Next up: UAE. It does look like we are playing their national team, not one of the junior teams. Here are a couple of articles I found from their perspective:
http://sport360.com/article/packed-sche ... their-toes
http://sport360.com/article/uae-take-fa ... s-thursday

According to the announcer, this will be the UAE national team.

43-31 at the half. Much better 2nd quarter then first. Mason is having a solid game so far and Rivers looks much, much better.

Murphy kept us in the game in the first quarter.

86-66. Dawk with 6 3's.

But free throws have been an issue.

Jesus_hurley wrote:But free throws have been an issue.

Mason has been leading FT school.

Recap: http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml? ... EM_ID=4200

Those four games were a lot of fun. Duke basketball in August is gravy, so who can complain? Actually, lots of folks but not me!

I watched all of the first three quarters and about four minutes of the fourth quarter today before my Internet connection froze. A couple of observations from the World According to Bob:

1. Andre Dawkins can flat out shoot the basketball, but we all already know that. His team leading 20 points isn't a surprise because UAE left him open. A more impressive stat is his seven rebounds. Dawkins is our starting small forward/wing guard and he will need to be strong on the glass this year. Last season, Kyle Singler averaged 6.8 rpg as the SF/WG. Dawkins needs to be equally productive on the glass and running down long rebounds off missed 3-pointers.

2. Alex Murphy is really good and will play significant minutes as a freshman. He will back-up Dawkins at the 3 and see time at the 4 when Coach K decides to go small. Conversely, Michael Gbinije has a steep learning curve ahead of him. He seemed to be really forcing things on the offensive end today.

3. Mason Plumlee is more effective in a fast paced game, while brother Miles and Ryan Kelly thrive in a half court tempo.

Bob Green wrote:Those four games were a lot of fun. Duke basketball in August is gravy, so who can complain? Actually, lots of folks but not me!

I watched all of the first three quarters and about four minutes of the fourth quarter today before my Internet connection froze. A couple of observations from the World According to Bob:

1. Andre Dawkins can flat out shoot the basketball, but we all already know that. His team leading 20 points isn't a surprise because UAE left him open. A more impressive stat is his seven rebounds. Dawkins is our starting small forward/wing guard and he will need to be strong on the glass this year. Last season, Kyle Singler averaged 6.8 rpg as the SF/WG. Dawkins needs to be equally productive on the glass and running down long rebounds off missed 3-pointers.

2. Alex Murphy is really good and will play significant minutes as a freshman. He will back-up Dawkins at the 3 and see time at the 4 when Coach K decides to go small. Conversely, Michael Gbinije has a steep learning curve ahead of him. He seemed to be really forcing things on the offensive end today.

3. Mason Plumlee is more effective in a fast paced game, while brother Miles and Ryan Kelly thrive in a half court tempo.

Good observations, Bob. Thanks for sharing.

Bob Green wrote: 2. Alex Murphy is really good and will play significant minutes as a freshman. He will back-up Dawkins at the 3 and see time at the 4 when Coach K decides to go small.

I made mention in chat today that I liked what I saw from Murphy, but I would not expect big minutes after January. He strikes me in the same way as Kelly did as a freshmen...raw talent, but obviously has lots to learn. He was fun to watch and I'm looking forward to seeing him play this year.

Here are my thoughts on what we learned from the Friendship Games:

http://bluedevilnation.net/2011/08/what ... -vacation/

CameronBornAndBred wrote:

Bob Green wrote: 2. Alex Murphy is really good and will play significant minutes as a freshman. He will back-up Dawkins at the 3 and see time at the 4 when Coach K decides to go small.

I made mention in chat today that I liked what I saw from Murphy, but I would not expect big minutes after January. He strikes me in the same way as Kelly did as a freshmen...raw talent, but obviously has lots to learn. He was fun to watch and I'm looking forward to seeing him play this year.

I believe the difference between freshman Murphy and freshman Kelly is depth at the position in question. Murphy will be competing with Gbinije for minutes at small forward/wing guard in relief of Dawkins. In 2010, Kelly was competing with Lance Thomas, Mason Plumlee and, at times, Kyle Singler for minutes at power forward. I remain convinced Murphy will see significant minutes as a freshman. I guess the question is: what is the definition of significant? I'll have to ponder that for a beer or two this afternoon.