Duke Basketball: 3 things team needs to work on for 2020 NCAA Tournament

Strategic Rotations

The greatest strength of the Duke team this year is their depth and versatility.  They have ten players who average at least thirteen minutes per game, they are 5th in the nation in blocks with only three of those players taller than 6’7″ and none taller than 6’10” and also rank in the top 26 in:  turnovers forced, steals, assists, rebounding margin, offensive rebounds per game, scoring margin, points per game and field goal percentage.

If one player is hurt or having a bad game, the depth and ability for anyone to get hot can help save Duke; although we saw in their last two losses what the absence of one or two key pieces can be.  This versatility can be a double-edged sword though.

While the depth allows for a variety of lineups and adaptability from game to game as well as in-game situations; this lineup versatility often seems to create a lack of continuity.  If Duke can create some lineups that are formed for particular situations, but can practice together as a unit, they may be able to cut down on the mistakes that make Duke #192 in turnovers and #173 in turnovers per game.

Players are usually their best when they know their roles and routines so a few situational lineups with designed and practiced plays would be beneficial in tight games later in the season.  Duke has looked unsure of where to go offensively when Carey is off the floor and especially so when coupled with either Matthew Hurt or Cassius Stanley on the bench.

Working on the rotation will help define roles, provide experience through practice and develop a situational strategy that can help Duke reverse their dismal rankings with respect to turnovers, which leads us into the third area Duke could do to improve on: