Duke put on an impressive offensive performance in their season opener, scoring 111 points in a 34-point victory against a solid Davidson squad. In their first games for the Blue Devils, freshman forward Jabari Parker and sophomore forward Rodney Hood led the team with 22 points apiece.
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
· Duke needs to utilize their size advantage and dominate off the glass: Even against a relatively small Davidson lineup, Duke was unable to capitalize on the boards, losing the rebounding battle 31-27. Davidson secured 13 offensive rebounds compared to three by Duke, a concerning statistic that was obscured by the Blue Devils’ offensive eruption.
· The Blue Devils must find the open man outside the perimeter: Duke was very effective from beyond the arc, hitting 13-of-21 three-pointers in the game, as Davidson defenders laid off Blue Devil shooters, wary of their explosiveness off the dribble. Parker and Hood, the team’s biggest threats in the paint, combined to hit all five shots they took.
· Duke must stop Davidson’s outside shooting: Davidson also took 21 3-point shots, but only three of them. The Wildcats had a hard time getting many clean looks from long-range, as Duke’s athletic lineup extended pressure and contested almost every shot.
Three key plays:
· 9:50, first half: Just past the midway point of the first half, Parker made his second 3-pointer of the game. The basket put the Blue Devils up by the score of 32-17, and forced Davidson coach Bob McKillop to call a timeout. Parker’s shot capped off 13-2 Duke run that gave the Blue Devils separation that they would never relinquish.
· 9:55, second half: With the game already in hand, junior point guard Quinn Cook threw an alley-oop to Parker, who finished with a thunderous dunk that electrified the Cameron crazies. The play highlighted Davidson’s difficulty at stopping Duke’s multi-faceted attack, as the Wildcats were so focused on the Blue Devils shooting and penetration that they forgot to check Parker running the baseline.
· 9:17, second half: Less than a minute after Cook’s alley-oop lob to Parker, sophomore shooting guard Rasheed Sulaimon hit a 3-pointer that put an exclamation mark on a striking offensive display. Sulaimon scored 20 points, a strong start to the season for the guard who struggled with consistency last year.
Three key stats:
· Duke shoots 70.4 percent from the field: For just the sixth time in school history, the Blue Devils shot over 70 percent from the field, signifying how efficiently the offense executed. Duke showed why its offense has been highly touted as explosive and diverse heading into the season, as the Blue Devils shot well from beyond the three-point line, broke down Davidson defenders off the dribble with ease, and converted points in the paint.
· Davidson collects 13 offensive rebounds: Though coach Mike Krzyzewski could not have asked for a much better offensive showing, the team’s rebounding left much to be desired. The Wildcats outrebounded the Blue Devils by four boards, and grabbed 10 more offensive rebounds than did the Blue Devils. Rebounding is one of Duke’s biggest concerns this season, as they are running out an small lineup with three athletic forwards but no true center, and losing the battle of the boards to a relatively small Davidson squad is a bad sign for the Blue Devils.
· Duke scores 111 points: This a pretty obvious statistic, but it nonetheless deserves attention because scoring 111 points against a tournament-caliber team is quite the accomplishment. The Blue Devils justified the hype about this team’s offensive potential, seemingly able to score at will on every possession. The clinic that Duke put on serves as a notice to rest of the league how dangerous this team can be offensively.
And the Duke game ball goes to… Jabari Parker:
Parker came ready to play in his first college basketball game, displaying his natural shooting stroke and deftness around the basket en route to scoring 22 points. Throughout the game, Jabari showcased the versatility that made him a top recruit, and a great fit in a loaded Duke frontcourt. He even excited the crowd with a powerful alley-oop dunk.
And the Davidson game ball goes to… De’Mon Brooks:
Davidson’s undersized forward showed why he was selected Southern Conference preseason player of the year, scoring 24 points and hauling in seven rebounds. Brooks was able to have his way inside with Duke’s lean forwards, but he could not help the Wildcats keep pace with the Blue Devils’ high-octane offense.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.