Stat Chat: The Replacements

Duke has played in a number of exciting games this season, with several coming down to the wire. This past Monday against Virginia was no different, with a wild bounce off of a Rasheed Sulaimon three-point attempt giving the Blue Devils a lead they wouldn't relinquish in a 69-65 victory. However, what was most fascinating about this game was the lineup changes. Not only was the starting lineup changed once again, but head coach Mike Krzyzewski went to the bench...a lot.

Let's start with the overall numbers. Duke used 18 different lineups in the game overall, meaning each lineup averaged about 2 minutes and 13 seconds on the court. The lineup used most frequently included Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, Amile Jefferson, Quinn Cook, and Matt Jones. Those five played together for 13 minutes and 26 seconds of the game, outscoring the Cavaliers 19-15, forcing three turnovers, and holding the opposition to 27.8 percent from the field.

However, while this was the most used lineup, there were some serious problems on the offensive end. The unit shot 30 percent from the field, nearly 15 points lower than the team's field goal percentage overall, while taking 40.8 percent of the shots, therefore making the poor shooting significant. Where we saw the biggest difference was behind the arc. Despite having four quality shooters from 3-point land in the lineup, Duke shot 18.2 percent from deep with this particular lineup.

Before getting too lost in those offensive numbers, there are two points that need to be addressed. The first is that lineups with better defensive players are generally going to be less productive on the offensive end. Jones is a solid shooter, but where he thrives is playing perimeter defense. When Jones was in the game, 50 percent of the total field goals were made, but the Blue Devils shot 33.3 percent from the field.

The other factor to consider is how hot Sulaimon was compared to everyone else on the team. The sophomore made 31.8 percent of the team's field goals (7-of-11) and 40 percent of the team's three-point field goals (4-of-5). Compare that to Parker and Hood, who shot a combined 8-of-23 from the field and 4-of-13 from 3-point land. Parker and Hood are the best players on the team, but it was Sulaimon who carried the load in this game.

Where things really got interesting were the five man shifts. Coach K opted to take everyone on the court off, replacing them with five fresh bodies. Remember, Virginia is a borderline top 25 team at the moment; this was no walk in the park. As such, the move was a little surprising. For the first 11:26 of the first half and the first 8:18 of the second half, Duke substituted no fewer than five players each time. In that span, the Blue Devils outscored the Cavaliers 29-21 and held the opposition to a field goal percentage of 28 percent. Virginia didn't shoot great most of the night, shooting 38 percent from the field overall, but fresh bodies appeared to have an effect on the defensive end.

Duke did not play great against the Cavaliers; however, the lineup shifts were refreshing to see from a team that historically has its stars worn down by the end of the ACC schedule. Keep an eye out for shifts such as these this Saturday against N.C. State; we may be seeing the start of something new for Coach K and the Blue Devils