Right now I think Duke is probably the second best team in college basketball. The problem for the Blue Devils is there are many challengers for the second position, while #1 Kentucky is light years ahead of everyone else.
Freshman center Jahlil Okafor is unstoppable on the offensive end, but that's hardly the only weapon Duke has at its disposal. Tyus Jones, Quinn Cook, Matt Jones, and Grayson Allen give the Blue Devils four deadly shooters from three-point range, while Cook and Tyus Jones provide two point-guard options more than capable of running the team. Justise Winslow is a future first-round NBA draft pick who does everything well. He's a lock-down defender who loves doing the dirty work, but he can also carry the load offensively when needed. He's a fiery competitor who brings fight and toughness to the team, an area where inside players Amile Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee make solid contributions as well.
Duke's major weakness is at the defensive end of the floor. Duke's starting guards are small and often lack the size and strength to lock down their opponents. The Blue Devils have been victimized by opposing guards in all three of their losses this season, but Coach K found a great way to compensate by employing a zone defense against Louisville's lightning quick guard tandem. He'll likely need to use that zone several more times this season, and I'm sure he'll know when to do it.
As good as likely #1 pick Jahlil Okafor is offensively, his defense leaves a lot to be desired. He isn't explosively athletic, and a majority of the time he doesn't appear to be working very hard on the defensive end. He's also very confused when he's pulled away from the basket, often finding himself out of position and leaving open lanes to the rim.
The best sign for Duke this season is they've risen to the occasion in the biggest games. After losing a late lead at Notre Dame, Duke went on the road and beat then-unbeaten Virginia. They followed that great comeback with a total destruction of the Fighting Irish in the rematch of their last loss, then knocked off Syracuse in the Carrier Dome.
Duke hosts North Carolina tonight in what is always a huge game, but today's tilt has the potential to get ugly fast. This Tar Heel team has shown a lack of fight and toughness much too often this season, and if they come into Cameron Indoor Stadium with this same weak mentality they could get blown out of the building early on. I'm hoping for a special performance from a UNC team that desperately needs a confidence booster, but I've fully prepared myself for another disappointing loss. This Duke team is very good, and they're one of the few teams with a shot at cutting down the nets at the end of the season.
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