WRAL Sports Fan

Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

http://insider.espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/8840074/why-duke-blue-devils-miss-ryan-kelly-plus-other-takeaways-ncb

After injuring his right foot, Ryan Kelly sat out the second half of Duke's comfortable 68-40 win at home against Clemson. Playing without Kelly, the No. 1-ranked Blue Devils posted their worst defensive showing of the season four days later, allowing host NC State to score 1.17 points per possession in Duke's 84-76 loss -- its first of the season.

Cause and effect? Not entirely, of course, but to a certain extent, one thing did help the other along. Kelly's absence didn't single-handedly trigger the Blue Devils' first loss, but it sure didn't help. More importantly, there's good reason for Mike Krzyzewski to be worried as long as the 6-foot-11 senior is sidelined by his injury.

Kelly has long labored under a misapprehension common to all tall players who can make 3s, namely, that making 3s must be all they can do. (Although an allowance is sometimes made that such a player is also "a good passer.") In Kelly's case, however, that misapprehension is clearly mistaken. The senior's no threat to Jeff Withey statistically in terms of shot-blocking, however, he is the best player in that department on a team that started ACC play limiting opponents to 38 percent shooting inside the arc. Conversely, the Wolfpack were able to hit better than half their 2s against Duke.

In Kelly's absence, the minutes given to players such as 6-foot-7 Josh Hairston are likely to increase. Note, for example, that Hairston started in Kelly's place in Raleigh, logging 25 minutes and scoring a season-high eight points to go along with five rebounds.

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

Hairston's a fine player, but the advantage that Kelly gave his team is relatively simple to describe. In a lineup that already has 6-10 national player of the year candidate Mason Plumlee, the 6-11 Kelly was free to guard the opposing team's best scorer at the 4 or even the 3. And scorers at those positions aren't necessarily accustomed to being guarded by 6-11 players, at least not ones who also have the ability to stick with them.

This alignment of defensive talent was working beautifully for Duke through its first 15 games. Where last season the Blue Devils were suspect on D, this season's team had made a dramatic improvement on that side of the ball. In fact, with Kelly in the lineup, this defense deserved mention in the same breath as Louisville and Syracuse. It was that good.

Now that I've spoken of Kelly as though he were Anthony Davis on defense, allow me to make the more obvious point: Kelly is an important part of the Duke offense as well. A 52 percent 3-point shooter on the season (and a 79 percent shooter at the line), Kelly was Duke's third-leading scorer at the time of his injury. He was an effective source of offense for Coach K, not only by virtue of his perimeter accuracy but also because he committed just 12 turnovers even though he was on the floor for 739 offensive possessions.

No player replacing Kelly will carry as large a load on offense, meaning players such as Plumlee, Seth Curry and Rasheed Sulaimon will see their possession usage increase. The Blue Devils are still a very good team without Kelly, of course, but they're measurably better with him in the lineup. Duke fans should be hoping for the senior's speedy return. I promise you Krzyzewski is.

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

With all that being said, Kelly guarding the 3 or the 4. He would have been guarding the 4 which would have been CJ Leslie. Do you really think big slow 6'11" Kelly could guard CJ? His only hope would have been the flop, which you didnt mention that he is great at. As for offense, no post moves, no inside moves, below average rebounder for a so called big man, just a stand still WIDE OPEN jump shooter. So I guess you are assuming CJ was going to let him stand there as just shoot wide open jump shots all day. If he would dare tried to drive it would have landed 20 rows up, like last year when he tried to drive that one time. Give Jefferson some credit with his 10 points also, because he was the only one athletic enough to stay with CJ. Oh Louisville played without Deng earlier, but how many Duke fans noticed that?

903 Just Could Not Sleep Knowing He is a Loser!

903 did you change back to a dook fan? Or is it state kollege, or UVA, or FSU or whoever??????????????????

Looks like somebody is upset their team played so terrible and looking for a wittle excuse. Sad, but dooks season is over. They will be trampled by UNC!

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

I dont care what anyone says about Dukes bench, they hurt with out Kelly.

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

Louisvile hurt without Deng also. Kelly? Jefferson, and Hairston get no love (18, and 9)!! Sorry Duke fans with or without Kelly CJ wasnt going to be stopped by Kelly. Driving to work this moring a guy on the radio said Duke playing without Kelly, is like the Ravens playing without Ray Lewis. Good thing I didnt run off the road. Are you kidding me?

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

So Amile is better than Kelly now?

If that's the case, why does Coach K play Kelly 28.3 mpg, Amile 8.8 mpg and Hairston 11.3 mpg.

I'll take the judgement of the all-time winningest coach of all time (as well as the ESPN writer that wrote this article) over some anonymous guy on the internet.

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

So Amile is better than Kelly now?

If that's the case, why does Coach K play Kelly 28.3 mpg, Amile 8.8 mpg and Hairston 11.3 mpg.

I'll take the judgement of the all-time winningest coach of all time (as well as the ESPN writer that wrote this article) over some anonymous guy on the internet. 

- Posted by 903 Rock Chalk Wiggins Hawk

Poor wittel 903 is hiney-hurt! Hope he has some vaseline left from their bowl debacle...bahaaaaaaa! Jurk!

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

Didnt say that he was better just said that Jefferson, and Hairston were more athletic. Put it this way CJ scored 25. With Kelly guarding him, and not flopping it would have easily been 30 for CJ. CJ destroyed him in high school also. Of course he will get most of the minutes he is a senior playing. Why wont a Duke fan answer the Deng coment? Its all about Kelly the 4th best player on your team.

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

Didnt say that he was better just said that Jefferson, and Hairston were more athletic. Put it this way CJ scored 25. With Kelly guarding him, and not flopping it would have easily been 30 for CJ. CJ destroyed him in high school also. Of course he will get most of the minutes he is a senior playing. Why wont a Duke fan answer the Deng coment? Its all about Kelly the 4th best player on your team. 

- Posted by Toddler10-21

Do you think Kelly would have commited 5 fouls in 12 minutes like Amile did? Kelly's the senior whose experience in tight games like Saturday at a ranked team's home gym is something Hairston/Jefferson just don't have yet.

Again, Kelly's defense shouldn't be undervalued. If Amile and Hairston were better defenders than Kelly, they'd be the ones playing 28.3 mpg, not Kelly.

RE: Duke's issues without Ryan Kelly

Look at the excuses and the hurt, and from the biggest hypocrite of them all.