Coach: Mike Krzyzewski 868-279 35 seasons (795-220 30 seasons in Durham).

Fifty-one Blue Devils have played in the National Basketball Association including currently Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Luol Deng, Chris Duhon, Mike Dunleavy, Gerald Henderson, Grant Hill, Dahntay Jones, Corey Maggette, Josh McRoberts, J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams.

Duke’s season has ended in the NCAA tournament 34 times. The Devils climbed the ladder at the Final Four in ’91, ’92, ’01 and last year.  Duke has been national runner-up six times with five additional showings in the natinal semi-finals.

Notable Non-Conference Tilts: 11/14 vs. Princeton, 11/22 vs. Marquette, 11/23 vs. Gonzaga/ Kansas State, 11/27 at Oregon, 12/1 vs. Michigan, 12/4 vs. Butler, 1/30 at St. John’s

Stat of Identity: 28.3 percent 3-pt. field goal defense.

Key Returners:

Kyle Singler 36.8 mpg, 18.2 ppg, 7 rpg

Nolan Smith 35.5 mpg, 17.4 ppg, 3 apg

Miles Plumlee 16.4 mpg, 5.2 ppg, 4.9 rpg

Andre Dawkins 12.6 mpg, 4.4 ppg

Mason Plumlee 14.1 mpg, 3.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg

By Paul Casey Gotham

The bulls eye is back in Durham, North Carolina. After nearly a decade absence, the men’s college basketball world will focus on knocking Duke from the top of the mountain.

The 2010-11 Blue Devils will prove worthy of the task.

Seniors, Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith will garner much of the attention, but it is how the rest of the Blue Devil lineup contributes that will determine the fate of the ’10-’11 Duke squad.

Last year’s squad understood tempo. They recognized opportunities to score in transition, but they also knew when to run half-court sets. Much of this decision-making came from the now-departed Jon Scheyer.

Can this year’s group glean from that experience?

The deliberate offense resulted in an improved rebound margin (6.3 – 14th in the country) for the Blue Devils. Something that had been missing for Duke in recent years. The methodical offense allowed Greg Zoubek and Lance Thomas to get in position for offensive rebounds. Zoubek was one of the best in the nation on the offensive glass.

Zoubek and Thomas graduated.

Brothers, Miles and Mason Plumlee will need to carry the responsibility in the paint. Both played significant minutes late last season. Now, they will be relied upon to contribute.

Singler will move to a power forward role and  add to the rebounding. Freshman, Josh Hairston (6’7″) brings depth to the front court.

Smith will primarily play in the off-guard spot as he did last season, but he will some time at point when freshman, Kyrie Irving, comes out of the game. Irving will shoulder the brunt of the responsibility for dictating the tempo of the Duke offense. Prior to Scheyer’s time at the point, Duke played up-tempo with an open set in half-court. Watch for the Blue Devils to continue embracing that style of play while using Irving’s speed in the full-court.

Andre Dawkins and transfer, Seth Curry, round out what could be the deepest Duke squad in recent memory. Coach K will have plenty offensive power to deploy night to night. As a freshman, Curry averaged 20 points per game for Liberty. Dawkins showed flashes of brilliance last year.

Tyler Thornton will also compete for playing time.

Courtesy of NBA.com

By Paul Gotham

The mysterious Chicago Bulls

Two years ago the Chicago Bulls seemed ready to make a run at the Eastern Conference crown. Third-year coach, Scott Skiles (he took over during the 03-04campaign) guided the Bulls to their first playoff series win in nine seasons. Led by young guns Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, and Kirk Hinrich the Baby Bulls swept the reigning champs, Miami, before falling to Detroit 4-2 in a hard-fought series.

The future seemed  to favor Chicago. Gordon, Hinrich, Deng along with Andres Nocioni and Ben Wallace prepared for the 07-08 season.

Then, discontent between Wallace and Skiles surfaced. The Baby Bulls started slowly, 9-16. Management showed Skiles the door, and Chicago earned a ping pong ball for the draft lottery.

Despite injuries to Deng and Nocioni the Bulls finished 08-09 at .500. Rookie Derrick Rose led an upstart crew against a hobbled Boston Celtics in an epic first-round series. Few professionals find solace in moral victories. Taking the reigning champs to overtime in four of seven contests lends hope to the future of the United Center denizens.

Chicago added James Johnson (Wake Forest) and Taj Gibson (USC) through the draft. Gone is Gordon. Long gone is Wallace (if he was ever truly there). The East is getting stronger. Where will the Bulls fit?

Anybody have room for a 16 / 10 guy?

The Utah Jazz matched Portland’s offer for Paul Millsap. Are the Jazz ready to part ways with Carlos Boozer? Two years ago Boozer and Deron Williams seemed like the perfect pick-and-roll successors to John Stockton and Karl Malone.

Courtesy of NBA.com

Now the Jazz appear ready to window shop.

Miami looks like the best suitor. Dwyane Wade has expressed concerns over floundering through the upcoming season without another viable option in the lineup. Boozer averaged 16 points and 10 boards for the Jazz last season. Can the Alaskan native handle the near tropics?

Talkin’ ’bout PRACtice?

It’s August. The NBA season opens in two and half months. For the first time in 14 years, Allen Iverson is unsure which uniform he will put on this season.

The Clippers, Heat, and Grizzlies have all shown interest. Yet, Iverson still hasn’t found a dotted line to autograph. At 34 years old and #16 on the all-time scoring list, will Iverson consider playing in Europe?

Got some splinters to share? Post them here and let’s discuss.