Duke basketball had a big win on the road over top 10 Purdue last night. Senior point guard Greg Paulus, who had started every game his first three years, has had is role change this year in a real test of team chemistry. Sophomore Nolan Smith has started every game this year, which has reduced Paulus' minutes to around 20 a game. Here is an article from espn.com that discusses the situation:
The insertion of Smith in the starting lineup was the one great chemistry experiment by Krzyzewski, because it sent Greg Paulus to the bench -- for the first time ever, really. Paulus had started 95 games in three years at Duke and had the ball in his hands an awful lot of that time.
Paulus had pretty much been the face of Duke basketball for three seasons. Now, all of a sudden, that face is starting every game next to assistants Chris Collins and Nate James. Tough, one would think, to keep a smile on said face, even if he is the team captain.
Paulus had pretty much been the face of Duke basketball for three seasons. Now, all of a sudden, that face is starting every game next to assistants Chris Collins and Nate James. Tough, one would think, to keep a smile on said face, even if he is the team captain.
"It's a situation -- it's a little bit different," Paulus said, with a hesitation that betrayed more true feeling than his words would allow. "But as far as our team goes, our mindset is to do whatever it takes to win. This being my senior year, I just want to win. It's about the team, and throwing yourself into it."
Said Singler: "Greg's been great this year. We don't see him as a bench player. He's a starter."
Krzyzewski is banking on Paulus to take his reduction to roughly 20 minutes per game and handle it well. Just as he sold NBA superstars on supporting actor roles in the Olympics, he's selling Paulus and fellow upperclassmen David McClure and Lance Thomas on coming off the pine.
"It's an asset," Krzyzewski said.
An asset few teams have these days. And an asset that will help keep Duke competitive all season long.
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This chemistry always works best when the underclassmen that are starting show tremendous respect toward the seniors who are starting on the bench. Great teams know that it doesn't matter who starts, it matters who finishes!
