Chris Duhon's explosive offensive performance on Saturday would have been astounding to anyone familiar with the senior point guard's college career.
It's not that Duhon's talent is in doubt; since high school he has been regarded as one of America's best playmakers. He certainly lived up to this billing when he ran the point for Duke's 2001 National Championship team, and showed flashes of brilliance during the last two years. But Duhon has never been a scoring focus for his team, nor has he been the sole leader of a nationally-respected squad.
Against Georgetown, logging 17 points in only 29 minutes as his teammates came together to dismantle the Hoyas, he was both. Make no mistake: This is Chris Duhon's team. Make no mistake: For Duke fans, this is excellent news.
Duhon's pass-first mentality and ornery defense have been in evidence all season, as the senior climbs the ACC career ranks in both steals and assists. What happened in Washington was something entirely different: Georgetown head coach Craig Escherick had to worry not only about Duhon's passing setting up a Duke score, but also about Duhon's own scoring touch, as the senior shot 7 of 9 from the floor, including three timely three-pointers. This version of Duhon was much closer to what Blue Devil fans were expecting from the 6-foot-1 guard after he won the 2000 McDonald's All-American three-point contest, rather than the Duhon who shot 38.6 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from behind the three-point line last season.
During Duke's torrent of scoring to close out the half, Duhon's offense began to bare its teeth. The Slidell, La., native nailed two consecutive treys within twenty seconds, including an a deep attempt that both shocked the crowd at the MCI Center and revealed a certainty that has seemed absent from Duhon's game.
"I just took my open shots; I was open and I just took them." Duhon said. "I've always been confident."
Duhon's confidence was never more evident than in his shooting touch, as he found a number of ways to hurt the Hoyas. He used the threat of his drives to the hoop to set up his first-half three-pointers. In the second frame he did the opposite, blowing by Hoya defenders on the perimeter and making physical plays in the paint.
With just under seven minutes left in the game, Duhon drove, elevated from the baseline, sunk a beautiful finger-roll and came crashing to the floor. Two minutes later, he slashed to the hoop to sink an easy lay up.
Head coach Mike Krzyzewski thinks that Duhon's play has less to do with the point guard's mindset than the rest of the Blue Devils' outlooks.
"He's always had confidence, but sometimes the people around him haven't had as much confidence, and that puts a heavier load on him," Krzyzewski said. "This year, we have a little bit more--a lot more experience, even though guys are sophomores--and that really helps Chris where he doesn't have to use his energy picking everyone up. He can lead them rather than carry them, which he tried to do last year."
Duhon has certainly been helped by his teammates, especially sophomore post player Shelden Williams, who has turned in dominant performances in games against Georgetown and Wake Forest, games where Duhon has conducted scoring and passing clinics, respectively. But Duhon helps his teammates as much as he draws aid from them.
"A lot of [Duke's first-half dominance] was Duhon," Krzyzewski said. "Duhon hit a couple threes that gave us a little bit of a working margin, and then all of a sudden he'd go right in, to Shelden. And Shelden would produce."
Whether Duhon's confidence has reappeared or whether it has simply been catalyzed by a stronger Blue Devil team, the difference in his play is crucial for Duke this season.
Duhon has previously been the set-up man, the man who gets the ball into Duke's stars' hands at crunch time. At Georgetown the ball was in the star's hands every time Duhon brought it up the court.
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