WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Smith, Singler… Kelly?
As the Blue Devils get into the heart of the ACC schedule, Ryan Kelly possibly emerged Saturday against Wake Forest as a legitimate third scoring option for Duke.
With his lanky 6-foot-11 frame, the Blue Devil forward creates many of the same match-up problems as his teammate, Kyle Singler. Power forwards are generally not willing to follow him to the perimeter and eliminate their rebounding position, and small forwards are, well, too small to guard his jump shot.
“One time Ryan Kelly was in that slot on the weak side,” Wake Forest head coach Jeff Bzdelik said. “They had a ball screen and our player was in the paint, and he had played some extended minutes, and he went to help. But then he didn’t get back to Ryan quick enough.”
Against the Demon Deacons, Kelly’s range was on full display as he registered a career-high 20 points on 6-for-6 shooting, including four 3-pointers.
“He almost played a perfect game,” Singler said. “That’s tough to do. He shot the ball well and made good plays for us.”
The best news for the Blue Devils is that Kelly’s contribution Saturday isn’t an aberration. The sophomore has been efficient all season, and his play has been trending toward this type of breakout game.
In fact, Kelly hasn’t missed a shot since Jan. 15 against Virginia. He was 4-for-4 Wednesday against N.C. State, including a perfect 2-for-2 beyond the arc.
“I think he’s gotten better every game, and he’s a very reliable player,” head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “He doesn’t get flustered, he knows where he’s supposed to be all the time and I think he’s become more aggressive and ready to take his shot.”
In all, Duke’s potential “Big Three” outscored the entire Wake Forest squad 63-59. Singler and Nolan Smith had 24 and 19 points, respectively, but Kelly was far more efficient. Singler shot 9-for-19, while Smith was only 6-for-22.
On the season, Kelly’s shooting percentage has risen to 53.4, best on the team. He shoots at a 44.1 percent clip from beyond the arc, ten percentage points higher than Smith.
Yet the biggest advantage Kelly may have on the court is his brain. Very few shots he took against the Demon Deacons or the Wolfpack were closely contested, the result of learning how to exploit a defense that helps off of him to cover Smith and Singler.
Given Kelly’s range and touch around the hoop, he became extremely difficult to guard Saturday when he was able to get himself open off the ball.
“Spacing doesn’t mean much if you can’t shoot,” Krzyzewski said. “Spacing with shooters is something we’ve tried to teach for a long time. He gives us the opportunity at the four, when you don’t put Kyle at the four, to have an outstanding shooter spacing the court—especially in late-game situations.”
The challenge now for Kelly is to maintain his hot hand against defenders that match up better to his skill set. Forwards like North Carolina’s John Henson who are longer and more athletic can do more to disrupt a shot, or close out Kelly’s space in the first place.
If Kelly continues to shoot it well, however, it will only take a handful of opportunities for him to be a difference maker down the stretch for the Blue Devils.
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