Rasheed Sulaimon
Statline: Saturday at No. 2 Syracuse: 16 points on 4-of-8 shooting, 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, 4-of-7 from the free throw line and six assists
Tuesday vs. Wake Forest: 19 points on 6-of-10 shooting, 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, 5-of-6 from the free throw line, five assists and four rebounds
The good: The sophomore guard had his best week of the season, stepping up to compensate for junior point guard Quinn Cook’s poor shooting to give Duke production from the lead guard spot. Against Syracuse, Sulaimon showed his versatility by playing the point and directing Duke’s offense against the 2-3 zone while also guarding Orange forward C.J. Fair at different points in the game. The Houston native also made two incredible plays to keep Duke in the game after Jabari Parker and Amile Jefferson fouled out, knocking down a 3-pointer with 47 seconds left despite getting fouled and hitting the game-tying trey to send the game into overtime. While Sulaimon’s epic play of the year candidate was special, his six assists were equally impressive against the Orange.
He continued where he left off on Tuesday against the Demon Deacons and sparked Duke’s game-changing 18-1 run on both ends of the court. Sulaimon has the bounce in his step back and looked flat out unstoppable at times against Wake Forest, a scary thought for Duke’s future opponents. He will likely continue to see minutes at the point because of his success. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski also said he has been Duke’s best defender against opposing ball handlers.
The bad: Although Sulaimon had a breakout performance against Syracuse, he missed three crucial free throws, including the free throw that would have given him a late four-point play that would have put Duke up by one with 47 seconds left. Sulaimon also committed three turnovers against Wake Forest. However, those were the only hiccups in an otherwise spectacular week.
The bottom line: Sulaimon’s recent performance gives the Blue Devils even more versatility and depth because he finally showed he can excel as a shooting guard playing off Duke’s other stars and as an offensive focal point when playing with more Blue Devil role players. If Sulaimon continues playing like an All-ACC performer, Duke’s postseason prospects will continue to dramatically improve.
Honorable mention: Freshman forward Jabari Parker had 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, nine rebounds and two steals against the Orange and had his most efficient conference game against the Demon Deacons, racking up 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting, eight rebounds, two blocks and two steals.
Parker struggled to finish against Syracuse’s athletic frontline, but adjusted as the game wore on, eventually showing the ability to punish the Orange from the high post and baseline. The outcome could have been very different had Parker not fouled out and not been available for the extra session against Syracuse. Nonetheless, the lessons Parker learned will prove valuable for the rematch on Feb. 22. The Chicago native showed dramatic progress in terms of shot selection and defensive intensity against Wake Forest, another scary thought for Blue Devil opponents.
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