Key three: Can Duke control the tempo in Brooklyn?

<p>Freshman Trevon Duval will need to maintain the tempo for Duke's offense when he handles the ball this weekend.</p>

Freshman Trevon Duval will need to maintain the tempo for Duke's offense when he handles the ball this weekend.

Learn to thrive in a slow tempo

Undeniably, Duke is at its best offensively at a fast pace. Whether it’s a fast break kick out for a Gary Trent Jr. three from the corner, an alley-oop to Marvin Bagley III, or Trevon Duval taking it the length of the floor for a basket, the squad seems to thrive when it pushes the tempo. When playing teams that play in a slow tempo, such as No. 1 Virginia—who plays at the slowest pace in the country—the Blue Devils tend to stall a bit offensively. In order to have success in the ACC Tournament, and more importantly to make a run in the NCAA Tournament, Duke needs to improve its half court sets, and learn to succeed at any speed.

Keep the Supporting Cast Involved

The quintet of Grayson Allen, Wendell Carter Jr., Trent, Bagley and Duval comprise perhaps the most talented lineup in the nation. This group has amassed an unbelievable 92.5 percent of Duke’s points. Additionally, each of these players is averaging 29 or more minutes a game, while the next most frequently used player accumulates only 13.4 minutes per game. In the beginning of the season, the rotation was essentially limited to these five Blue Devils; however, Krzyzewski has focused recently on getting the likes of Javin DeLaurier, Marques Bolden, and Alex O’Connell involved. DeLaurier, who is second on the team in defensive rating, third in offensive rating, and second in box/plus minus, has slid into a starting role in Duke’s last few games. O’Connell has been instant offense in his limited minutes off the bench, leading the Blue Devils in offensive rating and 3-point field goal percentage. Getting DeLaurier, Bolden, and O’Connell is vital to the team’s postseason success, as each provides their own unique skill set as reserves that can immediately help the Blue Devils.

#SI6HTS

This week, Duke seeks to repeat its thrilling 2017 ACC Tournament title, in which the team became the first team in conference history to win four games on consecutive days en route to a conference title. Unlike last year’s squad, who ended the regular season losing three of four contests, the current Blue Devils are coming into the postseason on a hot streak. Mike Krzyzewski and company have a lot less to prove to the selection committee at this time, as they are all but guaranteed a top-two seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament. By no means is the ACC Tournament a make-or-break test for Duke, and the team should be more focused on securing their sixth national championship.

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