Mark Williams' maturation on defense key for a deep Duke run
Mark Williams is a force on defense, but Duke coaches are looking for more discipline to help take the team to another level.
Duke’s defense has been a point of conversation all season. As it goes, so too do the Blue Devils.
Just as with many other teams, Duke’s defense often dictates how successful they will be on both ends of the floor. Mike Krzyzewski’s squad is at its best when pushing the ball on offense and gaining opportunities to score in transition.
It’s how this team thrives.
And when the defense struggles, the Blue Devils find themselves in grind-it-out types of games — at least in most instances.
We have referenced Duke’s on-the-ball defense as the tipping point for success over the last several years. And while that still holds some truth, it’s not necessarily what could propel Duke to its ultimate goal of a championship.
Sure Wendell Moore Jr., Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels are the first line of contact when it comes to defense. Pressure from these guys is no doubt very important.
But what stands behind them is what could be the difference-maker. Collectively, Duke has strength in the frontcourt with Mark Williams, Paolo Banchero and Theo John. What they do as Duke moves into the final weeks of the regular season and then the postseason could determine how deep into March they can go.