Will Kyrie Irving coming back change your bracket?

• Ankle Breaker

  

  ESPN reporting that Irving has been practicing and will probably take the court in their first round game. Will this make them a better team or mess up the current Duke chemistry? I'm now straddling the fence with my bracket - wondering how much of a difference he will be able to make.
  
  http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/tournament/2011/news/story?id=6222687
• devil1197

  No.
  
  He is a good player and I have Duke making the Elite 8 anyways with or without him. I am not going to change my bracket due to a Freshman that hasn't played in months.
• Laley23

  

  Nope, but he will fuck it up for me and take Duke farther than I have them going. Oh well....
• Iliketurtles

  

  Laley23;714392 wrote:Nope, but he will fuck it up for me and take Duke farther than I have them going. Oh well....

  Laley how far did you have them going? I think Woody Paige made a good point on ATH today by saying "the further duke goes, the futher duke will go" Meaning pretty much what devil said he hasnt played in months so it will take him a few games to get back into the game speed but he will still help Duke. I could still see even with him Duke losing to Texas in the Sweet 16 but if they make it past that and Irving is actually playing valuable minutes I believe Duke will make it to where I have them which is in the finals.
• Laley23

  

  Iliketurtles;714399 wrote:Laley how far did you have them going? I think Woody Paige made a good point on ATH today by saying "the further duke goes, the futher duke will go" Meaning pretty much what devil said he hasnt played in months so it will take him a few games to get back into the game speed but he will still help Duke. I could still see even with him Duke losing to Texas in the Sweet 16 but if they make it past that and Irving is actually playing valuable minutes I believe Duke will make it to where I have them which is in the finals.

  
  I have UCONN over Texas in Elite 8. Though Im tempted to change it to what I had at first and that was UCONN over Duke. These choices have no bearing on Kyrie or not. I really think UCONN is spent, and Texas is too up and down to make a deep run. But SDSU is SDSU and Duke I dont like as much as last year. Im torn in that bracket, more than any other. Ive decided Im sticking with UCONN, because I want to cheer for them more than anyone else haha.
• Laley23

  

  BTW, Ryne Smith and Kelsey Barlow got into it the other day at practice. Barlow suspended and Smith out with a concussion (no word on return). I think Barlow is out for year.
  
  Figured Id put it here and not make another injury/player back thread.
• Iliketurtles

  

  Laley23;714404 wrote:I have UCONN over Texas in Elite 8. Though Im tempted to change it to what I had at first and that was UCONN over Duke. These choices have no bearing on Kyrie or not. I really think UCONN is spent, and Texas is too up and down to make a deep run. But SDSU is SDSU and Duke I dont like as much as last year. Im torn in that bracket, more than any other. Ive decided Im sticking with UCONN, because I want to cheer for them more than anyone else haha.

  
  Lol makes sense. I figured you had Duke losing to Texas.
• ironman02

  I originally had Duke going to the Final Four, but now I have them losing to Texas. That decision didn't really have much to do with Irving. I'm probably letting my hatred for Duke cloud my judgment, but oh well. I can just root against them even more.
• GOONx19

  

  I don't have Duke making it to Texas.
• Non

  

  It's pretty significant. Enough that you wish you knew his status a bit more before the brackets lock.
• sleeper

  

  Who is Kyrie Irving?
• centralbucksfan

  The issue with Irving coming back is interesting. Could it make Duke better? OR, will it mess up the chemistry they have developed since he has been out? Its doubtful he will play much the first couple of games, not near game shape. But to have him really ready by sweet 16 I assume is Coach K. plan. But who knows how it will play out. He definately won't start and its doubtful we see 20-25 min max out of him. But if he can come off the bench and give them something, it could certainly help.
  But NO, doesn't affect my bracket. No changes for me.
• swamisez

  

  Kyrie played great in second half today. A little disjointed in the first.
• reclegend22

  

  Irving's 12 second-half points were wonderful signs for Duke. He hit back-to-back triples near the end and appears that he has been really working on his outside J in the time off (which is to be expected). Some Duke fans were concerned that the outside stroke would be majorly affected. Kyrie's length-of-the-court drive inside and reverse in mid-air scoop lay-up was especially special.
  
  We Duke fans should consider ourselves very lucky that Irving was able to heal so well and so quickly so that we have this one last shot to see one of the best Duke freshmen to ever lace them up in Durham.