John Blackwell’s first real test in a Duke uniform looked a lot like the kind of night Wisconsin fans remember.
Against Michigan State, the Blue Devils fell 78-73 after battling back from an early deficit, but the Spartans - led by Jeremy Fears Jr. and co. - held on for the upset. Blackwell was right in the middle of it, for better and for worse.
His final line told the story of a player who kept swinging the game in different directions: a team-high 17 points on a team-high 16 shots, plus five rebounds and an assist. Twelve of those points came after halftime, which fit the arc of his night. He started slowly and looked almost too passive, floating off the ball and serving more as a connector than a creator during his limited early touches.
Then Duke made a clear effort to get him going in the second half, and Blackwell responded with some real scoring bursts. He knocked down timely 3s and helped generate offense when the Blue Devils needed it most. But the same uneven rhythm that frustrated Wisconsin fans showed up again when the game tightened.
Blackwell missed four of his last five shots over the final minute and a half, including two wide-open 3s and an open layup. Those empty trips came at the worst possible time and were part of the reason Duke couldn’t finish the comeback.
That’s the Blackwell package in a nutshell: useful, dangerous, frustrating, sometimes all in the same stretch. It was far from a disaster, but it also brought back the familiar issues that made his time in Madison so rocky. And for Wisconsin fans who believed the Badgers would be better off without him, there’s at least some support for that view.
At the same time, that argument isn’t exactly airtight. Wisconsin’s biggest problems right now include a lack of shot creation and not enough depth at shooting guard, two areas Blackwell could help solve. There’s real merit to the idea that the Badgers could use what he brings.
Still, this is early. Blackwell has shown in past seasons that he can grow as the year goes on, and Duke’s roster is crowded with NBA-level talent, which means the Blue Devils were always going to work through some early-season adjustment. The bigger question now is whether those growing pains get solved with him on the floor for more minutes, or whether his role shrinks as the schedule gets tougher.
Skepticism about the fit is already out there. His talent should keep him in the mix, but the way this night unfolded suggests Duke may have to keep sorting out exactly how much of Blackwell it can live with - and how much it needs.
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