Timing is everything.

When Jason Williams broke his left hand in a pick-up game in Duke's Card Gym on Wednesday afternoon, it reaffirmed how fragile a college basketball season can be. Without argument, a healthy Duke team is among a handful of preseason favorites to cut the nets down in Atlanta, and arguably, the Blue Devils enter the 2001-02 season as the best team in America.

But, like most outstanding teams, Duke is a single injury or illness away from watching its dream shot at another title fade. Williams' broken hand is such an injury, had it not happened when it did.

Even though injuries are part of the game, it's unfortunate that Williams got hurt. Forget the fact that he spurned the NBA to remain in school, Williams is a joy to watch, and everyone with a true competitive spirit wants to see him at full strength. It is a relief for those not only in Durham, but who love college basketball, that Williams' injury was not serious. And even better, that the timing of the injury should allow him to be prepared for the start of practice on Oct. 13.

Williams' injury also allows Mike Krzyzewski to use him as a teaching point, and to make his team better for the experience. Instead of moping around, cursing the luck that now sidelines Willliams, Coach K will spin the injury as an opportunity for other Blue Devils to get better; to expand their abilities and roles; and to prepare themselves mentally and physically in the event there is a future injury at an inopportune time that will need to be overcome.

It is natural for a team to get down about this type of injury. But a championship attitude is one of moving forward.

Of course, no coach, Hall of Framer or not, can time an injury. In this instance, Krzyzewski and the Blue Devils caught a break. If Williams' injury occurred not in an August pick-up game, but rather in the ACC Tournament, the task of moving ahead would be much more difficult. Almost impossible. Just ask Bob Huggins and Cincinnati two seasons ago.

How tough it was to lose Kenyon Martin on the eve of the 1999 NCAA Tournament? The Bearcats were a Final Four team with Martin, but without the consensus player of the year, they were an afterthought that was lost in the minds of the masses.

Williams and Martin are two examples of just how close teams with championship credentials cut it every year.

Again, timing is everything.