FLYING ELVISES
FLYING ELVISES TEAM OUTLOOK
The Flying Elvises feature one very tall center, who may be taller than Larry. They have another fairly tall forward as well. Their point guard is a good ball-handler, who has some dribbling skills. They also bring two guys off the bench who can shoot reasonably well. But the rest of their team does not appear to be very challenging. A good portion of their team wore pants during the game. They seemed a little awkward, but they were definitely opportunistic and mentally strong.
FLYING ELVISES TEAM OFFENSE
The team only scored 31 points in their win over Tigers II. 31 points is really not that much at all for a 40-minute game. But hey, we only scored 42, so relatively speaking, 31 is not too bad. Anyhow, their offensive system is vague - their starting lineup did not do much of the scoring. The tall center did not play a solid post-up game. Their talented point guard did not make many shots. But they definitely did try, which may mean they have the skills to score a lot when they're on. Their two main offensive weapons were these two guys off the bench who did not appear awkward at all. Those two took fadeaway jumpers most of the time. A good percentage of the shots went in. We definitely want to mark up on those two and deny them any open looks. The remainder of the Flying Elvises' set offense did not accomplish much, but there is some danger here with their height and point guard ability.
So how did this team really score 31 points? Fastbreak points. About 20 of their points were scored as a result of takeaways and easy lay-ins. Oh and speaking of turnovers, the Flying Elvises' offense committed a fair amount. So on defense we'd better be opportunistic as well.
How to stop their offense
Well the main aspect of their game we have to watch out for is their opportunistic D. But to combat their set offense, we have to do a number of things. First, watch the big man. Although he did not handle the ball much, he's clearly a threat, and we must box him out. Second, challenge the point guard. Make him commit more turnovers off the dribble. And third, keep an eye out for their two jumpshooters off the bench. Mark them up well. And get back on defense, as they have the ability to create a lot of fastbreak opportunities. In essence, we can start off by playing a simple matchup zone, and then shift to a double-team D, depending upon who's in the game.
FLYING ELVISES TEAM DEFENSE
The Flying Elvises, with their 26-point containment of Tigers II, proved they are indeed a solid defensive team. That being said, I think we distinctly have more offensive weapons than Tigers II, so scoring in the 40s again should not be a problem. But it won't be as easy. As a team, the Flying Elvises rotate very well and are always on top of any turnover opportunity. They collapse well down low to snag the loose rebound. But perhaps the most important aspect of their team defense is their ability to block shots. Don't forget - that very tall center may not be much of an offensive threat, but defensively, he can stuff any attempt down low. And it's not just him - his teammates are excellent block artists as well. Now, the Tigers II did get some open shots, and hit some of them, but any time the ball was brought down low, it was usually snagged by the Flying Elvises D. In short, this is a good defense that needs to be outworked if it is to be defeated.
How to break their defense
Fortunately our balanced team definitely has the right tools to dismantle the tough Flying Elvises D. First and foremost, what worked for Tigers II was a system of picks, rolls, and screens for shots. In other words, we'll use our motion offense as well as our "Hobart-Gratton Baseline Three" play to keep them running. Repetitive picks and open jumpers should keep them off-balance. But perhaps the most important key to our offense for this Game Five is to box out and absolutely crash the boards. While the Flying Elvises do have the one tall center, the rest of their team does not exactly comprise a monster on the boards. Yes, they rotate well and presumably outrebounded Tigers II, but if we work hard down low we can outmuscle this team. We have to play smart - no foolish turnovers, no rushing of shots, at least not until the game is out of reach. Of course you might already know that, but this team watches the play constantly. Basically, if we use picks to create shots, we will bury this opportunistic D of theirs.
FINAL ANALYSIS
Game Five should be a doozy. Just our second Thursday night game, and this team could very well be undefeated, or at least playoff-bound, at that time. But we're more fundamentally sound than they are. We have a full range of weapons compared to their limited offense. We're faster and have the better ability to work hard, fight for rebounds, and open up some shots. Challenge their point guard, and deny the tall guy the ball in the first place. Get back on D and own the transition game. And use our motion offense to destroy their defense.