I've gotten shitkicked in the last two games by teams using FCP. My assumption is the way to beat it is with good ballhandling(always makes me chuckle Beavis and Butthead-style) and passing. I don't have that.

I also assumed I'd have been at a big ATH/SPD disadvantage. I really wasn't. Calculated totals from those who received significant minutes.
6 deep in one game: ATH 213-243 for me. SPD 356-231 against me
8 deep in the other one: ATH 403-320 against SPD 323-330 for

I'm guessing that the huge advantage they had in one far outweighed the slight advantage I had in the other. Couple that with the extra 5/7 TO and really poor shooting and we get 22/38 point losses.

Am I on the right track or am I completely missing something?

among other things need to look carefully at depth - in terms of player quality and player IQ

FCP burns stamina faster than other schemes, so depth matters more than otherwise

IIRC, that's why I went 6 deep on one and 8 deep on the other. The 6 deep got 160m from those 6. The 8 deep team spread minutes more evenly. My player minutes stayed about the same and they've been able to handle it for the first 13 games.

if you get a chance, compare your 6-10 guys to the opponents 6th-10th guys and consider whether you or he had an edge there.

When I run the press, or against the press, I look at these matchups, and try to find advantages to exploit:
1. Ath vs. Ath - especially for fouls, but for overall effectiveness
2. My speed and defense vs. opponents speed and ballhandling - for turnovers
3. My def and ath vs. opponents LP and ath - for FG% in paint
4. My def and speed vs. opponents per and speed - for FG% on perimeter

Running the press, I want to exploit as many matchup advantages as I can find, especially regarding 1 and 2. Attacking the press, I want to minimize my disadvantages regarding 1 and 2, and exploit advantages in 3 and 4. The actual formula isn't this simple of course, but this is a rule of thumb that serves me well in gameplanning.

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/4/2017 9:56:00 AM (view original):
IIRC, that's why I went 6 deep on one and 8 deep on the other. The 6 deep got 160m from those 6. The 8 deep team spread minutes more evenly. My player minutes stayed about the same and they've been able to handle it for the first 13 games.

are you saying you only played 6 players in one game against FCP, and 8 in another? if so, no further analysis necessary -- that's why you got creamed. against FCP, you've got to at least try to go 9/10 deep, and if you're playing less than 10, you should play slowdown.

No, I played 9 in both. Slowdown in the first one, 22 point loss, but normal in the 2nd. I was just looking at the significant minute/contributors for both teams. A 90/90 or 11/14 ATH/SPD guy getting 4 minutes distorts the ATH/SPD advantage/disadvantage.

Posted by shoe3 on 1/4/2017 11:47:00 AM (view original):
When I run the press, or against the press, I look at these matchups, and try to find advantages to exploit:
1. Ath vs. Ath - especially for fouls, but for overall effectiveness
2. My speed and defense vs. opponents speed and ballhandling - for turnovers
3. My def and ath vs. opponents LP and ath - for FG% in paint
4. My def and speed vs. opponents per and speed - for FG% on perimeter

Running the press, I want to exploit as many matchup advantages as I can find, especially regarding 1 and 2. Attacking the press, I want to minimize my disadvantages regarding 1 and 2, and exploit advantages in 3 and 4. The actual formula isn't this simple of course, but this is a rule of thumb that serves me well in gameplanning.

Thanks. This helps a lot. I'm obviously not going to get better players between now and season's end so I needed to know how to get thru the rematches.

Posted by MikeT23 on 1/4/2017 12:07:00 PM (view original):
No, I played 9 in both. Slowdown in the first one, 22 point loss, but normal in the 2nd. I was just looking at the significant minute/contributors for both teams. A 90/90 or 11/14 ATH/SPD guy getting 4 minutes distorts the ATH/SPD advantage/disadvantage.

sometimes, even if my team is somewhat inferior in skills overall, if my bench is relatively strong, I will go normal or even uptempo against fcp -

over the years there has been a bunch of confusing discussion about the effects of tempo, but I still think that uptempo can somehow help against a fcp team that lacks relative depth

When playing against an FCP team I usually look at my teams stamina. If my top players have low stamina I slow it down to keep them on the court more.

Posted by shoe3 on 1/4/2017 11:47:00 AM (view original):
When I run the press, or against the press, I look at these matchups, and try to find advantages to exploit:
1. Ath vs. Ath - especially for fouls, but for overall effectiveness
2. My speed and defense vs. opponents speed and ballhandling - for turnovers
3. My def and ath vs. opponents LP and ath - for FG% in paint
4. My def and speed vs. opponents per and speed - for FG% on perimeter

Running the press, I want to exploit as many matchup advantages as I can find, especially regarding 1 and 2. Attacking the press, I want to minimize my disadvantages regarding 1 and 2, and exploit advantages in 3 and 4. The actual formula isn't this simple of course, but this is a rule of thumb that serves me well in gameplanning.

So I have a rematch with the team that prompted this thread. I have no advantage in those examples. LOL.

so you're saying there's a chance!

Yeah, there's a chance. They're not that good. But they have me in each of those scenarios. I'm just going to rely on hard work and determination!!!!

Couple things:


1. Great job on that RPI, it's hard to find a human coach who pretends they know what they are doing have an RPI in the 380's.
2. You are a little sunk against the press teams. I would recommend going with a 3-2 zone and playing your three best "guards" at the the 1-2-3. Zeier, Pritts and Harris? I didn't look real hard. Just adding SPD, BH, PASS and factoring in IQ should give you a ball park estimate.
3. Definitely go slow down, if your opponent has a weak defender put your best offensive player on him and LOAD up the DISTRO, ike 40-50% of your teams shots. Maybe you can get him in foul trouble and have the fatigue spiral affect him.

"Great job on that RPI, it's hard to find a human coach who pretends they know what they are doing have an RPI in the 380's."

Nice one TJ.