Fal’s 31-point bogeyman, Williams-Goss’ composure and flex offense

THE Olympic was imposed relatively easy from Villerban in France (73-85) and returned to positive results EuroLeague as part of the 16th competition event.

The “Red-Whites” had the majority in the attack and Mustafa Fal in the role of… Cerberusachieve a fair victory.

The Sportish analyzes the victory of the “Red-Whites” with the help of Hudl Instat.

The reason for Fals 8 international matches

Yesterday Olympiacos Piraeus faced a team that generally has small gaps and little room for manoeuvre. According to Hudl Instat, Villeurbanne is the EuroLeague’s worst team in pick-and-roll offense (just 0.79 points per possession), doesn’t have enough edge threats to open the floor, and has two centers (Laul, Egbunu ), which they can only attack score on the “drawing board”. All of this set the stage for Mustafa Fal to have a defense party. Finish the game with 2 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists and 8 blocks.

Fal is a big body and takes up space, but is not considered an elite blocker. The proof of this is that in the previous 15 games in the EuroLeague he made a total of 12 cuts, while in 7 of them he did not even make a tapa. However, Villerban’s competitive profile helped him play the role of the bogeyman. The reason; Because he marked Youssouf Fal and Egbunou (and at the same time Villerban had poor distance), he could always be close to the basket and raise his hands to make blocks. Here is an example:

Loverne prepares to penetrate the basket. However, Fal is already in the “salon” as Yusufha poses no threat to Fal.

Fal interrupts Lovern.

Here is an even clearer example:

Loverne wants to attack the basket vertically. Fal is already at bat as Egbunu (in the green box) is also there, while McKissick and Kanaan are also playing together.

Lovern makes a backwards move and eventually goes to the basket where Fal is waiting for him.

Fal cuts off Loverne along with Petrusev.

According to Hudl Instat, Olympiacos allowed 69 points on the 69 possessions Fal was on the court, which equates to 0.87 points per possession, a top number. In just 14 possessions that Olympiacos defended with Fal on the bench, he conceded 13 points (0.93 per possession), an equally outstanding number. The French influence was clear.

Flex Offense unlocked Fal’s creation, the 31 points offered by the Frenchman and Williams-Goss

In the 90s, Dusan Ivkovic made the flex offense fashionable in Europe. It is a system whose basic principle is the constant movement of the 5 players, several screens away from the ball, but also high-low situations (translation: one high up and one under the basket) in which the big player is What is required is that he is a good passer, like Fal. The movement begins with the big one receiving the ball at the top (at the height of the three-point point), and since then the signal is given to move away from the ball and shield.

This special attack has always existed in Giorgos Bartzokas’ teams (more precisely since the time of Olympia Larissa). It also exists in Olympiakos, with the “Red and Whites” using the specific system several times in different variations. Against Villeurbanne, Olympiacos used this system many times and constantly found space as the French never found an answer. And it all started with Fal. Here is an example:

Peters passes to Fal at the top of the bat to start the system. Williams-Goss (in the orange circle) drives down to the basket to shield Kanan in the left corner.

Fal has the ball up. Meanwhile, Kanan has two options when he takes the screen: Either he goes for the 3-pointer (also getting a second screen from Peters) or he cuts to the basket. When he cuts to the basket, Williams-Goss goes for a three-pointer and takes the screen away from Peters. Kanan decides to cut to the basket:

Fal finds Kanan near the basket.

Kanan results:

A little later, Olympiacos Piraeus played the same system again, but in a different way. Here it is:

Fal has the ball up. Williams-Goss passes to McKissick on the weak side, who cuts to the basket. Petrusev (in the yellow circle) prepares to demonstrate Williams-Goss:

McKissick doesn’t get the ball. Lee plays Williams-Goss from the front to prevent him from getting the ball (top lock). But the scam is on. Williams-Goss cuts to the basket after the stick is empty.

Fal matches Williams-Goss.

Williams-Goss scores

According to Hudl-Instat, Olympiacos Piraeus received a total of 31 (!) points indirectly from Fal. The 18 came from his 7 assists, while another 13 came with the screens he gave (either in the pick and roll or with a screen away from the ball). At the same time, Williams-Goss’s help should not be underestimated. The American guard had 11 points (9 of them in pick and roll mode) and 7 assists, from which Olympiacos scored another 19 points. In total he was responsible for 30 points for the “Red and Whites”. Here is his shot chart:

*With a circle the targeted shots, with “x” the missed shots

The composure that Williams-Goss exudes when he is fit is changing Olympiakos’ profile. The American is Olympiakos’ best shooter off the dribble (which makes him valuable in pick-and-roll situations), he always plays within the system and fits the … geometry required to create a flow in the plays of the “Red and White”. .

The Piraeus team played its own basketball. He provided 24 assists on 31 accurate shots. He scored 85 points by mostly playing… passing the ball without dribbling much (that’s what the flex offense is all about, which has numerous variations to confuse the opponent), which is also clear from the way he plays how he scored against the French:

The constants: McKissick’s rise and a much-needed win

Despite all the ups and downs this year, Olympiacos went into the Villerban Stadium as favorites. And he absolutely backed that up and did whatever it took to get the win. He experienced some pleasant things along the way.

The stability of Canaan, Peters (19 and 17 points respectively), the rise of McKissick (11 points), who had one of his best performances this year, the confirmation of the rise of Fal and Larentzakis, the image of a healthy Williams-Goss, all of this can be reasonably fulfilled.

Olympiacos got a result that was needed. If he knew about the defeat in France, things would become dangerously complicated. He did his duty. Now he has to gradually show that he can improve his performance. The fact that it’s finally finished can certainly help with that.