On-ball screens

Screens for the player with the ball, and the family that grew out of the pick-and-roll.

All families · 15 terms · 13 full, 0 partial, 2 short

Double drag

Two drag screens in a row from two trailing bigs; typically the first pops and the second rolls.

The ball-handler starts high on the right side and dribbles left toward the middle, passing above two screens set in a staggered line. The first big stands just inside the arc beside the handler's defender, on the middle side, with a screen bar between them; the second big stands a step further along the handler's path with his own screen bar facing the first. The first screener pops out to the arc at the right wing, labeled pop; the second rolls down the middle to the rim, labeled roll. The first screener's defender is still far behind the play, above the arc, and the second screener's defender waits just above the free-throw line. Two shooters wait in the corners, each with a defender.

Why it is run. Two screens put three attackers in one action against three defenders who arrived at different times; the first pops and the second rolls, so one defender cannot cover both.

What beats it. The two screeners’ defenders agreeing before the screens who has the pop and who has the roll, and the ball defender chasing over both.

offense · Early offense · full · Taught in lecture 3.2 · See also Drag screen, Pop, Roll

Drag screen

Also: drag

A ball screen set by a trailing big while the defense is still retreating.

1 has the ball above the arc on the right side, with his defender x1 just below him. 5, labeled trailing, unguarded, starts at the top of the picture behind the play and runs down to a spot just left of x1, where a screen bar stands between him and x1. 5's own defender, x5, is still far back at the top. 1 dribbles left across the top of the screen toward the middle of the floor, and 5 rolls from beside the screen down the lane toward the rim, labeled roll. 4 is on the left wing and 2 and 3 are in the corners, each with a defender.

Why it is run. A ball screen set while the screener’s defender is still retreating is a screen the defense has not yet decided how to guard; it buys a two-on-one before the help has assignments.

What beats it. The screener’s defender sprinting back level with the screen, then icing it to the sideline.

offense · Early offense · full · Taught in lecture 3.2 · See also Double drag, Trailer, Early offense

Flat screen

A ball screen set at the top of the floor with the screener’s back square to the baseline, so the handler can come off it to either side.

The ball is at the top of the key, well above the arc. The handler's defender stands just below him, and the screener stands directly below that defender with his back to the baseline, the screen square across the middle of the floor. Two dribble arrows leave the handler, one to each side of the screen, because neither side is the screen's side. The screener rolls to the rim down the middle. The big's defender waits below the free-throw line, off to one side.

Why it is run. A screen with an angle tells the defense which way the handler is going, and the defense can send him the other way; a flat screen has no angle, so the on-ball defender cannot ice it and has to guess, and the big’s defender has to be ready for a drive to either side.

What beats it. Switching it, since a switch does not care which way the handler goes; or the big’s defender dropping to the free-throw line and meeting the drive on whichever side it comes.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.4 · See also Pick-and-roll, Ice, Drop coverage, Switch

Ghost screen

The screener runs at the handler’s defender as if to screen, makes no contact and slips out to the arc.

The ball-handler is at the right slot, with his defender below him. The would-be screener sprints up toward the handler's defender as if to set a ball screen, stops short without making contact, and runs out to the arc at the left slot. The handler's defender has stepped to go over a screen that never came, and the screener's defender has stepped up beside the elbow to help on a roll that never comes. The handler dribbles left along the top of the arc and passes to the ghost screener, who is open at the arc. The label beside the end of his run reads ghost: no contact, out to the arc.

Why it is run. A screener who threatens the screen and runs to the arc without contact leaves the handler’s defender behind a screen that never came and the screener’s defender guarding a roll that never comes.

What beats it. Guarding the screen only once it is set, or a switch called early enough that the ghost is picked up at the arc.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.4 · See also Slip, Pop

Pick-and-roll

Also: PnR, ball screen

An on-ball screen after which the screener rolls to the rim, forcing two defenders to handle two threats.

Half court, defense set. The ball-handler, 1, has the ball at the right slot with his defender, x1, below him. The big, 5, stands on x1's left with a screen bar between them. 1 dribbles left over the top of the screen toward the middle and stops at the top of the free-throw circle. 5 rolls from the screen down the lane toward the rim, labeled roll. The big's defender, x5, has dropped back to the free-throw line, labeled drop, directly below the end of the handler's dribble. 2 and 3 are in the corners and 4 is on the left wing, each with a defender.

Why it is run. A screen for the ball puts the handler’s defender behind the ball and forces the screener’s defender to help; the roller behind him is then unguarded. Two defenders, two threats, one of them late.

What beats it. A coverage that decides in advance which threat to concede; the drop gives up the mid-range pull-up to take away the roll and the drive.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.3 · See also Roll, Pop, Short roll, Drop coverage

Pop

Also: pick-and-pop

The screener stepping out to the perimeter for a shot after the screen rather than rolling.

Half court, defense set. The ball-handler, 1, has the ball at the right slot with his defender, x1, below him. The big, 5, stands on x1's left with a screen bar between them, the same screen as the pick-and-roll. 1 dribbles left over the top of the screen toward the middle. Instead of rolling, 5 steps straight up to beyond the arc at the top, labeled pop, and the dashed pass goes from the end of 1's dribble back out to him. The big's defender, x5, has dropped to the free-throw line, labeled drop, so he is guarding the paint while 5 is at the three-point line. 2 and 3 are in the corners and 4 is on the left wing, each with a defender.

Why it is run. A screener who can shoot punishes the drop, because the dropping defender is at the free-throw line guarding a drive while his man shoots a three above him.

What beats it. Keeping the screener’s defender attached, by switching the screen or playing it at the level.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.3 · See also Roll, Pick-and-roll

Ram

Also: ram screen, screen-the-screener

A pin-down for the big just before he sets the ball screen, so his defender arrives late to the pick-and-roll.

Half court. 1 has the ball at the top, with his defender, x1, below him. The big, 5, starts at the right block, with his defender, x5, above him on the lane side. A solid arrow from the right wing ends at 4, who stands in the lane above x5 and sets a pin-down on him, drawn as a bar between them. 4's defender, x4, trails outside the right lane line, above 4's path. 5 sprints up the lane, past the pin-down, to the right of x1, where a second bar between them is the ball screen. 1 dribbles right, off that screen, and 5 rolls from it down the lane toward the rim. x5, still below the pin-down, is labeled late. The label just left of the pin-down bar reads pin-down for the screener. 2 and 3 are in the corners, each with a defender.

Why it is run. A pin-down on the screener’s defender just before the ball screen makes that defender a step late, so whatever coverage the defense planned is played by a man who is still running.

What beats it. Switching the pin-down so the nearest defender guards the ball screen, or the screener’s defender going under the pin-down and beating the screener to the spot.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.4 · See also Pin-down, Pick-and-roll

Roll

The screener turning and running to the rim after the screen.

offense · Half court · short · Taught in lecture 3.3 · See also Pick-and-roll, Short roll, Pop

Screen

Also: pick

A stationary player placing his body in a defender’s path to free a teammate.

offense · Half court · short · Taught in lecture 3.3 · See also Pick-and-roll, Pin-down

Short roll

Also: short-rolled

The screener rolling only to the free-throw line to catch and make a play against a defense that has trapped or switched.

Half court. The ball-handler, 1, has the ball above the arc on the right side, trapped by two defenders, x1 above him on his left and x5 below him on his right, labeled trap. A dashed pass goes from 1 to the screener, 5, who has stopped his roll on the free-throw line, labeled short roll: 4 on 3. From 5, dashed passes go to 3 in the left corner and to 4 at the left dunker spot, and a dribble goes down the lane toward the rim. The three defenders who did not trap stay back: x3 between 3 and the free-throw line, x4 in the lane just left of the rim, and x2 inside the arc on the right, between 2 in the right corner and the lane.

Why it is run. Against a trap the screener stops at the free-throw line, catches the pass out, and has three teammates against three defenders, with the weak-side low man unable to guard two of them.

What beats it. A trap fast enough to make the pass out a turnover, or an X-out rotation that covers two spots with one man for the two seconds the trap needs to recover.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.3 · See also Roll, Blitz, 4-on-3

Slip

The screener cutting to the rim before the screen is set, punishing a defense that jumped early to the screen.

The ball-handler 1 is at the right slot. The big, 5, is just below and to the left of him, approaching to set a ball screen. Both defenders have jumped early to the screen: x1 stands just to the handler's left and x5 above and to the left of x1, both upcourt of 5, and each defender's own label sits directly above his X. The words both jumped the screen sit just left of x5. Instead of setting the screen, 5 cuts straight down the lane to the rim, behind both of them, labeled slip, and the handler's dashed pass goes over the top to a spot just beside the end of his cut. 2 and x2 are in the right corner, 3 and x3 in the left corner, and 4 on the left wing with x4 inside him.

Why it is run. Two defenders who step up to a screen before it is set are two defenders above the play; the screener who cuts to the rim instead is behind both of them.

What beats it. The screener’s defender staying between him and the rim until the screen is actually set, or a low man who tags the slip early.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.4 · See also Ghost screen, Roll

Snake dribble

After a ball screen, the handler cuts back across in front of the trailing defender, keeping him on his back and playing two-on-one with the dropping big.

Half court. The handler, 1, has the ball at the right slot with his defender, x1, just below him. The screener, 5, stands on x1's left with a screen bar between them. 1 dribbles left over the top of the screen toward the middle, then snakes back down and to the right past the screener's left side, ending in the lane just below the right end of the free-throw line, labeled snake back, with x1 left upcourt behind him. x5 has dropped below the free-throw line, labeled drop, and stands between the handler and the rim. 5 rolls down the left side of the lane toward the basket, crossing the handler's path. 2 and 3 are in the corners and 4 is on the left wing, each with a defender.

Why it is run. Cutting back across the chasing defender keeps him on the handler’s back and leaves the handler alone against the dropping big while the roller comes down the far side.

What beats it. The chaser going under the screen so there is nobody to snake in front of, or the big playing at the level so there is no room to change direction.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.3 · See also Drop coverage, Pick-and-roll

Spain pick-and-roll

Also: stack pick-and-roll

A pick-and-roll with a third player back-screening the roller’s defender and then popping to the arc.

A high pick-and-roll at the top of the key. The handler starts above the arc right of center with his defender below him. The big stands to that defender's left with a screen bar between them, and the handler dribbles left over the top of the screen. A shooter, labeled shooter, stands on the free-throw line under the screen, with the big's defender between him and the screen and his own defender below him. Two more attackers wait in the two corners, each with a defender. (First of 3 frames; the lecture shows the rest.)

Why it is run. A back screen on the roller’s defender frees the roller to the rim, and the back-screener then pops to the arc, so the drop coverage loses the defender it depends on and gains a shooter to guard.

What beats it. Switching the back screen so the shooter’s defender takes the roller, or the ball defender going under the first screen so the handler never turns the corner.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.4 · See also Pick-and-roll, Back screen

Step-up screen

A ball screen set with the screener’s back to the baseline, sending the handler toward the baseline rather than the middle.

The ball-handler, 1, is on the right wing with the ball, and his defender is on his inside, above the screen. The big, 5, stands below that defender with his back to the baseline, with the screen bar between them. 1 dribbles down the sideline side of the screen and then in toward the rim, labeled to the baseline, so he comes off the screen going toward the baseline and the rim rather than toward the middle. 5 moves up and in toward the right elbow, with the label pop or re-screen just above the end of his arrow. The big's defender is in the lane. 2 at the top, 3 on the left wing and 4 in the left corner each have a defender.

Why it is run. A screen set from below sends the handler toward the baseline, where a coverage built to force everything to the sideline has no rule for him.

What beats it. Switching it, or a big who plays it at the level and turns the handler back toward the middle.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.3 · See also Ice, Pick-and-roll

Twist

Also: re-screen

A second ball screen set from the other side right after the first, so the handler changes direction on the defense.

Half court, drawn at the moment of the re-screen. A dribble comes in from above the arc on the right, passes over a screen bar labeled first screen, and ends at the handler, 1, who now has the ball on the arc left of center. Both defenders have gone left with him: his defender, x1, is on his left, and the big's defender, x5, is near the left end of the free-throw line. The screener, 5, has turned and stands just below the handler, with a second screen bar, labeled re-screen, between him and x1. A second dribble takes the handler back to the right and down past the screener into the free-throw circle. 4 is on the left wing and 2 and 3 are in the corners, each with a defender.

Why it is run. A second screen on the handler’s other shoulder gives the defense the same problem in the opposite direction while both defenders are still leaning toward the first.

What beats it. The ball defender going under the second screen and conceding the pull-up, or a big who plays both screens at the level and never leans.

offense · Half court · full · Taught in lecture 3.4 · See also Pick-and-roll