Defence - Dave Smart ballscreens

Defence
Dave Smart ballscreens

Dave Smart
Basketball Immersion

See Defence - Dave Smart weak-hand.

They defend ballscreens a ton of ways (too big a dose of anything, the opposition is going to kill you). Scout the actions used by other teams in their plays, not the plays themselves.

1) Shock and under

No one in their league uses shock and under.

They shock when going under, show when going over.

X1 is square on the ball. As soon as 5 runs up to set a screen, X5 yells "screen" and "shock" until he sees X1 change his feet (the Ravens use a colour for the call). They're dictating and weaking everything to start, X1 gets up on 1, bodies him, tries to bully the ball, then X5 knows he heard the call.

X1 calls "good" if he is good, e.g., he bullies it and knows 1 is not going to get to the screen. X5 still bluffs even if X1 doesn't need it.

If the ball gets to the screen, X1 acts like he is going over by bullying, but he's going under. X5 pretends he's not there then shocks it, a one-hit shock daring 1 to split, but 1 has no where to go because X1 went under. X5 makes sure that 1 can't pass comfortably to 4, recovers hard to 5 after X1 goes under.

X3 has the basket, yells that X4 has two players (4 and 3), X4 yells that X3 has basket. They're not tagging from the offside (X2 behind the screen).

Dare 1 to come back in the same direction (reject the screen), X1 would get bluff help from X2 then cut him off, or emergency switch with X5 if 1 drops his shoulder.

If the other team's best player sets a screen early in the game, shock and go under, here 5 rolling might get called. There may be an emergency switch (X1 calls "help" instead of "good"). Use shock and under to get back against a pick and pop guy.

On a pass to 4 (not an easy one), X2 has basket until X5 screams that he's good, then X1 has two (1 and 2).

2) Blitz

Show and over, X5 yells "blitz" (or a colour). X1 bullies 1, tries to get him off the screen (don't have to do anything if there's no screen). It's not a shock, since X1 is going over, X5 doesn't want him to get split, so X5 hits 1 twice, once to make sure he doesn't get split, then comes hard high when X1 can trap.

X3 cheats hard to the roller.

Same as their pressure defence, attack certain guys, control other guys, it can be an aggressive (attack) or control blitz. Use an attack blitz with a player who is not comfortable with the ball, shoot the gaps, X4 gets out and denies, X2 takes away 2 (shown), dare 1 to throw to 3.

Blitz a contain guy (Kyrie Irving) to make him pass, don't shoot gaps to deny, he's likely to keep his dribble alive, beat the trap and come down the lane for a 2 on 1 or 3 on 1.

3) Wait

X5 has his heels on the foul line, X4 is on the nail and will bluff at 1. X5 keeps 5 in front of him.

X1 fights to get over, do not get hit by the screen. Everybody wants to short-cut screens. Do not run into anyone, take the path of least resistance unless you can run him off the screen.

If there's a gap, X1 gets through to recover in front of 1 (shown).

X1 yells "good" as soon as he has 1 in a funnel situation.

Teach them what has to be done, they can figure out the footwork.

If 1 snakes it right away, X1 gets back in front (don't stay on his hip), says he is good. If 1 stops, X1 has a chance to get back in front, 5 has no where to go.

Wait and under - if 1 is a non-shooter, X1 can go under. If it's same size, or they're getting killed with spacing, they'll switch it.

4) Switch

You can't get into a situation where you are sloppily switching everything, you've got to hit it. Don't just softly switch it, a good team will figure it out.

Still get up and bully the ball, X1 is going to go under, X5 is going to hit it as if he's showing, then backs off (gaps) and covers. There's a good chance 1 will pick it up or pass if he thinks X5 is shocking, there's no where for him to go. Take them away from their comfort zone.

Don't switch if 1 goes back the other way, they're good.

Golden State Warriors triple-switch concept (YouTube) - is used to keep bigs and guards out as much as possible. Here X1 is left guarding a much bigger player if X5 rolls to the rim. The Warriors would have other big X4 move to the paint to take the roller and X1 switch out to 4.

5) Weak

They weak everything on the other side of the floor (e.g., on the wing or in the corner).

As soon as X4 hears "screen", he gets up and denies access (don't give too much), X5 gets to their guideline area.

If 5 is a non-shooter, play it like a wait and over.

As 4 puts it on the floor, X4 goes over the screen, tries to get back into position where he can funnel, calls "good", X5 can recover to 5, doesn't let him get behind.

Matt Woodley - money in ice - to switch a side pick and roll, X4 drives 4 down and gets inside position on 5 (X4 goes over the screen).

If 5 is a shooter, X5 hits 4 hard, X4 gets under X5, who can angle it to get out on a pick and pop.

If 5 re-adjusts the screen and is a non-shooter, it's the same as Weak.

If 5 sets it with his back to the basket, X4 goes over the screen; if 5's back is to the corner (shown), bully it and go under, 4's first move is away from the basket.

If 5 is a shooter, X5 moves up right behind the screen (a squeeze), X4 goes under both, X5 can sprint to take a away a pick and pop.

On a blitz or switch, it's debatable what you want to do on this side, Smart would rather keep it going to the weak hand than blitz or switch pushing it into the screen. His players are way better playing it the same way.

Here it's the same if 5 sets or readjusts the screen.

To blitz, X4 goes over the screen to trap with X5. It can be a control blitz (make 4 pass, shown) or an attack blitz (shoot gaps).

To switch, X4 goes under the screen, X5 hits it hard. Play it the same way we would on the other side. If 4 comes back, stay with your own man.

See Defence - Woodley ballscreens.

This page was made with Basketball playbook from Jes-Soft