"Cardinal Dive" - Man-to-Man Offense

"Cardinal Dive"

Offense against a man-to-man defense

This is a little something I picked up from watching the Louisville Cardinals the past couple years in the NCAA tournament.  They're a treat to watch, and Rick Pitino has some pretty nice draw-ups in his playbook.  Here's how it runs!

1. The play is set up in sort of a 2-guard set with the center at the high post and two wing players.
2. The play begins with the point guard (let's call him Russ) passing the ball to the forward "F" (probably your 4-man) at the top of the key.  The center sets a screen at the elbow, and Russ dives to the basket.  If Russ's man is playing tight and gets caught on the screen, look for a lob in there.  This probably isn't ideal, but it's a possibility.
3. The ball is then swung to the 3-man "F" on the wing.  The 4-man who passed the ball dives to the block.  You're really not looking for any sort of pass here.
4. The 2-guard on the away-side and the center walk down to set what should look like a double-screen for Russ.  Instead, the 2-guard bolts off the center's screen to the top of the key.  As the screening action is occurring, the 3-man dribbles up a couple dribbles and passes to the 2-guard coming off the screen.  If he is wide open, that's a good shot.  If not, no problem, that's not the end of the play.
5. The center then slides down and over a bit to set a downscreen for Russ coming up.  Simultaneously, after the 3-man passes to the 2-guard, he will drift back as the 4-man curls around to set a backscreen for the 3-man.  So on ball-side, you've got a downscreen for your point guard and on the opposite side you've got a backscreen going on.
6. There are four options on this play now.  The 2-guard can either a) hit Russ coming off the downscreen, b) skip to the flaring 3-man off the backscreen, c) hit the 4-man slipping or rolling, or d) hit the center slipping or rolling.  If the 4- or 5-men's defenders help on the screen, slip.  The back-court defender will be trailing Russ, so if the center's defender helps, he can slip for a wide-open lay-up.  Similarly, if the 4-man's defender recognizes the backscreen, he will most likely pop out or at least show hard while the 3-man's defender recovers.  In this split second, the 4-man has to recognize what his defender is doing and slip to the basket.

This play is so lethal because, assuming the big men can recognize when their defenders help off, this will result in a wide-open three or a wide-open lay-up/dunk on the slip.  I've got a few more "Pitino Plays" coming soon for you guys.

Stack - Out of Bounds Play

Stack

Out of bounds offense against any defense

This play is really simple and straightforward.  This is designed for a three-pointer from the opposite side corner off the inbound.  

1. Real straightforward here.  This play is set up with a shooter and a screener stacked at the block away from the ball, a guard at the elbow, and a forward/center at the ball-side block.  
2. On the ball-side of the play, have the forward up-screen for the guard, and the guard will come off of it flashing to the basket.  After setting the screen, the forward should roll to the corner.  This is basically a distraction, while also lulling the opposite side defense to sleep.  After about 1.5-2 seconds, the shooter away from the ball will make a hard two-step flash to the middle of the paint.  Immediately the shooter will turn around as the center "C" sets a screen on the shooter's man, and your three-point shooter will sprint to the corner off the screen.  If a solid screen is set, this will result in wide-open three.  This is the shot this play is designed for.  If the screener's man fights around the screen to take away the corner pass, it will leave the paint open for a quick bounce pass for a lay-up.

This play can really only be used once a game because of its simplicity.  It should work when you use it, but if you use it more than once there's a good chance the defense will know exactly what shot you're looking for.

Four-High Set - Man-to-Man Offense

Four-High Set

Offense against a man-to-man defense

The reason I'm calling this a four-high set is because after the initial break, the offense is set up into a four-high set.  The main purpose of this play is to get a good angle for a post entry pass in a position for your post player to have a one-on-one post move with his defender.  So here's how this works:

1. First, set up your offense with your point guard in the middle of the floor and two double-stacks at the blocks, just like the set-up for Shocker if you took a look at that play.  
2. The big men will flash to the elbow, and the guards will trail right behind them.  As soon as the guards reach the elbow, pop straight out free-throw line extended.  This is to release pressure against a tight man-to-man defense.
3. The point guard will make an entry pass to either wing, and as soon as he does, he will cut through to the ball-side corner and sit tight.  While this happens, the ball-side big man will set an off-ball screen at the opposite elbow for the other big man, who will curl around the screen and down to the block.  This is your first option.  If his man is trailing him behind the screen, hit him for the wide open lay-up/dunk.  
4. Simultaneously while the big man is curling, the offensive player setting the screen will pop out above the three-point line at the top of the key.  The first look is into the post, and if nothing is there, swing it to the forward popping out top.  Now, the big man at the block should attempt to seal his man behind him to create an angle for a direct pass from the top of the key into the paint.  This should be a lob pass, but shouldn't hang in the air waiting to be picked off.  This is the best look this offense creates.  This is what you want, an entry pass from the top of the key for a one-on-one right under the basket.  
5. If this pass isn't there, swing the ball to the other guard on the wing, and just as before the big man in the paint should be rotating around asking for the ball.  If he's got his man on his back, hit him and let him go to work.  However, if this pass is being taken away (and even if it's not), the forward who just passed the ball and the guard who initially caught the ball will be setting a double screen for the point guard who should still be hanging out in the corner.  The guard should come off the double screen right about the elbow for a 15-foot free-throw line jumper.  Upon setting the second part of the double screen, there is a good chance that, seeing the point guard's defender caught up on screens, the screening man's defender will switch out to deny the pass to the curl.  If this happens (which it most likely will), the screener "slips" the screen to the basket for a lay-up.

Quick recognition, quick reactions.  That's what basketball is about, and that's how this play becomes effective.  You can't hold onto the ball too long.  As soon as a pass is thrown, the offense should be moving, and nobody should be holding onto to the ball for more than a second or two.  Anything more and you allow the defense more time to assess what's going on.  This play should be effective at the college and high school levels every time, and you should be able to get a look from one of the listed options above.

Why the Pick-and-Roll is Unguardable

I figured it's only appropriate to begin this post by honoring one of the best pick-and-roll combinations in the history of basketball in Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire.  Now obviously, your point guard isn't Steve Nash nor is your roll man Stoudemire.  The importance of this video is the way Nash runs it, the technique he uses, and his vision.

The pick-and-roll is the only "unguardable" play in basketball.  Running the pick-and-roll will always result in:

1. Lay-up (Ball handler attacking the basket)
2. Lay-up (Roll man receiving the pass)
3. Three-point look for one of the non-involved players
4. Lay-up (Non-involved player cutting to basket)
5. Mismatch (Ball handler's man and roll man switch on defense)

So if the pick-and-roll is so unstoppable, why isn't it run by every team and every possession?  Because it's hard to run effectively.  A simple play like the pick-and-roll is much more complex than it appears.  Key components are:

• Floor spacing, positioning
• Ball handler should be a three-point threat
• Roll man must have a decent mid-range jumper
• Supporting players must be three-point threats

1. Floor Spacing, positioning

Refer to the video above.  Notice how when the pick-and-roll is run, the ball handler either begins on the wing or top of the key and supporting shooters spread out beyond the three-point arc, leaving the paint wide open with just help-side defense, assuming it's there.  The pick must take place beyond the arc, leaving enough room for dribble penetration.  If the defender fights over the screen, the ball handler should penetrate, leading to a lay-up if he is not stopped.  If help defense steps up, which it should, a nice dish to the rolling forward/center is made possible, or at the very least a wide-open three-point shot in the corner or wing.  If your roll man is a three-point threat, such as Channing Frye (#8), he can float out beyond the arc and a pass can be swung around the arc to find the best shot, such as the play at 1:02 above.  On the other hand, if the defender goes under the screen, the ball handler should be open for a good look at a three-pointer from the top of the key or wing.  If the roll man's defender shows, the roll man should slip immediately to the basket in which case a leading pass or bounce pass will set him up for a lay-up.

2. Ball handler should be a three-point threat

To reiterate my final statement from the previous section, the ball handler must be able to shoot the three or the pick-and-roll becomes less effective.  If the ball handler cannot shoot the three, the defender can go under the screen every time, and without a three-point threat, there's no need for either player to step up.  Even attempting a three in this case is smart, because even if the ball handler isn't locked in from downtown, the defender will remember that it's a shot the ball handler is willing to take if given.  Either way, a three-point shot creates far more opportunities for this play.

3. Roll man must have a decent mid-range jumper

Another way some teams may try to guard this is by having the roll man's defender sag off down low in the paint.  If he sags, the roll man has no where to roll to nor room to receive a pass.  In this case, a free throw line jumper makes all the difference in the world.  If the roll man's defender sags off, he simply pops out to the free throw line and gets a wide-open 15-foot jumper.  This is important because now you've added an option to the pick-and-roll sometimes referred to as the pick-and-pop, in which the first look for the ball handler is hitting the "popping" man for a shot.

4.  Supporting players must be three-point threats

This fourth key is probably the most important of the four.  The three supporting players not involved in the pick-and-roll must be able to effectively knock down a three-point shot.  If they are unable to be threats, then the spacing they've created is basically useless, and their defenders can clog up the paint.  Any coach teaches help-side defense, so theoretically, the ball handler shouldn't be able to penetrate very deep into the lane, but deep penetration or not, a defender stepping up to stop the ball leaves a player open standing beyond the three-point arc.  Another option, as you see a few times in the video, opens up when the ball handler hits the roll man somewhere around 6-7 feet from the basket.  At this point, the roll man can now shoot a short jumper, take it at the defender to try and score, or kick it out to a shooter whose defender has collapsed on the roll man, such as the play which begins at 4:49.

Now remember, the pick-and-roll is a play that is only effective against a man-to-man defense.  Against a zone, defenders are already in position to stop any play coming from a pick-and-roll.  There are many other plays that can be used effectively against a zone which I will mention in future posts.

The pick-and-roll is effective and used at all levels, from middle school basketball to the professional level because of it's potential.  If ran correctly, the pick-and-roll should result in a good look 100% of the time.