Attacking the Denial with Blind Pig Action

What is “Blind Pig” Action?

One way defenses will try and neutralize great perimeter players is by denying them along the perimeter to ideally prevent the player from ever receiving the ball, or at the very least pushing the catch further away from the basket. Often times offenses will try running their best players off screens, back cutting him, etc. to try and exploit the denial.

The “blind pig” action is another popular way offenses (especially at the professional level) are combating the perimeter denial. In this action, a player not being denied (typically a big) will flash below the player being denied to receive the pass. As this pass is made, the player being denied will sprint towards the big, now with the ball, to receive a handoff. By denying the initial pass, the defender leaves himself vulnerable to the “blind pig” as he is now stuck on the high side of the offensive player as he sprints to receive the handoff. This action creates a two-man game between the ball handler and the big, with similar reads to that of a ball screen.