Ball Screen Offense—Occupying the Help

Occupying Help Defenders During a Ball Screen:

One of the more intricate concepts within the ball screen action, and one I have been really interested as of late, is occupying the help defenders.

If the defense uses a ball screen coverage that requires help, it will come from one or more of the three off ball defenders not directly involved in guarding the ball screen. This help can come in the form of an off ball defender “tagging” the screener as he rolls to the rim, or a defender sitting at the nail to help on containing the ball handler’s penetration.

Being able to occupy the help defenders and force them to make decisions can open up your pick and roll and increase your ball screen efficiency.

“Shake” to Punish the Single Side Tag:

When defending against a spread ball screen with a player occupying the strong side corner, most defenses will “tag” or help on the screener rolling to the rim from the single side (strong side corner defender).

One way to punish the tag is by “shaking” or lifting the strong side corner player (3) as 1 attacks off 5’s ball screen.

If the strong side corner defender (X3) stays with 3 as he shakes up, 5 will have space as he rolls to the rim. If X3 tags and helps on 5’s roll, 3 will be wide open as he lifts. If the ball is kicked back to 3 shaking up, X3 then has a long closeout which gives 3 the option to shoot, drive or enter the ball into 5.

As you can imagine, putting a shooter in the strong side corner in spread ball screen is the best way to punish the single side tag. This puts his defender in a difficult position, as they will most likely be responsible for tagging 5’s roll. If he does tag 5’s roll, he risks leaving the shooter open as he lifts. If he stays with the shooter lifting, 5 can have a free run to the rim as he rolls.

Weak Side Actions to Remove The Nail Help:

In addition to the single side tag, another form of help commonly seen in spread ball screen coverage is “nail” help from the top weak side defender. As the ball screen is taking place, X2 positions himself near the “nail” at the center of the free throw line in an effort to limit middle penetration by the ball handler.

There are a few common ways teams try to remove the nail defender with weak side actions, and we will quickly recap each below.

Flare

One way to remove or punish the nail defender (X2) is with a flare screen from the weak side corner (4) for the weak side wing (2) to drift to the corner. If X2 stays at the nail to help on 1’s dribble penetration, 2 will be wide open for a kick out corner three. If X4 switches onto 2 as he flares to the corner, 4 can slip to the rim for an open finish. If 2 is a consistent shooter, X2 will be forced to leave the nail and guard the weak side action, which creates space for 1 to gain middle penetration off the ball screen.

Pin Down

Another way to punish the nail defender is a pin down set by the weak side wing for the weak side corner as the ball screen action is taking place. Similar to the flare, a pin down puts the nail defender (X2) in a tough position. If he does not help on 4 as he comes off the pin down, he risks leaving a shooter open. If he does help on the pin down to take away the open shot from 4, he vacates the nail and leaves space for dribble penetration.

Exchange

The weak side wing and corner exchanging as the ball screen is happening is another great, yet simple way to confuse the nail defender. Most teams will not switch player exchanges, so more often then not X2 will vacate the nail and move low as 2 and 4 exchange. X4 must then lift and replace X2 at the nail, which leaves time and space for 1 to attack middle. If the weak side defenders decide to focus on the ball screen action rather than the weak side exchange, 1 can easily kick the ball to an open shooter.

45 Cut

The final way to occupy the nail defender in a spread ball screen scenario is by “45” cutting the weak side wing. As the 45 cut is happening, the weak side corner would then lift to the wing for a potential catch & shoot. If the nail defender (X2) focuses on stopping middle penetration, he risks leaving 2 open as he 45 cuts to the rim. Often times, the low defender (X4) will collapse on the 45 cut to prevent this. However, 4 lifting from the corner as the 45 cut is happening creates a long closeout for X4 to recover.

For a more detailed breakdown on 45 cuts and when else they are most effective, check out the Adding 45 Cuts to Your Offense breakdown.

Occupy the Low Man in Wing Ball Screens:

Wing ball screens with an empty corner (no offensive player in the strong side corner) are becoming more and more popular in today’s game. You see teams flow into these wing ball screen with drag screens, UCLA cuts, continuity ball screen offenses, etc.

The reason these wing ball screens (with an empty corner) are so effective is because there is no strong side off ball defender to immediately “tag” or help on the roll, like there is in a spread ball screen. Instead, the lowest weak side defender (X2 in the example below) is often tasked with helping on 5’s roll during a wing ball screen.

If the ball handler can engage the screener’s defender as he comes off the wing ball screen, and you are able to remove the lowest weak side defender (X2) then ideally 5 will be wide open as he rolls to the rim.

One of the simplest, yet most effective ways to remove X2 during a wing ball screen is by setting a staggered away screen for 2 in the weak side corner as the wing ball screen is taking place.

If X2 chases 2 as he flies off the staggered screen, then 5 should be open as he rolls. If X2 stays at the rim, he risks leaving 2 open for a shot as he comes off the staggered screen. Some teams will try and switch the staggered away screen, which allows X2 to stay put at the rim and help on 5’s roll. However, switching the staggered can create size or speed mismatches that can be attacked.

In the video below, you will see Northern Iowa set this staggered away screen anytime they flow into a wing drag screen with the strong side corner empty.