Basketball Offense - Box-set Offense - Post Plays

By Dr. James Gels, From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook
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This article is the second in a series of four articles on basketball's Box-set offense and coach Lason Perkins' excellent online course (CoachTube) and Hoopsking DVD on the Box offense. Coach Perkins at this writing resides in Cary, NC and coaches basketball at Cary Academy. Lason Perkins is recognized globally as one of basketball's brightest coaching minds. He has coached at every level of basketball from elementary school to the professional ranks, and is the creator of many instructional basketball videos. He is a great student of the game with an expert understanding of Xs and Os, and maintains contact with coaches from around the world.

Coach Perkins has researched the Box offense in great detail and presents 34 detailed plays and options, all with on-court demonstrations. Plays are categorized as (1) baseline plays for your shooters (7 plays), (2) post plays (15 plays), (3) pick and roll plays (6 plays), and (4) isolation/backdoor plays (6 plays).

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The following box-set plays are designed to get the ball inside to your post players.

Box-set Post Plays

Shuffle

Diagram 1 shows the basic box set that is common to all of these plays. This play uses Dean Smith's shuffle cut. In diagram 1, O2 cuts out to the right corner and O5 goes to the right wing. O3 flashes to the right elbow. O1 passes to O5, and then O1 down-screens for O4. O4 pops out, and O1 goes to the left wing. O5 passes to O4 (diagram 2), and O5 passes to O1.

O3 back-screens for O5 (diagram 3), and O5 executes the shuffle cut to the ballside (left) block. O1 looks to pass to O5. Meanwhile, for another option, O3 and O4 set a staggered double screen for O2. O2 cuts to the top for the pass and shot.

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Bucks

This play was used by coach Del Harris when he was with the Milwaukee Bucks. Starting with the box-set in diagram 1, O4 and O5 step up to the arc in a horns set. O1 could dribble either way, but since O5 is our best post scorer, O1 goes right off O4's screen. O3 and O2 set a staggered double screen for O5. O5 cuts around the screens for the pass from O1 (diagram 2). If O5 is not open, O4 down-screens for O2 (diagram 3). O2 cuts to the top for the pass and 3-point shot.

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Carolina

This play was used by Dean Smith at North Carolina. In diagram 1, O1 dribbles right, O2 screens for O3, and O3 goes to the right corner. O5 down-screens for O2, and O2 cuts to the top for the pass from O1. After screening, O5 moves out a few steps (for spacing). O4 moves down to the left block. O2 takes a couple dribbles left (diagram 2), and passes hi-lo to O4 posting up inside.

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Knicks

Coach Pat Riley with the NY Knicks used this simple play to get the ball inside to Patrick Ewing. O1 dribbles right (diagram 1). O3 cuts to the left wing. O5 down-screens for O2. O4 cuts down to the right block, bumping off O5, and gets the pass from O1 (diagram 2). Meanwhile, O2 cuts to the top and could get the pass from O1, and the open 3-point shot.

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Hi-Lo

Hi-lo plays are always a great way to get the ball inside to your best post player. Diagram 1 shows O1 dribbling right. O3 cuts off O2 to the right corner. O4 and O5 set a staggered screen for O2, and O2 cuts over the double screen to the left wing. After screening, O4 steps out for the pass from O1 (diagram 2). O5 seals inside and O4 passes hi-lo to O5.

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Marquette

Indiana Coach Tom Crean ran this play when he was at Marquette. O3 and O4 cross-screen for O2 and O5. O5 cuts to just outside the left elbow area and gets the pass from O1. O1 clears to the right corner, and O4 moves out to the right wing. O2 cuts around O3's screen and then around O5 (diagram 2) for the hand-off. O3 back-screens for O5 and O5 cuts to the hoop for the pass from O2.

After screening, O3 pops out to the left wing. If O5 is not open, O2 passes to O3 (diagram 3), and O3 looks to pass to O5 posting up.

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Duke

Coach Mike Krzyzewski has used this play at Duke, looking to post up a strong guard inside. O1 dribbles to the right wing, as O5 cuts to the left wing, O4 pops out to the top, and O2 clears to the left corner. O1 looks for O3 posting up. If the initial pass is not open, O1 passes to O4 (diagram 2), and O4 looks to pass hi-lo to O3 sealing inside.

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45 Hi-Lo

With this play, we are looking to get the ball inside to O5. O1 dribbles left (diagram 1). O5 down-screens for O3 and O3 cuts out to the right wing. O4 pops out on top, and O2 cuts to the left corner. After screening, O5 seals the defender and O1 looks to pass to O5 posting up. If O5 is not initially open, O1 passes to O4 (diagram 2). O5 re-posts for the hi-lo pass from O4.

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15

With this play, we are again looking to get the ball inside to O5. O1 dribbles to the left wing (diagram 1). O2 and O3 set a double staggered back-screen for O5. O5 cuts hard under the screens to the left block. O1 looks to pass to O5 here for the lay-up or post move (diagram 2). Meanwhile, O3 and O4 double down-screen for O2. O2 cuts hard around the screens to the top for a pass from O1 and an open 3-point shot.

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"Buckeye"

Submitted by: Coach Alan Longley.

Here's another play with a lot of options. Our first look is a possible pass inside and lay-up for either post player O4 or O5. We start with a box set-up (diagram A), with perimeter players O2 and O3 on the blocks and post players O4 and O5 at the elbows.

The play can go to either side, with the determining factor being the initial direction of the point guard's (O1) dribble. Here O1 dribbles left to a point below the elbow and outside the 3-point arc. O4 steps out to the arc to screen for O1. O1 then changes direction and dribbles over O4's screen, dribbling up to the top.

Meanwhile, O5 down-screens for O2, and O2 pops out to the right wing. O2 gets the pass from O1.

O4 gets a back-screen from O3 (who then pops out on the left wing), and a second screen from O5 inside. O4 cuts hard around these two screens for a possible pass from O2, and a lay-up (diagram B), our primary goal.

After completing the two screens, O5 flashes up to the high post (free throw line). Now there are several options.

• The primary option, the pass to O4 inside for a lay-up (already described).
• O2 could shoot the outside shot.
• O4 could come up and back-screen for O2, and run a two-man game, pick and roll.
• O2 could pass to O5 at the high post. O5 could shoot, take it to the hoop, or pass to O4 posting up inside ("hi-lo" option).
• If denied the pass, O5 could ball-screen for O2 (diagram C), while O1 and O3 rotate to the left (this rotation helps clear the top seam for O2, and puts O1 and O3 in good position for a kick-out pass). O2 dribble-drives around the O5 ball-screen into the top seam for a lay-up, a jump-shot in the paint, a dump-pass to O4, or a kick-out pass to either O3 or O1.

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Get more Box-Set Plays in the Premium Members section and the Playbook download. It also includes "Zipper", "Greece", "Pitt", "Memphis", "CSKA", "Tubby", "UCLA", and "Oregon".

Related pages:

• The Box Offense - Plays for your Shooters
• The Box Offense - Pick and Roll Plays
• The Box Offense - Isolation/Backdoor Plays

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