Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Part 3) - Defending Screens

From the Coach's Clipboard Basketball Playbook

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First see Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Part 1) - force sideline, on-ball, deny, helpside, help and recover, dribble-penetration.
Also see Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Part 2) - post defense, cutters, special situations.

You must have a plan for defending screens. Of utmost importance is communication between defenders and calling out the screens before they are actually set. Coaches differ on the best way to defend screens. No matter how you do it, you must have a plan, practice it, and make sure all players understand.

Inside post - post screens should be switched, since you usually do not end up with a size-quickness mis-match (see below). On outside perimeter screens, you must decide whether you want to switch these screens, try to fight over them, or slide through (under) them. Switching on the outside could occasionally lead to size and quickness mis-match, especially if a post player steps outside to set a screen for a guard.

Defending ball screens (Pick and Roll)

There are several ways to defend ball-screens, and coaches differ on how to best defend this situation. I believe you must pick one method below that you think works best for your team, and get really good at it.

Here are the ways to do it... "over", "under", "switch", "hedge", "drop coverage", "Blitz",and "ice" techniques.

"Over" (no switch)... with "over", the screened defender aggressively fights over the screen by getting into the ball-handler while also stepping his/her inside leg over the screener. This method avoids switching and "big-little" mismatches. The disadvantage is that if the screened defender does not get over the screen, the ball-handler gets loose to shoot or drive. This possibility can be mitigated by having the X5 defender "show" over the screen to contain the ball until X1 can recover. When X5 shows over the screen, this forces the ball-handler away from the hoop and allows X1 to get over the screen more easily. X5 then quickly recovers to O5 with high hands to deny the pass.



"Under" (with a switch)... here the screened defender X1 goes under the screener. The disadvantage is giving up the open outside shot by the ball-handler. To avoid this and to pressure the ball, we "jump-switch" with X5 sprinting above the screen to pressure and contain the ball. So a switch occurs with X1 on O5 and X5 on O1, possibly resulting in size and quickness mismatches. We have also used this jump-switch technique for defending hand-off screens (weave screens).



"Switch"... the two defenders exchange assignments on a ball-screen. On a called switch, the screener's defender takes the ball-handler. The original on-ball defender takes the screener and protects against the roll. Follow your team's rule for a slip or rejected screen. The advantage is you may prevent an immediate opening, but the disadvantage is you may create a size or speed mismatch.

Coach Andrew Grantz switches all ball-screens and aggressively attacks the ball. As X1 feels contact from the screener, he/she quickly spins around the screener in order to get position to deny a pass to the screener (see the video below). Meanwhile, X5 aggressively sprints above the screen to the ball and "goes for the ball"... trying to deflect or steal it. This usually results in the ball-handler having to take a couple dribbles back away from the hoop, and hence prevents both the outside shot and the dribble-drive. Communicate and switch back on the first safe opportunity, usually the first perimeter pass.



Hedging... The defender guarding the screener (the "hedger") steps out to impede the ball-handler's progress as the screen is set. This disrupts the ball-handler's momentum and forces difficult decisions. The on-ball defender fights over the screen to stay with the ball-handler. The hedger recovers to the screener after the on-ball defender recovers. The disadvantages are (1) this could leave screener open for a roll to the basket if the hedger is slow getting back, or (2) allow the ball-handler to split the hedge and attack the rim.



Drop Coverage... The screener's defender stays below the screen, dropping inside to contain the ball-handler, prevent layups, and protect against the roller. The on-ball defender X1 fights over the screen and recovers to the ball-handler. He forces the ball-handler to use the screen, and does not allow the screen to be rejected. If rejected, the drop coverage defense often fails.

Instead of following the screener all the way to the screen, the screener's defender X5 drops inside (high paint or free-throw line area). The drop defender's primary responsibility is to contain the ball handler as he comes around the screen and protect the rim. This often results in the ball-handler taking a difficult mid-range jump-shot, which the screener's defender X5 must contest if the ball defender is beaten. If the screener's defender X5 takes the ball, the ball defender X1 should find and prevent the pass to the screener rolling inside.



The goal is to protect the paint while contesting the shot. Drop coverage is easy for players to understand and may work well for youth teams. Disadvantages are (1) you may concede pull-up jump shots, including three-pointers if the defender drops too deep, and (2) pick-and-pop action can leave the screener open unless the defense adjusts or rotates. The dropping defender must contain the drive without giving up an easy pass to the roller.

Blitz Defense... Both defenders trap the ball-handler, and may create a turnover. The on-ball defender applies immediate pressure, and the screener's defender helps trap the ball-handler, creating a two-player trap. When the on-ball defender hears the "Blitz" call, he fights over screen and maintains pressure as the screener's defender sprints up to complete the trap. Help-side defenders must communicate and rotate quickly to cover the screener (roller) and any gaps left by the Blitz. Disadvantages are the Blitz can leave the screener open on the roll, and if the trap is broken, it risks giving up open shots by the roller or a kick-out pass to an open shooter.



"Ice"... Only use ice for wing-side ball-screens, not middle ball-screens. Force the ball-handler toward the baseline, preventing middle penetration. This limits scoring opportunities by pinning the offense to one side of the court. As with all pick and roll plays, communication is key. The post defender X5 yells out the screen and "ice". The ball defender X1 immediately steps out to deny O1's middle dribble-penetration, forcing to the sideline and away from the screen. X5 sprints up, squares up the ball-handler and with X1 contains the ball-handler. The screener's defender X5 prioritizes containing the ball before recovering, getting help from teammates behind the play. X5 should not feel responsible for O5 and does not leave O1 until either (1) O1 picks up his/her dribble, or (2) X1 calls X5 off.



X5 recovers by sprinting to O5 with high hands to stop the pass from O1. X5 could get help from X4, X2 and X3 as seen in the diagram.

Also see: "Defending the Pick and Roll", for numerous ways to defend this situation.

Outside Perimeter Lateral Screens

It is easy to switch these screens and usually a mis-match does not occur. The interesting thing is that since our wing defender (X3) is in helpside, there really in no-one to screen (diagram H). It becomes more of an exchange. When O3 moves out to the top, we switch, and have X1 take O3. Notice (diagram I) that our X3 defender in helpside, doesn't even need to move on the switch, since the ball is on the opposite wing and she/he just says in the paint in helpside.

If our weakside wing X3, for some reason, is not in helpside and gets screened (diagram J), we switch this screen. The screened defender X3 drops a step or two back just before the screen arrives ("steps under") and avoids getting sealed outside by the screener... a "step under and switch".

Inside Post Screens

As stated above, it is best to switch inside screens. Here you are usually not giving up a size or quickness advantage, and switching gives us the best chance to deny the pass into the low post.

When defending inside, lateral post screens, the screened defender always "steps under" (takes a giant step back toward the baseline) - diagram K.



If the cutter goes low (baseline side), the screened defender gets an arm bar up and stays with her/his man (no switch)... "step under and stay" (diagram K2). The key is... the defender getting screened must step back toward the baseline before the screen actually arrives.

If the cutter goes high (over the screen), then the defenders switch... "step under and switch" (diagrams L and L2). Again, the screened defender always steps-under (toward the baseline) just before the screen arrives.

The danger with any inside lateral post screen is for our screened defender to get pinned inside. This should not happen if the screened defender "steps under" the screen. After stepping-under, she/he can easily get into the ½ fronting position from the baseline side.



Again the rules for defending lateral inside post screens are:

• The screened defender always steps under before the screen arrives.
• "Low cut" (the cutter goes low) = step-under and stay.
• "High cut" (the cutter goes high) = step-under and switch.
• We also "step under and switch" when defending inside post screens on baseline out-of-bounds plays.

Down-screens

We defend down-screens by following in the cutter's footsteps, as we chase around the down-screen, and do not switch. This is similar to how we defend the curl cut, where we chase the cutter and do not switch.

See the two diagrams below. Why not just switch the down-screen? - as the X2 defender is in perfect position to pick up the cutter O4 coming around the screen, and X4 is in good position to take the screener O2. Two problems could arise. First, after the switch, you could have a big-little mismatch. Second (see the diagram to the right below), the cutter may read this switch and instead flare out to the short corner for the pass and open shot, as X2 is caught inside. So we believe it is better not to switch this screen and instead aggressively chase around the down-screen.



On the other hand, here are coach Fran Fraschilla's thoughts on down-screens. He wants to avoid size mis-matches. You can switch "equals" - i.e. guard-on-guard screens, and post-on-post screens can be switched. A post-guard screen that creates a mis-match, is not switched. The screened defender's teammate "opens up" and allows the screened defender to slide through, so there is no switch.

Back-screens

We switch back-screens. See the diagrams below. As O2 cuts backdoor, X4 will yell out the screen and switch, and prevent the pass inside to O2. Very importantly, the screened defender X2 must quickly step in front and around to get inside position on the screener O4, and avoid getting pinned outside. This is usually not too difficult if X4 calls out the back-screen to warn X2 that it is coming.

After this switch, you may have a big-little mis-match and these defenders will switch back at the first opportunity... which may be during the next perimeter pass, especially if the pass goes weakside.



A back-screen could also happen on the perimeter - e.g. a wing-to-point back-screen, or "flare-screen", (as in our "Kentucky" plays). Again, we switch this. X1 takes the screener O2. X2 is in helpside and can stay there, unless the ball is skip passed to O1 after the back-screen.

Dribble Hand-off

An offensive player dribbles toward a teammate and hands off the ball, screening the receiving player's defender. Two defensive options are trapping and switching. Defenders must also be ready for a fake handoff or a receiver's backdoor cut.

Trapping the Handoff
The passer's defender and the receiver's defender trap the new ball-handler as the exchange occurs. Both defenders close together to contain the dribble and pressure the pass. Teammates rotate to cover the remaining threats. The disadvantage is the passer may roll toward the basket or move into an open space. If the offense passes out of the trap, the remaining defenders must cover a temporary numbers disadvantage.

Switch the hand-off
The defenders communicate the switch before the exchange. The passer's defender takes the receiver, while the receiver's defender takes the passer and protects against a roll or cut to the basket. The disadvantage is switching can create a size or quickness mismatch, especially when a post player hands off to a guard.

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Related pages:

• Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Part 1) - force sideline, on-ball, deny, helpside, help and recover, dribble-penetration
  
• Man-to-Man Pressure Defense (Part 2) - post defense, cutters, special situations
  
• Modern Defensive Toolkit: Concepts, Coverages, and Reads
  
• Switching Man-to-Man Defense
  
• Bob Kloppenburg's SOS Defense
  
• Defending the Pick and Roll
  

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