THE PICK-AND-ROLL OFFENSE

By far, the fastest growing offense in basketball on a variety of levels of competition is the pick-and-roll offense.  This offense is a variation of the motion offense and it has the ability to create headaches for defenses.  Because of this, more and more teams are using it to beat the defense and score with a greater level of consistency.

Advantages of the Pick-and-Roll Offense

One advantage of the pick-and-roll offense is that the offense is difficult to defend.  The defense can be beat in so many ways by how the defense decides to play the offense.  With these reads, which will be mentioned later in the article, the pick-and-roll offense takes what the defense gives the offense and exploits it.

Second, the pick-and-roll offense can incorporate many more players in the offense.  Different types of offenses are designed around only a certain number of players.  The pick-and-roll offense is set up so that more players can get involved whether they are going to screen the basketball or handle the basketball coming off of a ball screen.

Third, the pick-and-roll offense is a flexible offense in that a variety of personnel can run the offense.  Some offenses require a certain type of personnel to be run effectively.  Because the many ways that the pick-and-roll offense can be run, basketball teams are able to use different personnel and still use the same offensive concepts.

Finally, the pick-and-roll can be run as either a set or as an actual offense when the play breaks down.  In this article, the offense will be presented as both a set and as an actual offense that can be run when the play breaks down.  More importantly, when run as a set, it can be a quick-hitting set that results in open shots or scores at the rim in relatively short order.

Disadvantages of the Pick-and-Roll Offense

One disadvantage in the pick-and-roll offense is that the players who handle the basketball will need to have the ability to both drive to the basket and shoot the long-range jump shot.  The way in which teams have found success on defense against the pick-and-roll offense is that the defense knows who the shooters and drivers are in any offense.  If you have players who can do both off of a ball screen, the player will thrive in the offense.  If not, those players will be scouted and the defense will take away from the offensive player what they want to do best.

One last disadvantage in running the pick-and-roll offense is that you need to make sure that your ball screeners and ball-handlers are not susceptible to switches.  If you can set any kind of screen and put the defense in a position to where they can ill-afford to switch it, any screening offense works.  However, if you cannot get this done, switches are likely to occur which will result in problems for the offense.  In fact, every coach who runs any kind of offense with screens will want the defense to not switch so it it important the the defense not be given a good opportunity to switch.

Middle Pick-and-Roll Offense

The first type of pick-and-roll offense set is the middle pick-and-roll.  Here, a set is designed with a ball screen set high for the point guard (Diagram 1).  In the example shown in Diagram 1 is with the low post on the help-side.  The post can be on either side depending upon the play.

Diagram 1

Another way to get into a middle pick and roll with the low post on the help side is to have a back screen set for #4 by #5 who then sets the ball screen (Diagram 2).  The point guard can throw the lob to #4 or come off of the ball screen.

Diagram 2

If they ball-handler is denied the opportunity to use the ball screen, he can penetrate and attack the rim (Diagram 3).  Off of this, the ball-handler can kick to any of the other four players or take it to the basket for a lay-up.

Diagram 3

If the ball screen does not result in a scoring play for the ball-handler, there are a number of options available.  However, if we are put in a position to throw the ball into the corner on the middle pick-and-roll with the low post on the help side, we will go into a side pick-and-roll play automatically (Diagram 4).

Diagram 4

Another set up for the middle pick-and-roll offense is the ball screen with the low post on the ball side (Diagram 5).  There are also a number of ways that the middle pick-and-roll offense can be run from this look.

Diagram 5

The first way is the basic pick-and-roll play with the ball screen being set high and the screener rolling to the basket  in Diagram 6.  The ball-side low post will come out and replace the ball screener on high as protection against a steal and a fast break.

Diagram 6

Another way the ball screen can be run from on high with the low post ball side is with a back screen by the low post after the ball screen has been set (Diagram 7).

Diagram 7

Another approach is to have the ball screener fake the ball screen and dive (Diagram 8).  We like to do this when there is an anticipation of the ball screen.  When this happens, the low post pops to the wing as we look to throw it inside on the dive.

Diagram 8

If  at any moment we are refused the ball screen, the point guard can penetrate dribble (Diagram 9).  When this happens, the low post rolls and shows on the opposite block.  This will allow our other four players to get open to receive the basketball for shots.

Diagram 9

Again, like in the middle pick-and-roll offense, if the ball goes to the corner, we will run a side pick and roll play for our player in the corner with the low post setting the ball screen (Diagram 10).  More will be presented later in the article regarding the side pick-and-roll offense.

Diagram 10

Open Post Pick-and-Roll Offense

A recently-created variation of the middle pick-and-roll is the open post pick-and-roll offense.  Like the middle pick-and-roll, the open post pick-and-roll has both wings in the corners and a screener on top.  However, this has no post player designated in the post as he is at the help-side wing as an additional perimeter player.  In this offense, the same action takes place with the ball screener setting a screen in the middle of the floor for the point guard (Diagram 11).

Diagram 11

Off of the ball screen, there are a number of options.  Diagram 12 shows the pass options immediately off of the screen.  The progression is to pass to the roll man and either one of the two players at either the help-side wing or the help-side corner.

Diagram 13 shows what happens if there is penetration by the point guard.  He can hit any of the other four players on the dribble penetration.  He can also shoot off of the screen if given the opportunity to do so.

Diagram 12

Diagram 13

If there is a pass made to the help-side corner, we want to run a ball screen from the corner if possible.  Here, the help-side wing will set a ball screen for the player in the help-side corner on the catch (Diagram 14).  This will lead to a number of pass and dribble options similar to that of a side pick-and-roll play.

Diagram 14

On the ball screen on the side, #3 can use the ball screen to set up a score for himself.  He can attack the rim off of the ball screen for a lay-up (Diagram 15) or shoot the perimeter jump shot off of the screen (Diagram 16).

Diagram 15

Diagram 16

If the point guard is not able to get to the ball screen, he will attack the basket and look for either a kick-out or the lay-up (Diagram 17).  The ball screener will come to the nail and look for the ball while the remaining players will maintain their positions.  If the ball is passed to #3 in the help-side corner, he will receive the ball screen from #4 as shown earlier.

Diagram 17

Side Pick-and-Roll

Whenever there is a ball screen set on the ball at or below the wings, this is referred to as a side pick and roll.  For this article, I am going to breakdown a side pick-and-roll offense that Kansas runs which they refer to as their "Fist" series.  This offense can be run as a primary offense or whenever a set play breaks down.

The "Fist" series pick and roll can be entered into one of two ways: the point guard can pass to a wing and cut to either corner or dribble to a wing (Diagram 18).

Diagram 18

There are two sides to the offense: the "two" side where there are two perimeter players on a side and the "one" side which has only one perimeter player on a side.  The perimeter players will fill the slots, the wings, or the corners depending on which side of the floor they are on and where the ball is.

Diagrams 19 and 20 feature the "Fist" series pick and roll from the "two" side.   In Diagram 19, the ball-side post comes out and sets the ball screen for the ball-handler.  The ball-handler will attack the rim or take a shot off of the screen (dribble drive featured in Diagram 19).

In Diagram 20, the pass options are made to the help-side.  The first look is to hit the help-side post on the duck-in and the second look is to pass to the help-side perimeter player to keep the offense going.  Not pictured are the options of hitting the roll man coming off of the down screen for the man in the corner or the pass back to the man coming off of the down screen from the corner.

Diagram 19

Diagram 20

From the "one" side, the ball screen is set by the ball-side post (Diagram 21).  When the ball screen is set, the ball-handler has a number of pass options: hit the roll man on his way to the basket, hit either one of the two help-side perimeter players, or hit the help-side post man.  He can also attack the rim or shoot off of the screen.
 

Diagram 21

At any time, the ball can be entered to the low post.  The ball-side low post will never come out to set a ball screen until he has posted for a count of two.  If he receives a pass from the perimeter, the passer will execute a "Laker" cut and the remaining perimeter players will fill the ball-side wing and the help-side slot (Diagram 22).

Diagram 22

If the post player throws the ball back out, the post player making the pass will come out and screen the basketball.  In Diagram 23, the ball is thrown back to the one-side by the post with the ball and he comes out to set the ball screen.

Diagram 23

In Diagram 24, the ball is thrown out to the help-side slot.  The post who passed the ball will come out and screen the ball before setting a down screen for the man in the corner.  The post on the side opposite the post making the pass will roll and replace.

Diagram 24

Teaching the Pick-and-Roll Offense

The best way to start teaching the pick-and-roll offense is to start with presenting the plays or the offense in a five-on-zero setting.  As I mention in many of my other articles, we do this because if give all of the players playing in the offense an understanding of what to do within the framework of the system.  It also allows for a quicker installation of the offense.

Next, the pick-and-roll offense can be broken down in two-player drills.  Have the players who you want to set screens to set screens and have the players you want to be ball-handlers handle the basketball.  This can be done from the wing, the corner, or from on top.  Doing this will allow your players to work on the two-player game that is involved within the offense.

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