One player sets a screen. A second later, somebody screens for him. He comes off it while every defender on the floor is still watching whoever used the first screen.
Why coaches use it
Because of what a defense does when a screener’s job appears to be over. His man relaxes, turns toward the ball, and stops moving his feet. That is the exact moment a screen arrives on him, and he is the least prepared player on the court.
It is also the most reliable way to build a second option into a play without a second play call. The first action is bait: a corner pop, a cross screen, a flex cut. It occupies the defense honestly, because it could score. When it does not, the player who made it possible is the one who scores instead.
You will find it everywhere once you look. Flex is a cross screen and then a down screen for the crosser, over and over. The shuffle does the same thing with a back screen. A box inbounds where one big screens across and is then screened himself gives you a layup and a safety valve out of four seconds of movement.
How it is guarded
- Talk twice. The defense has to call the first screen and then call the second one on a teammate who has stopped listening.
- Switch the second screen. Usually available, and usually leaves a guard on a big diving to the rim.
- Chase and stay attached. Correct, and it asks a defender to sprint immediately after taking contact.
If your inbounds plays only ever have one option, this is the cheapest second one to add: take whoever just screened and screen for him.