2-Man Game Tough To Handle

Michigan worked just the right amount of ball screens into its offense throughout the season to open the perimeter and set up chances near the rim.

Clear out. Set a ball screen. Hit the roller if the defense switches as you have a big-on-little advantage. Or, attack with the guard on a switch because you have a speed advantage off the dribble against a typically slower defender. If the defense runs under the screen, then you have an open jump shot.

If you attack off the dribble, now defenders from the weak side need to help, which leaves shooters open on that side of the floor, or allows an offensive teammate to flash toward the middle or the hoop behind the help.

Yes, the ball-screen offense can be stopped, and when used too much your offense loses some of its rhythm, but when executed properly it’s a difficult offense to stop.

It’s why I wanted to share a couple of set plays using ball screens today with you. What I like about them is they shift the action to one side of the floor (and in one case, attack from the corner, which is a unique look) rather than being run from the top to limit the effectiveness of the help-side defense.