Staggered Screens Defense: Offense Reaction

Staggered screens are one of the most used situations in basketball. Well executed, they will create many options for the offense, specially when there is a good shooter to run them for.

There are different ways to play defense against staggered screens (and single off ball screens too) one of those is switching. We saw some months ago how F.C. Barcelona did it against Jaycee Carroll - Real Madrid.

Today I bring you another example, but we will focus in the offense's reaction. The game is Obradoiro - Manresa in the ACB league, and Manresa (in red) is switching against Obradoiro's shooter Alberto Corbacho.

Offense's reaction is great. This is, in my opinion, one of the best teams at reading the defense all over Europe. We will see a misdirection pass, a baseline screen to focus the defense on ball side, and another quick pass to the opposite side to get an easy bucket right under the rim.

Let's go step by step:

Staggered screens for Corbacho ("2")

"X4" and "X2" switch

Misdirection pass and baseline screen: "5" screens for "4", who is now being guarded by "X2"… "X4" and "X2" switch, which is the right thing to do, understanding that there will be a big mismatch on ball side if they don't switch ("4" vs "X2")

The offense keep working to use the mismatch, "5" seals "X2" and gets the position under the basket, they were looking for this situation, and they use the advantage.

Now let's take a look at the video: