Pick and Roll within the Offense

In today's post, we will look at how the Spurs incorporate pick and rolls within the flow of their offense.


In the first clip, we see the Spurs run "Strong."



The ball is swung to Manu Ginobili.  Kawhi Leonard curls off the double.  Manu holds the ball and Duncan goes to set a screen.  Meanwhile, Matt Bonner has floated to the right side corner and Tony Parker has drifted to the left side corner.  Leonard continues his cut towards the left side corner but Parker directs him to the wing.  As the on ball screen happens, the Spurs have flowed into a spread pick and roll attack.  The screener's defender chooses a soft show as Manu's defender fights over the screen.  Matt Bonner's man rotates over to the rolling Duncan and Ginobili immediately fires a pass across his body to Bonner.  Bonner attacks the feet of the closeout and draws Ginobili's defender in the process.  However, Bonner opts to fire a tough floater.


Another spread pick and roll from strong.



Again we see strong, but this time, the strong-side wing is outright denied the pass up top, so Tiago Splitter goes to set a screen on the ball handler, Gary Neal.  Once again, we see the post man (this time Boris Diaw) float to the right corner, the original ball handler fades to the left corner, and Danny Green heads towards the open left side wing.  The Jazz soft show and send help from the right side corner.  Neal smartly step back dribbles drawing two defenders as Splitter seals Diaw's defender.  Neal makes the easy pass to a wide open Diaw who sinks the catch and shoot three.




Another strong is initiated.  This time, the ball handler elects to come up top instead of setting a screen for the strong-side wing.  Immediately Parker and Blair go into a pick and roll.  Parker step fakes his defender into Blair, then goes away from the screen.  As he attacks the basket, Parker draws all five defenders.  The weak-side wing, Kawhi Leonard, spots up on the left side corner.  Leonard's defender hesitates as Parker drives past him and he runs right into a waiting Duncan leaving Leonard open in the corner.  Parker finds Leonard, who attacks the closeout, dribbles to his spot, and knocks down the pull up jumper.


Next, we move onto pick and rolls that develop from "Weak":



We see Parker initiate weak by passing ahead to the strong-side wing.  The Spurs go through the progressions of weak but Parker elects to hold the ball.  Duncan comes to set a screen on Parker.  The Nets soft show, so Parker attacks and hits his patented floater for two points.




This time, the post man comes to set the screen immediately after receiving the cross screen from the weak-side wing.  Tiago Splitter's man runs into Lebron James in the action, affecting the defender's ability to hedge on the pick and roll.  Splitter rolls to the basket, drawing DeJuan Blair's man.  Danny Green's defender is forced to rotate over to Blair to prevent the dump pass, leaving Green wide open to knock down the most efficient jump shot in basketball.




Again we see the post man (this time Matt Bonner) come to set a screen after receiving the weak-side wing cross screen.  Patrick Mills chooses to get the ball up top to Gary Neal and the Spurs flow into a pick and pop.  Bonner's defender does a poor job slowing Neal with the hard show and the ball handler is able to turn the corner.  Sensing his defender is off balance, Neal leaves his man on skates and unleashes a nasty step back jumper.




Once again, we see the post man come off the cross screen.  This time, Ginobili step fakes towards Bonner's screen and slips to the left side corner.  Bonner fades to the right side wing, with Neal in the corner and Patrick Mills drifting to the top. As Manu's defender recovers,  Ginobili quickly attacks.  Duncan glances Ginobili's defender then quickly slips his screen as the Sun's try to trap Manu on the baseline.  Since Phoenix's only shot blocker was forced to help on Ginobili, the Sun's have no choice but to foul to prevent the easy basket.


One last weak clip:



Here, the on ball screen comes from the trailer immediately after the ball is swung.  Ginobili cross screens for Bonner and both continue the direction of their cuts, leaving the defense occupied as the pick and roll happens.  Splitter's defender opts for soft coverage but no other Net defender is ready to help so he is left to zone between Neal and Splitter.  Neal makes a quick ball fake, forcing the defender to step back to Splitter for a split second.  The split second window allows Neal to safely get his scoop shot off and he nets two points on the goaltend.


In the next clip, we see a quick side screen roll come from a "Loop" action:



After Green loops up, Parker heads towards the basket off Blair's back pick.  Parker quickly cuts back towards Blair and receives the ball.  Immediately Parker attacks.  With Deron Williams out of position, Blair's defender is forced to jump out and help to prevent Parker's drive.  Parker fakes a shot and finds Blair, who draws the defense leaving Green wide open for a three.




After the loop, Parker receives the ball off a double screen.  Parker draws two defenders off the double.  Splitter tries cutting to the basket but the passing angle is cut off.  Instead, Parker and Splitter settle into a pick and roll.  Both recognize the defenses intent to hedge, so Splitter slips the screen and creates a passing lane by bumping Parker's defender.  Parker hits Splitter in stride, who fakes a pass to prevent a double and hits a soft hook shot for two.