Basketball - Actions to Get Layups

"Layups and free throws win games." That's an oversimplification but as David Baldacci writes in "The Hit," "Sometimes the simplest answers are the right ones."

Don't have a "Billy Preston Offense." 

Categorize by hard-to-defend actions. Fundamental basketball leverages simplicity. Perimeter passing to shoot threes works when you're hot and often in the NBA when you're skilled. When your high school team turns the ball over twenty times and shoots 20-25 percent on threes - that dog don't hunt. 

Isolation 

1) Favorite action, Horns Down, double downscreens sets up curls, flare lifts, or a drive for proficient point guards.

2) Reverse pivot from the elbow. You all know box drills. Get your big a one dribble layup with elbow entry from Horns or 1-4 high.  

Pick-and-Roll 

1) e.g. Elbow Get

If you have "bigs" who can put the ball on the floor, enjoy a mismatch against a big less accustomed to defending dribble drive. Rejecting the ball screen creates a great option. 

2) Duke Elbow series

Another horns action with options for handoff or dribble drive for the big. Of course, you could also interchange the 4 and the 1 and get a mismatch if the defense elects to switch. 

Cutting 

1) Tufts

This is a minor variation of a play run by the Tufts' women, former coached by Carla Berube (now at Princeton). There's a post feed and a back door cut. 

2) Blind Pig

Complex screening

"LAKER" a typical zipper entry into screen-the-screener play.  

 2) Iverson

3) Spain (extra trickery)

4) Rip 

Mismatches 

1) Pistons

"Pistons" capitalizes on the "switch everything" mentality many teams employ, especially late in the game and late in the shot clock. A small on big cross-screen is simple and underutilized at every level.  

Lagniappe. Defense gives us a chance to advance. 

Lagniappe 2. Be the tougher defender. Most young teams are not. 

Lagniappe 3. Simple strength workouts cross sport domains.