Basketball: Screening Tips from Herb Brown’s “Special Situations”

Herb Brown’s “Special Situations” is an under appreciated gem. Here are a few of his screening tips...some are well known... these are points I recalled from the chapter. Why care? Because if you can’t score or defend screens (per Quintal Snyder), your boss finds a new coach.

1. Better to be late than early coming off the screen. Don Meyer taught players to say, “wait, wait, wait.”

2. Call for a ball screen by holding the ball over your head.

3. Teach players to read defender actions 

4. If you see your defender’s back, cut behind the screen.

5. If the screener’s defender gets their shoulder above, the screener should slip to the basket.

6. Spacing is critically important to the screen game. 

7. Proper body position including bent knees and pivoting to dissipate force are essential to screening.

8. Don’t put the ball on the floor before the screener arrives to reduce the chance of offensive fouling. 

9. Remember the screener is the second cutter.

10. Be aware to rescreening if the defender goes under the screen.

11. The screener should relocate to make themself available.

 

Lagniappe. Ball screen breakdown 

Lagniappe 2. Slapping’ Glass. Wow.