Direct Screen: Spacing and Analysis

2025年3月3日 11:39

"In Pick & Roll, it used to be 2x2, now everything is 5x5. All five players space the floor and adjust to create advantages. The advantage depends on all five, not just two."
— Xavi Pascual

With this quote from one of the most successful Spanish coaches, we can summarize much of the daily analysis that basketball coaches do. The use of the Pick & Roll (P&R) has become the main offensive tool in a sport that is closer to chess than to athletics, despite players becoming better athletes every day.

However, this improvement in athleticism wouldn’t be as impactful if it weren’t accompanied by tactical improvements in spacing and perimeter shooting ability.

When designing our offensive plays, we must define how many Pick & Roll situations we want in our playbook. This involves defining several key aspects, which can be summarized as follows:

Number of screeners:

• 1

• 2

  • Consecutive

  • Separated

Screener movements:

• Repick

• Roll

  • Deep

  • Short

• Slip

• Pop

  • Short

  • Long

Screen location:

• Central

• 60º

• 45º

• 30º

• Corner

We must apply this same analysis when facing a new opponent every week, as each team has different defensive rules, spacing strategies, and, of course, different players.

After every game, we analyze the spacing errors we made, both individually and collectively, to make adjustments.

Example of Poor Spacing

A common mistake occurs when a player recognizes a physical mismatch in the low post and calls for the ball but does not reposition after their teammates decide against that option and instead opt for a lateral Pick & Roll.

As coaches, we constantly deal with the balance between our tactical planning and the reality of the game, which is dynamic and relies on player reads.

Naturally, the higher the level, the better the players' reading ability and decision-making, which leads to better execution of the game plan.

 

Case Study: Real Madrid’s Strategy for Tavares

A great example of this was seen with Real Madrid’s approach to counter defensive tactics against Tavares.

Key adjustment:

• The three perimeter players moved higher up the court, clearing out potential help defenders.

🔹 Why?
While structurally this might not be considered ideal spacing, this movement freed up the paint, allowing a dominant player like Edy Tavares to receive and finish more easily inside.

Adapting Spacing to Defensive Strategies

When designing our Pick & Roll spacing and player movement, we must consider potential defensive adjustments from the opponent.

 Here are some common defensive strategies against P&R:

•  ICE – The defense denies the screen and forces the ball handler away.

•  HEDGE – The big man steps up aggressively to contain the ball handler.

• FLAT/DROP – The big man stays back to protect the paint.

• TRAP – Both defenders double-team the ball handler.

• SWITCH – Defenders swap assignments to neutralize the screen.

•  ZONE – Each defender covers a specific area instead of sticking to a man-to-man matchup.

Here’s an example of post-game analysis focusing on how a defense played Over + Hedge, with help defense positioned too far off the ball.

The Role of Technology in Basketball Coaching

This highlights the importance of video analysis tools like Longomatch, which have become essential for basketball coaches in our daily work.

By analyzing film and identifying spacing mistakes, we can refine our offensive execution and maximize our team’s effectiveness.