SCREENING PLAYBOOK
On-ball and off-ball screens — the angles, timing, and reads that turn good screens into open shots.
TACTICAL OVERVIEW
Screening is the hidden engine of offensive basketball. A great screen does not just free up a shooter — it creates a decision problem for two defenders simultaneously. Understanding screen angles, timing, the cutter's read, and the screener's role after the screen transforms a team's entire offensive system. This playbook covers on-ball and off-ball screens, back screens, flare screens, and the cutter reads that make every screen more dangerous.
Core Coaching Principles
Screen angle determines the attack direction — always angle toward the space you want the cutter to occupy
Set a legal screen: feet wider than shoulders, hands in front of your chest, no forward lean
Timing: set the screen when the defender's weight is committed, not while they are still moving
The cutter must "read the defender's hip" — cut toward the open side, not toward a predetermined spot
After the screen, the screener is a second option — immediately read whether to roll, pop, or relocate
TACTICAL DIAGRAMS
Back Screen — Lob or Seal
4 sets a back screen for 3 cutting to the basket. Defender goes over the screen → cutter seals for a lob. Defender goes under → cutter pops for a catch and shoot.
Back Screen — Lob or Seal
4 sets a back screen for 3 cutting to the basket. Defender goes over the screen → cutter seals for a lob. Defender goes under → cutter pops for a catch and shoot.
Staggered Screens — Ghost Screen Read
Two staggered screens set for the shooter (3). First screener sets, second screener follows. Shooter reads both screens — curl, fade, or ghost cut based on defender positioning.
Staggered Screens — Ghost Screen Read
Two staggered screens set for the shooter (3). First screener sets, second screener follows. Shooter reads both screens — curl, fade, or ghost cut based on defender positioning.
CORE CONCEPTS
On-Ball Screen (Pick and Roll)
The on-ball screen creates a two-on-two decision problem…
The on-ball screen angle is the most teachable, most frequently ignored detail in basketball. A screen set perpendicular to the sideline pushes the ball handler toward the sideline — bad for the offense. A screen set at a 45-degree angle toward the elbow pushes the ball handler toward the middle — opening the full court. Teach screeners to angle their hips toward where they want the ball handler to go, not toward where the defender is standing.
Off-Ball Screens — Cutter Reads
The cutter reads the defender's hip to decide how to use the…
Off-ball screens are a read-based action for the cutter, not a scripted route. When the cutter approaches the screen, they read their defender's position: defender chasing tight → curl (sharpen the curl angle to rub them off on the screener's body). Defender trying to go under the screen → fade away (pop out to three-point line). Defender anticipating the curl and cheating over → ghost cut (skip the screen entirely and backdoor cut). Teaching cutters to make this read — not run to a spot — is the highest-leverage screening improvement any team can make.
Screen Angles and Positioning
Every screen should be angled to direct the cutter toward op…
Screen angle is the one element of screening most coaches under-teach. The principle: the screener's hips should be perpendicular to the cutter's desired path, not perpendicular to the defender. This means the screener must know where the cutter wants to go before setting the screen. For a wing curl screen, the screener should angle toward the paint so the cutter naturally curls toward the basket. For a fade screen, the screener angles toward the three-point line. Pre-communication between cutter and screener (a nod, a tap) is how elite teams execute this without calling plays.
EXPLORE CONCEPT HUBS
COACHING FAQS
QWhat makes a screen illegal vs. legal?
A legal screen requires the screener to be stationary at the moment of contact, give the defender enough space to see and avoid the screen (1-2 steps for a moving defender), and not extend arms, elbows, knees, or lean into the defender. The most common youth illegal screen: moving into the screen's position as the defender approaches, not stopping before contact.
QHow do you teach players to use screens instead of just running around them?
The key concept is "setting up your defender": the cutter should take their defender away from the screen before using it — walk toward the baseline, then sprint up to use the screen. A cutter who walks directly to the screen gives their defender time to navigate it. The misdirection is what makes the screen hard to defend.
QWhat is a ghost cut (or screen rejection) and when should players use it?
A ghost cut is when the cutter rejects the screen entirely — cutting backdoor instead of using it — when their defender cheats over the screen in anticipation. It is one of the most advanced off-ball reads because it requires the cutter to recognize the defender's positioning before reaching the screen. Ghost cuts are most common in NBA motion offenses against teams that heavily study screen tendencies.
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