Go The Distance Off The Dribble

Use a triple screen to free a ball handler who attacks the defense with a hard dribble en route to the hoop or off an eventual drag screen.

WHY USE IT
So many full-court, out-of-bounds plays (rightly) use quick passes to move the ball up the floor, but if you have a couple extra seconds, catch the defense off guard by attacking off the dribble.

SET UP
2 takes the ball out of bounds on the baseline. 1, 4, 5 and 3 form a line across the free-throw-line extended area.  

HOW TO PLAY
4, 5 and 3 set screens for 1 to cut across the floor from right to left. As 1 comes free behind the triple screen, 2 throws a leading pass to 1, so 1 immediately transitions from pass receiver into attack mode off the dribble [diagram 1].

1 uses his or her momentum to speed-dribble up the floor as 5 and 4 hustle toward the front court [diagram 2].

If 1 has the angle, 1 dribbles all the way to the hoop for the layup — or worst case — draws the foul. If 5 hustles, 1 can use the drag screen from 5 to attack from another angle [diagram 3]. 

TECHNIQUE
If 1 does use the drag screen from 5, be sure 1 knows 4 is hustling up the opposite side of the floor and may be wide open for an in-rhythm catch-and-shoot opportunity. 5 must sprint as fast as he or she can, otherwise, 1 only has the option of attacking the hoop.

1. 2’s pass must lead 1 directly into the dribble — if this pass is behind 1, then all the timing of the play is negated

2. 4, 5 and 3 must find a defender to pick off so 1 has an opportunity to attack the front court before any help defenders recover

3. 1 uses a fast dribble to gain and maintain an advantage heading toward the hoop — 1 doesn’t wait for 4 and 5, they are expected to be hustling

4. 5 sprints into the front court and looks to set a drag screen for 1, who then uses the screen to attack the middle or pass to 4

5. 1 also has the option to go straight to the hoop if he or she has the angle and feels as if this is the best play based on the defense