Zip Past Defenses With ‘Road Runner’

Flood one side of the floor, then seal the other side to set up a dribble drive for an attacking layup or a kick-out pass for a 3-pointer against a 2-3 zone.

WHY USE IT
This play creates a numbers advantage on one side of the floor, then forces a low defender into a decision that leaves you with an open scoring opportunity regardless of whichever way the defender moves. 

SET UP
Your point is at the top. Your guards are on the wings and forwards/center are on opposite blocks. Be sure your wings are wide to pull those top defenders an extra step to the side, which sets up better impending screens. 

HOW TO PLAY
1 passes to 2. 4 moves to the high side of 5. 3 flashes to the ball-side elbow. 2 then passes back to 1 [diagram 1].

1 dribbles over to the opposite side higher than the elbow. 3 pops out. 2 slides to the corner. 4 shifts high toward the right elbow. 1 passes across to 3 [diagram 2].

4 sets a ball screen on the ball-side top defender for 3. 5 screens the center of the zone. 3 drives and reads the low defender. If the defender steps to the ball, then 3 kicks out to 2. If the defender steps toward the corner, then 3 shoots. [diagram 3]. 

TECHNIQUE
As long as 4 and 5 set solid screens, there is no one left to defend the right side of the floor other than the low defender. Teach 3 how to fake out the low defender. 3 uses his or her eyes, body or the dribble direction to shift the defender into an impossible position.

1. Shift the defense by passing to the wing, then sending a pass back toward the top to the point guard

2. Flood the right side of the floor with 3 and 4 coming from the left and settling along the right lane line

3. 1 dribbles left and occupies the top defender on this side of the floor … this dribble also moves the right top defender toward the middle, which sets up the impending ball screen

4. 5 sets a critical screen in the middle, which leaves just the low defender on the right side to attempt to stop two people

5. 3 reads the low defender and either kicks out a pass to 2 in the corner, or attacks the hoop if the defender cheats toward 2