Offense - Setting a good screen

If you watch the NBA nowadays, you'll notice that a lot of teams incorporate the pick and roll into their playbook. This play is one of the oldest plays, but still one of the most effective. The main reason is that it makes the defense have to make a decision... do you switch men on the screen, possibly creating a mismatch situation, or do you try to fight through the screen and risk being out of position to defend the player with the ball. One of the most important aspects for this type of play is to set a good screen. Even when someone is setting a screen for his teammate off the ball in the midst of a play, if the screen is not set properly, then the defender can properly defend the player and the play is not as effective.

A good screen involves not only the screener, but also the person they are screening for. The person that is going to use the screen needs to set their man up so that the screener can get in good position to make the screen. If the person using the screen does not have the ball, then they need to position themselves such that their defender is in the spot where the screen is to take place. The person using the screen must then stand still so that the defender is still and the screener can track them down and position themselves so that they can screen the defender. If the person using the screen has the ball, then they have to manuver themselves with the ball such that they keep the defender still. This may require the ball handler to have their back towards the defender so they cannot swipe at the ball. If they handle the ball well enough, they can face the defender and keep them in one place without getting the ball stolen.

The appropriate way for the screener to set the screen is to put their chest on the defenders shoulder. This way, it is difficult for the defender to slide through the screener because they have to work around the wide part of the body. The defender will have to either go over the top of the screen (following the person being screened) or go under (which gives space between the person using the screen and his man).

Coaches need to pay special attention to their players when they screen. Don't be satisfied with lazy screens, where either the screener does not set a good screen or the person being screened for does not set their defender up for the screen. Make sure to point out these fine details and once players perform them properly, your plays will become that much more effective.

Shooting - Establish a routine for free throws

When preparing to shoot a free throw, it is important to focus on three things before even attempting to take the shot: Position, Your Routine and Focus.

Position:
On most official basketball courts, there is a point on the free throw line that signifies the exact 15 foot mark from the center of the rim. In most cases, its a small hole on the line where a nail was used to measure the center of the free throw line to the center of the rim. When setting up on the line, you should use this point to help you position yourself on the line. In order to shoot the same shot everytime, it would be best setup your shot on the same spot everytime.

Routine:
The one thing free throw coaches or shooting coaches have players do in order to improve their free throw percentage is to come up with a routine. Perfecting your shot is simply a matter of consistency, in other words, try to shoot your shot the same way every time. This is the reason coaches have players come up with a free throw routine in order to help the player shoot the same shot everytime. If you watch players in the NBA or college, you will see that different players have different routines. Jason Kidd actually blows a kiss to the basketb every time he steps to the line. Here is a video of Jason Kidd's free throw routine:



Focus:
When working on free throws with my players, the one thing I always emphasize to them before they actually shoot the ball is to find the target. What I mean by target is the place on the rim to aim for. For instance, let's say the player chooses the front of the rim as their target, then they should think to themselves as they look at the basket to aim the ball just beyond the front of the rim. If they choose the back of the rim as their target, then the goal is to shoot the ball just in front of that target. If you step into your free throw without a mental objective, than your shot will be dependent on what you think about each time. If your mental objective is the same everytime, than it minimizes the variation that can come into play on your shot.

Here is a clip from Eddie Johnson that summarizes a lot of these topics as well.


Here is another video that summarizes these three points. In the video, JJ Reddick, one of the greatest free throw shooters in college history, summarizes these points.



Once you have established your free throw shot, it is important to practice as much as possible. I have experienced a number of games where free throw shooting was the difference in the game, so don't let free throws ruin the outcome of your games.