Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni has always been one of those coaches that thinks outside of the box. Like the touch screen from the previous blog, the use of surprise screens is an effective way to help build offensive advantage.
The surprise screen is defined as the screener using the disguise of a cut to set a screen for a teammate that is a surprise to the defense. The use of the surprise screen gives the screener a chance to screen for his teammate without a hedge or switch.
Surprise Mash
The Mash is defined as a screen into a dribble handoff. So for a surprise mash to occur the screener hides his screen until it is too late.. This is effective because if the defense is unable to switch that screen and it makes the handoff even more effective.
The Rockets cut players through and on the cut #16 Mclemore sets the surprise screen for Harden. You can see that Mclemores defender is way below him and unable to help on the screen. Harden’s defender now has to navigate the screen and the DHO and Harden is able to get downhill.
A different set but this time as the ball gets swung to the top. #17 Tucker cuts from the block and sets the screen for Harden. Harden is able to build up some space and gets downhill on the drop coverage.
The way the Rockets run it, it turns into a single tag situation. #4 House cuts through and screens for Harden. Harden gets space and with the Bulls in a more aggressive coverage Capela gets behind the defense for the lob.
Even if the ball handler or roller don’t score it can create a drive and kick opportunity for another player. Here you see the early help from Mclemores defender. Harden reads this and makes the easy pass out for a 3.
The 45 cut is basically the same cut as the surprise screens above, but its more of a flat angle cut above the free throw line. It is effective because it is a normal cut that the offense makes so the defender doesn’t realize he is guarding a screen and not a cut.
In this clip you see House cutting across the ft line and his defender going low. This opens up #10 Gordon to get the handoff with space and he gets downhill for the layup.
Here they have #25 Rivers set a screen for Mclemore to cut across and screen for Harden. You can see how low Mclemore’s defender is and this opens up Harden for his left hand drive.
Surprise Mash Slip
Some teams tried to be more aggressive on the surprise mash and the Rockets took advantage of this with slips. Slips are effective in getting an easy bucket if you see that the defense is playing the screen a certain way. They are also effective in softening the hedge coverage for future screening situations.
Harden hits covington at the top and cuts to the corner. House turns to screen and when he reads Caruso jumping out he slips for the layup.
Here they get the slip off their through cut and as the defense reads the screen, Mclemore slips it for the easy basket.
Surprise Pin
The Rockets also use surprise screens to free up shooters off a wide pin down. It is effective for them because they set it up with a ram screen that they use for a couple of other actions so the defense doesn’t know if that big is going up into a ball screen or if he is going to pindown for a shooter.
Here the Rockets set the Ram screen and the big turns it into the pindown for Westbrook. You can see #41 on the Spurs never gets to a position to really help on the curl and it opens up a layup for Westbrook.
Here Tucker comes off the ram screen and sets the pindown for Mclemore. The ram screen occupies the screeners defender and helps keep him below the level of the screen. So it turns into a 2 vs 1 screening situation and if Tucker sets a good screen he will get his teammate open.
Capela sets the surprise pin and Mclemores defender goes under. This opens up just enough room for Mclemore to get his shot off.
Surprise Hook
The last piece of this post is the Surprise Hook Under screen (I need to come up with a better name). In this action, the Rockets will have a player cut along the baseline and he does a hook screen for the guy in the corner to get an open 3.
The Rockets have found a way to build it into a lot of their other alignments.
Here the Rockets run a stagger look for Westbrook and cut House on the baseline. House cuts and screens in for Tucker. House’s defender has no way of helping on this.
This is out of their stagger touch look and as the ball comes back they have House cutting through to screen in for Tucker.
Here you see how they use multiple sides. They run the stagger action and the bottom screener (House) cut underneath to screen for Tucker. So as Westbrook catches and gets to the paint, the weak side defender is peeking in and gets screened.
Same stagger look as above and House cuts thru to get the pin. The timing in this play is crucial so that they can pin that bottom guy as the cutter gets the ball off the stagger.
This shows how they use their Ram Surprise pindown and the hook under. House sets the ram screen for Capela into the pin. Westbrook is able to catch and attack. House continues after the ram screen and screens in for Tucker in the corner.