Off-ball Screen: The Shooter's Liberation

Introduction

Klay Thompson, Ray Allen, and Reggie Miller were not elite ball-handlers, but they won championships and made the Hall of Fame through off-ball screens. An off-ball screen is a tactic where a player without the ball uses a teammate’s screen to get open for a catch. This article breaks down the main types of off-ball screens.

1. Four Main Types of Off-Ball Screens

2. Pin-down: The Shooter’s Favorite

The pin-down is the signature move of Klay and Ray Allen.

Execution:

• The center sets a screen on the wing
• The shooter runs from the low post to the wing
• The defender gets screened, and the shooter catches and shoots a three

Key details:

• The center must set the screen “facing the defender,” not with his back turned
• The shooter must “rub off” the screen (stay tight)
• Read the defense before catching to decide between catch & shoot or reading into a curl

3. Curl: When the Defender Goes Over

If the defender “goes over” the pin-down screen (chasing from the outside), the shooter should immediately curl to the inside.

Execution:

• The shooter was originally heading to the wing
• Sees the defender go over → quickly cuts inside to the free-throw line
• Catch: usually a short jump shot or layup

Ray Allen completed multiple classic game-winners off the curl.

4. Flare: When the Defender Goes Under

If the defender “goes under” (chasing from the inside), the shooter should flare to the outside.

Execution:

• The shooter was originally heading to the wing
• Sees the defender cut off the inside → immediately flares out
• Catch: usually a three-point jump shot

Klay Thompson often uses the flare to extend his range against mismatches after a switch.

5. Back Screen: Cutting to the Paint

A back screen is “a screen set behind the defender,” commonly used for cuts to the paint.

Execution:

• The cutter heads toward the paint
• A teammate sets a screen behind the defender
• The defender gets caught when stepping back, and the cutter gets open

The Spurs’ motion offense makes heavy use of back screens.

6. Combination Actions: Floppy, Hammer, Iverson Cut

Advanced off-ball screens:

• Floppy: The shooter starts from the middle of the baseline and chooses between two pin-downs on either side, reading the defense’s reaction
• Hammer: During a strong-side drive, the weak-side shooter runs a back screen flare to the corner
• Iverson cut: A double screen is set at the free-throw line, and the shooter runs from one side to the other

Practical Advice

• Centers should practice “setting screens facing forward”: no reaching, no moving
• Shooters should practice the three reactions: pin-down → curl → flare
• Add defenders: practice “reading the defense to choose the route”
• Live drills: 5v5 with off-ball screens only
• Watch Warriors, Spurs, and Heat games to learn off-ball screen systems

Conclusion

Off-ball screens are a shooter’s scoring code. Master the pin-down, curl, flare, and back screen, and read the defense to make your choice—you can create threats even without the ball.

Related Reading

• Passing Techniques: Choosing Between Bounce, Chest, Overhead, and No-Look
• Rebounding and Boxing Out: The Real Key to Grabbing Boards
• Layup Finishing: When to Use Finger Rolls, Reverse, and Hooks
• The NBA Five-Out Offense: The Revolution of Five Shooters on the Floor