One of the characteristics of plays that I am always looking for is a traditional setup that has movement completely different than what is expected. If the play movement is unexpected, then the defense will be looking for something different to happen. This is going to give the offense an advantage by being able to create space with the non-traditional movement.
A stack formation in a BLOB play is usually designed to bring one of the back players down the lane for an entry pass. This can be with or without a screen. This traditional stack play movement has the defense plug up the area in front of the ball to prevent that entry pass. So, by having movement to get the ball to the outside of the court will have the defense reacting to something unexpected.
This stack play is designed to get the ball to the outside and get everybody away from their starting stack formation. This will cause the defense to chase the offensive players away from the lane line. When everybody, offense and defense, leave the area, then the offense will look to attack this open area that everybody has just left. This is using the traditional defensive keys against the defense by doing something different.
The forward(3) takes the ball out. The big(4) is first, the guard(2) is second, the point(1) is third, and the center(5) is last. This stack formation has the center(5) coming down the lane line using the point(1) as a screener and the guard(2) and big(4) splitting out in the traditional stack play.
Instead of doing the traditional play, this stack variation does something completely different. The big(4) is going to step into the middle to occupy the middle of the defense. The guard(2) cuts out to the corner. The point(1) is cutting out to the wing. The center(5) is not moving.
The entry pass is going straight to the point(1) on the wing. The center(5) steps out to the point(1) on the pass. At this point, all of the offensive players have left the lane line. This will cause the defense to react by having all defenders follow the offensive players leaving the lane line area as well.
Once everybody leaves, the play is then going to try and attack this open area. The forward(3) is running out to the backside corner after the entry pass. The center(5) is stepping out to set the screen. The big(4) is moving across the lane to the opposite block. The guard(2) is ready for a potential kick out.
The point(1) is using the screen by the center(5) on the catch. The point(1) is trying to come off the screen and attack the lane after everybody has left this area. Once the point(1) starts attacking there are numerous scoring chances for the offense.
Scoring Chances
- The point(1) drives all the way for a layup.
- The point(1) kicks the ball to the guard(2) if that defender steps in to help the drive.
- The point(1) kicks the ball to the forward(3) if their defender does not chase the forward(3) out to the opposite corner.
- The point(1) passes to the big(4) if their defender steps up to help on the drive.
- The point(1) passes to the center(5) on a pick and pop depending on how the defense guards the screen.
This play is putting the defense into a reactionary mode giving every offensive player a chance to have an open shot depending on how the defense guards and reacts to the ball screen. No matter how the defense tries and defends the screen somebody on offense should be open for a shot.
Against a 2-3 Zone
Some teams like to play a 2-3 Zone against any BLOB plays. This play is nice in that the offense is able to run the play against a man defense or a 2-3 Zone defense. The movements all stay the same but the offensive players will adjust slightly with the defense being in a zone.
The big(4) is screening the middle defender. The ballside wing defender should move out to the corner with the guard(2). The backside wing defender should be focused on the forward(3) cutting to the opposite corner. This leaves the top two defenders in the zone having to guard the center’s(5) ball screen on the point(1).
The center(5) is screening the ballside top defender on their closeout to the point(1) on the wing. The point(1) then is trying to beat the backside top defender to the lane. The big(4) should have the middle defender occupied with their screen. If the point(1) can beat the backside top defender to the lane, then the point(1) should have an easy 5-8 foot shot in the lane. Again, if any defender steps up to help the drive, then the same scoring chances against a man defense will be there against a 2-3 zone defense.
Conclusion
I really like BLOB plays that can be used against both a man defense and a zone defense. This is one of those plays. This play can be called no matter if the defense plays a man defense or a zone defense. The offense is reading the defense and taking any opening the defense provides through how they defend the ball screen.
This is a great play to have because of all the different scoring options it gives the offense. The defense has to play perfect to prevent an open shot from happening. Any defensive breakdown will lead to an open shot for the offense. The offense can also have multiple stack plays that will make the defense struggle to defend this ball screen action even more because the defense will not be able to know what the offense is doing with the stack formation.
