A BLOB is a great chance for a team to score an easy basket. There are staple plays like the baseline screen or screen the screener that are used by most teams. However, there are some plays that seem way to simple to ever work. Sometimes those very simple plays are the ones that work the best. A little misdirection and then a cut at just the right moment can free up a player to score an easy basket. This is one of those plays.
It is a simple play so every team will be able to run it. But the misdirection seems too simple but it gets the defense to move and shift just enough to sneak a player next to the basket for a layup. It is too simple to be used all the time but once a game it can be ran to get that easy basket. And in close games that could be the difference between winning and losing.
This BLOB starts out in a normal box set. The initial movement is to get the defense to space out away from the lane to open space around the basket. The two bottom players are both cutting towards the ball. The guard(2) is cutting to the near corner. The center(5) is moving to the ball side block. The point(1) on the ball side elbow is cutting to the backside corner.
These 3 cuts are trying to move the defense. This works especially well against a 2-3 Zone Defense. The ball side defenders are going to move out to the corner and the block. The backside defenders are going to have to move out to the the backside corner with the point(1).
Against a 2-3 Zone Defense, the ballside elbow and block should move out to the corner. The middle defender will move with the center(5) to the ball side block. The backside block defender will be stepping out with the point(1) cutting across the lane. This leaves the middle of the lane more open as the defense spreads out.
As the 3 players cut and clear out of the lane, the big(4) is cutting down the lane to the basket. As the defense is moving away from the lane, the big(4) is finding the open area left and cutting into that space. The forward(3) is waiting for the cut by the big(4) to deliver the entry pass for the layup.
The one read on this play is if the backside block defender stays in the lane, then the entry pass can go straight to the point(1) in the corner for a 3-point shot. Depending on how the defender moves with the cut by the point(1) will determine where the entry pass is made.
If the defense is able to defend the backside of the court well enough to prevent the entry pass, then the guard(2) can cut up the sideline to get the ball inbounded.
Plays do not always have to be complex to be effective. Sometimes a simple misdirection can open the space needed to get an easy basket. This play looks like it may not work but one wrong step by the defense opens enough space to give the big(4) a place to cut into. While it may not work more than once a game it can be the right play to get a sneaky 2 points every game.
