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Overview
Elbow Hammer is a man-to-man half-court set built out of the Elbow Series. The play layers back screens, handoffs, and a hammer action to generate multiple looks: a rim run, a downhill drive, or a corner three off the hammer screen.
Why it works
The sequence forces defenders to guard through constant screening and misdirection. The handoff occupies help defenders, while the hammer screen creates a classic weakside corner three opportunity — one of the highest-value shots in basketball.
Teaching Points
3 must set a solid back screen for 1 before popping to the slot.
2 must sell the rub screen into the handoff to occupy defenders.
Timing between 5’s handoff and 1’s hammer screen is crucial.
2 must attack downhill decisively, reading rim, roll, or corner.
Variations
4 can reject the rub screen and attack immediately. If the corner three is denied, 5’s rim run becomes the primary look.
1 passes to 2; 3 sets back screen for 1, who clears to baseline corner.
3 pops to slot; 5 lifts to high post.
2 hits 4 lifting from corner; 2 follows with guard-to-guard rub screen.
4 hits 5; 4 flies off 5 for a handoff (first look).
2 comes off handoff from 5; 5 rim runs.
1 sets hammer screen for 3, who cuts to corner for open three.
2 can score, hit 4 lifting behind, find 5 on rim run, or skip to 3 in corner.
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