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The action begins with mirrored rub cuts to disguise movement, evolves into an elevator release for the inbound target, and finishes with a step-up screen and a backside hammer screen. The defense is forced to choose between protecting the rim or giving up a corner three — both extremely high-value shots late in games.
Why It Works
The early screens create coverage confusion, but the key to the design is that the secondary action (hammer) loads behind the play while the defense is still reacting to the elevator and ball screen. That delayed backside action forces a full-court read in under a second, which most defenses fail to make under pressure.
Key Teaching Points
1 must sprint out of the elevator directly into downhill action — no hesitation.
2 must set a physical hammer screen as 1 turns the corner, not before.
5 must transition immediately from sealing the elevator into the step-up ball screen.
Corner timing matters: inbounder (3) must wait, then sprint out late into the corner
Alignment: 3 inbounding on the LEFT sideline, 4 and 5 at elbows, 1 and 2 stacked above the arc (split line).
1 cuts off 5’s rub screen toward the left lane line.
2 cuts off 4’s rub screen toward the right lane line.
2 then sprints into the ball-side baseline corner using a cross screen from 1 inside the paint.
1 immediately continues upward through an elevator screen from 4 and 5, receiving the inbound pass from 3.
4 clears to the weak-side baseline corner for spacing.
5 instantly steps into a flat, step-up ball screen for 1.
As 1 drives downhill, 2 sets a hammer back screen on 3’s defender, freeing 3 to sprint to the opposite corner.
Reads:
1 attacks the rim
5 on a short roll/slip
skip to 3 in the corner for the hammer three
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