The basketball screens are a major part of every solid basketball team. The team that implements it more, with everything else being the same, WINS.
It’s just a super way to free yourself from good defenders and get an open shot. There are some fundamentals and principles and rules that many players tend to forget. That goes both, for the player setting up the screen and the players receiving the screen. Okay, first thing first…
When setting up a screen, it’s important to have your legs slightly more than shoulders width apart. That way you can stand still even when the defender bumps into you. But stay in vertical position with your legs fixed and your hands placed at your groin area.
The screen itself needs to be set before your teammate receives it and before your teammate’s defender bumps into you or goes around you because if you’re doing that as they’re coming (your teammate and his defender) you might easily make an offensive foul. That’s because you’re not allowed to move.
You can’t move after you set the screen. That’s an offensive foul. Remember that. Another thing is that you, as the one setting the screen, should always aim for your teammate’s defender’s hip. That’s your target. Aim for that and if your teammate is smart, he’ll use you as a shield. Also, don’t forget to rotate 180 degrees to the basket for a possible pass. You’ll be surprised how many times that can happen.
Now, there are few points to keep in mind for the receiver. The receiver should use the screen after, and only after it’s been set and just go around his teammate’s shoulder (the screen) for the best outcome. Then he can either get an open shot or pass the ball to the screen (if he rotates and opens up, of course) or to anyone else.
If he decides to attack the basket he has to explode to the basket, because if he doesn’t, eventually his defender will be able to catch up with him. That’s why it’s important to blow past him and leave him choking on his dust.