The Blazers and a Double Screen

In their 100-89 win over the Utah Jazz on Thursday night, the Blazers were using picks and screens to generate their offense in the fourth quarter.  One particularly nice sequence involved two screeners:  LaMarcus Aldridge and Wesley Matthews.

Focus on the triangle at the forefront of the picture.  You can see Andre Miller (bottom/front) with the ball guarded by Deron Williams, Wesley Matthews at the top of the three-point circle covered by Raja Bell, and Al Jefferson guarding LaMarcus Aldridge at the left elbow.

Matthews is going to continue to drive Bell into the traffic at the left elbow, and then move over to set a pick on Deron Williams to free up Miller 

As you watch this play develop, keep in mind that this play utilizes the three Blazers in such a way that it positions each player toward his strengths in case he should get the ball:  Miller driving with the ball driving in the paint, Aldridge rolling to the rim after a pick, and Matthews moving to the left corner for a potential three-point look.

As Matthews comes over to set the screen, Raja Bell has overcommitted to guarding Matthews, and he cannot recover in time to get anywhere near Andre Miller and the ball.  To further complicate matters for the Jazz, Aldridge is getting set up to further free Miller with yet another pick. 

The Jazz are doomed on this play when Deron Williams cannot fight his way over the top of the screen and Raja Bell fals too far behind the play to help Jefferson when Andre Miller gets to the top of the key.



Aldridge uses his screen to get nudges all over the place.  After LaMarcus gets Jefferson stuck on his hip, he turns off the screen and gets in Deron Williams' way as he rolls to the basket.

Miller can now make the alley-oop pass with no pressure on him whatsoever, while Aldridge can roll to the hoop with a clear path and no one behind him. Millsap, guarding Camby on the other side, cannot rotate from over in time to help defend Aldridge.

The ball is in the air (in the photo, it is the blur right in front of Batum's face), LaMarcus catches it, draws a foul, and later completes a three-point play.

To see the play in live action, go to the 1 minute, 40 second mark of this video:



The best (or most annoying)  part about the whole sequence is that Jazz color analyst Matt Harpring uses most of three possessions, including the entirety of this Blazer sequence, crying about how the Jazz get no calls when they are away from Salt Lake City.  Instead of analyzing the play on the floor, Harpring provides us with a solid minute of comical whining. Meanwhile, the Blazers have run a gorgeously constructed play which helps seal their win.