The Palyer at the basket make the cut to the corner who will be followed by a defender. There is then a down screen and flash to the ball for a shot at the basket. The entry pass can also come from the corner again there is a down screen and flash to the ball for an open shot.
The option is to drive to the basket off the flash but a defender will always block. When this happens it the job of the point guard to cut back door to the basket and lay up.
If all else fails we reload at the top and reset and run it again.
The ball screen produces almost half of all professional offensive possessions, yet most teams still teach it as a memorised play. The modern approach trains the read - giving players a framework to decide based on what the defence does, not what the coach called.
The closeout is the most repeated defensive action in modern basketball. With fouls per game climbing in the 2025-26 season, coaches must teach defenders to contest the three without surrendering the drive or putting shooters on the line.
The 2-3 zone defence remains one of the most effective defensive systems in basketball when coached and executed properly. This guide covers the fundamentals of running a 2-3 zone, including player roles, rotations, and when to deploy it for maximum impact.