Raptors Playbook: Veer (End of Quarter)
Over at the Raptors Playbook YouTube channel (@RaptorsPlaybook on Twitter), I am breaking down the X’s & O’s of the Toronto Raptors. This week, we’ll focus on their Veer play – an end-of-quarter special that leverages typical ball screen coverages against themselves. Watch the video embedded below alongside the summary written, and remember to follow and subscribe to never miss out on a video.
In a meaningless January game between the Toronto Raptors and the lowly Chicago Bulls, the latter ran the same end-of-quarter (EOQ) play several times in a row against the Raptors and found great success.
Chicago has ran the same EOQ play 3 straight quarters tonight:
– Spread PNR with Holiday in the weak side corner
– As ball screen is used, he lifts to perimeter and curls around the popped ball screener on the strong side pic.twitter.com/niCl5VFJTh— Coop (@CoopNBA) January 4, 2018
Flash forward to after the All-Star break and the Raptors have incorporated that action into their own EOQ playbook.
Starting with a decoy side ball screen, the Raptors encourage the opposing defense to enter into their typical ICE defense. With the opposing screen defender dropping to contain the ball while the on-ball defender denies the middle of the floor, the Raptors’ screen setter is momentarily left unguarded. With two players drawn to the ball, the Raptors will eventually leverage this freed up offensive player in an unconventional manner away from the ball.
While this action is happening on the strong side of the floor, the weak side is preoccupied with movement as well, as a shooter set a flare screen for a Raptors big man. This action simply forces the off-ball defender to trail the play as they are caught negotiating screening responsibilities.
The Raptors then combine their strong and weak side advantage in the middle of the floor, as the unguarded big man will screen for the aforementioned flare-screener. Since the strong side is entangled in ball screen coverage, no opposing defender is prepared to step up and recover for the trailing defender. When combined with an aptly timed pass, this action produces an open three point look for players that draw incredible amounts of defensive attention, such as C.J. Miles.
