Raptors Playbook: BLOB “C”
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 “C” series – a primary set they use for Baseline Out of Bounds (BLOB) scenarios. Watch the video embedded below alongside the summary written, and remember to follow and subscribe to never miss out on a video.
Option 1: Basket Cut – Starting at 0:15
The formation for this play starts with a Wing and a Big in the strong side corner, and a Wing and a Big on the perimeter of the weak side of the floor.
With cutters going in opposite directions, the strong side Wing player will make a basket cut towards the inbounder.
Due to the cardinal sin of BLOB defense being that no defender should allow a layup on a basket cut, it is to be expected that this rarely available as an option on which the Raptors can score.
Option 2: Corner Three Pointer – Starting at 0:51
With the basket cutter exiting through the paint and to the weak side of the floor upon not being passed to, the Wing player that started on the weak side of the court will fill their position and receive a screen so they can cut towards the ball-side corner. Typically, the Raptors have a catch-and-shoot specialist filling this role so they can quickly pull the trigger as they nimbly stay in bounds as they rise up for their jumpshot.
Option 3: Stack Pick & Roll – Starting at 1:26
In the event that a sufficient advantage was not created for a corner three pointer to be taken, the Raptors will proceed to have their inbounder make a Zipper cut to the perimeter of the floor after passing the ball.
When they get to the perimeter, they will receive a Stack Pick and Roll, in which the player that screens for them gets a back screen as they roll to the rim.
Option 4: Screen-the-Screener – Starting at 2:30
In what appears to be a seperate play call to potentially counter defenses that overplay the previously outlined quick-hitters, the Raptors will sometimes have the two Bigs screen for one another in the paint after screening away for their respective Wing players.
The confusion caused by this screen-the-screener action sometimes draws two defensive players to a single Raptor near the basket, freeing up the Wing player in the weak side corner for an open jump shot.
If the inbounder is unable to pass to one of these three players, they will pass to the player in the strong side corner closest to them, who will enter the ball to the high post. From this position, the Raptors will play to find the advantage – which can manifest itself in a quick seal around the rim, or a ball screen.
Note: The call for this play appears to be “C”
