Single Doubles and more!

The single double is a classic set that all teams run.  Today we will see how the triangle sets up the single double and discuss the numerous options of the number two pass to the top.

In the first clip from an October Warriors game, we see Shannon Brown as the lead guard.  He cuts across the floor towards the opposite wing (this action is known as "a crossgrain," usually used to quickly break pressure):

Here is where the single double setup begins.  Brown enters the ball into Matt Barnes in the wing:

Brown begins a cut into the lane.  Usually this would result in a solo, but Barnes immediately passes to Blake up top.  

Barnes then moves down to set a double screen, Ebanks moves down to set a single screen, and Brown readies himself to choose between the single or double screen:

Brown chooses the double and fires the catch and shoot jumper.

Next we will discuss some of the options for the number two pass to the top. 

In this clip from last Friday's Nuggets game, we see Shannon Brown make a dribble entry into the wing forming a triangle between himself, Luke Walton and Andrew Bynum.  Brown makes the two pass to the top keying: Blake to the pinch post and Brown to run a rebound screen cut.  

From here there are multiple options that can occur:

1. Odom could enter the ball into the pinch post (which he chooses to do in this clip)

2. Odom could dribble weave back to Walton coming off Brown's rebound screen cut

3. Odom can run a high pick and roll with the pinch post man.

4. The weakside wing could also stay deep in the post, rather than come out to the pinch post.  Andrew Bynum will often do this.

After entering the ball into the pinch post, the pinch post man also has multiple options:

- Blake could make the give and go shuffle pass back to Odom.  From there those two could choose to run a pick and roll.

- Blake can make the dribble weave pass himself to Walton

After setting up the rebound screen cut, Shannon Brown also has some options:

- If he has a direct line to the basket, he can cut to the basket

- In this case, his defender (JR Smith) is cutting off the path to the basket, so Brown fades back.  The nomenclature for this action is called a "stepback" (not to be confused with the one on one dribble move known as a stepback, the triangle's "stepback" is the spot up jumper that results from the execution of the rebound screen cut).

So both Odom at defensive balance and Blake coming from the pinch post have additional options from the rebound screen cut man to consider.

In the first half of last Friday's game against the Nuggets, the Lakers were fully committed to running the triangle.  Now that we are familiar with the single double and the rebound screen cut options, let's take an indepth look at the free flowing nature of the triangle offense.