NBA Mind Games: A Simple Trick To Create Space Off The Dribble

In our newest video post, instead of talking specifically about shooting form, we want to show you a really simple but extremely effective way that you can create a shot for yourself or for a teammate.

When most people watch these highlights, the first thing they notice is the incredible crossovers. Now, the crossovers are really impressive, but if you look closely, there is much more to it than that…

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If you are a good shooter, off the pick and roll, your defender is going to have to go over the screen. So as the screen is coming, your defender will expect you to use it and might try to jump the screen or step over it early.

That’s when you can pretend to use the screen and quickly go in the opposite direction.

​As soon as Crawford starts his first cross behind the back, Stephenson commits and starts to take a wide step to get over Deandre Jordan’s screen.

Because Jamal Crawford can shoot from 3, when Lance Stephenson sees the screen, he knows that he is going to have to fight over it.

While he is taking this wide step, he is much more vulnerable to the second cross behind the back, and gives Crawford an opening to the right.

Your move doesn’t have to be complex. This is more about deception than it is about the crossover itself.

It can even be a simple jab step in the direction of the screen.

Here, Lebron sees the screen coming from his left. As the screen is coming, Gordon Hayward jabs in the direction of the screen.

Lebron tries to cheat over the screen before it gets there, which leaves Gordon Hayward wide open going to his left.

If you can shoot, defenders will be forced to go over the screen when guarding you, and you can use this simple fake with any combination of crossover or a basic jab to get the extra step you may need to create a shot for yourself or for a teammate.

Especially if your defender has been cheating over screens all game!