Lift Offense

Instructions

1. 1Start in a five-out set with the ball at the top and both bigs at the elbows
2. 2The bigs lift to the top to screen for the ball handler while the wings drop to the corners
3. 3Swing the ball to the wing coming off the screen
4. 4As the ball moves to a side, the corner player on that side lifts to the wing to give a release
5. 5Weak-side players fill behind so the floor stays evenly spaced
6. 6Look for the high-post catch and the cut to the rim behind the lift
7. 7Continue the cycle - every swing triggers another lift and fill

Pro Tips

• Lift on the catch, not before - lifting early pulls your defender into the drive lane you just opened
• Keep the corners deep and wide; a shallow corner lets one defender guard two players
• The screener's job after the lift is to seal and hold, not to drift out of the play
• Ball movement beats dribble penetration here - one extra swing usually creates the better shot
• Against a zone, lift into the gaps between defenders rather than to the spot