“Slash”

Term: “Slash”

Definition: a pick-and-pop combined with a dribble handoff to the opposite side of the court; after setting a ballscreen, the screener pops, receives a pass, and then DHOs to a teammate on the weakside

Synonyms: N/A

See Also: Blind Pig, Step-Up (two actions that often follow slash), Miami, Leak, Chicago

How It Works: In the diagram above, 4 sets a ballscreen for 1 near the right wing and then pops to the top of the key. After receiving the pass, 4 DHOs to 2 on the weakside wing.

Why It Works: Most simply, slash is a quick and effective way to set up a 2-man action on the weakside.

In this clip, Nathan Knight of the Atlanta Hawks (#1) seems to confuse slash with veer (a ghost ballscreen that flows into a down screen for Kevin Huerter). But after realizing the mistake, Knight pops for the pass and DHOs to Huerter.

With Trae Young on the bench, slash gets the ball into Huerter’s hands attacking downhill (rather than asking him to play point guard and run a spread pick-and-roll against a set defense). Miami and Chicago have similar uses, making them ideal for scoring off-guards like Huerter and Bradley Beal. As Chicago often does (when it’s run to the weakside of the court), slash also takes advantage of the weakside defender’s tendency to sag off to provide help defense.

Here, the Atlanta Hawks combine Double Drag (77), Slash, and Chicago action all in the same play:

But slash can also set up another ball reversal for such actions as blind pig and step-up screens.

Slash Step-Up:

Slash Blind Pig:

Examples:

Horns Leak Miami: Although not technically slash, the following play has a similar concept: Cam Reddish leaks to the weakside and then DHOs to Kevin Huerter, who then receives a ballscreen (making this an example of Miami action).

Motion Strong Keeper DHO: Also different from but similar to slash action, this play combines Motion Strong (stagger screen for Danilo Gallinari) with a weakside DHO: