“Twirl” and “Bilbao”

Term: Twirl

Definition: an off-ball action in which a player curls the first of two staggered screens, and then the first screener turns around and cuts off the second screener

See Also: Bilbao Action:

In Bilbao action, the first cutter (2) can curl or reject the first screen. After that, Bilbao and Twirl are the same: 4 turns around and uses 5’s screen. However, some people prefer to use the term “Twirl” for Motion Strong-type staggers and “Bilbao” for split cuts (see “Twirl vs Bilbao” section below):

How It Works:

In the diagram above, 5 and 4 are setting a staggered screen for 2 as part of Motion Strong. However, 2 curls (or rejects) 4’s screen, and then 4 turns around and uses 5’s screen.

Twirl action can also occur with “post splits” or split cuts, although the term usually used is Bilbao, not Twirl. In split cuts, the ball is entered into the post and then two or three players on the perimeter screen and cut off each other (split cuts usually involve just two off-ball cutters/screeners, but a third is required to run Bilbao/Twirl).

In this example, Golden State’s Draymond Green enters the ball into the post before he and Steph Curry set a staggered screen for Andrew Wiggins. Wiggins curls Curry’s screen, and then Curry turns around and cuts off Draymond Green for the 3:

Naturally, the cutter can receive a pass for a layup after he curls or rejects the first screen:

And the first screener still has the option to reject the second screen if his defender is overplaying him:

Why It Works:

Bilbao/Twirl action is a counter to how most NBA teams defend stagger screens. Typically, both screeners’ defenders (x4 and x5 below) sag back to prevent slips or basket cuts from any of the three offensive players. Meanwhile, x2 locks and trails, chasing 2 (from behind) off the stagger screen:

The first screener’s defender, x4, sags back primarily to fend off slips from either screener, or the cutter making a basket cut (usually by rejecting or curling the first screen). Meanwhile, x5 prevents 2 from curling the second screen and getting into the paint.

Here’s an example of Motion Strong defended well. A stagger screen (green) is set for Philadelphia’s Furkan Korkmaz (light blue). Kormaz’s defender, Lou Williams (violet), is locking and trailing. Danilo Gallinari (white) is sagging off the first screener, Matisse Thybulle, to prevent any basket cuts or slips. Onyeka Okongwu (yellow) is there when Korkmaz tries to curl the second screen into the lane:

Locked and trailed, Korkmaz isn’t open for the catch-and-shoot 3. However, the help defenders have also prevented him from curling either screen, so Korkmaz hits Thybulle, who misses the corner 3:

If the screeners’ defenders aren’t in help, however, either screener can slip behind the defense for an easy 2:

Or the cutter can curl the first screen for a layup:

Or the cutter can curl the second screen for a layup:

But Twirl action is a designed counter to a well-defended stagger screen. By curling the first screen, 2 draws the attention of x4 near the rim. As a result, x4 is out of position when 4 uses the screen from 5:

In this example of Twirl action, Boston’s Robert Williams III and Aaron Nesmith set a staggered screen for Jaylen Brown. Brown curls Nesmith’s screen, and then Nesmith cuts off Williams’s screen for a 3. Notice how Nesmith’s defender is sagging off him and bumps Jaylen Brown’s cut before closing out on Nesmith:

Twirl vs Bilbao:

One clear distinction between Twirl and Bilbao is that Bilbao can refer to either curling or rejecting the first screen, whereas Twirl refers only to curling that screen. Thus, this play, in which Steph Curry (light blue) rejects the stagger, would be Bilbao but not Twirl Action:

Notice that the first screener, Otto Porter Jr., cuts off the second screener after Curry rejects the stagger:

Beyond that small distinction, the difference between Bilbao and Twirl is mostly a matter of usage, although there is a slight preference to use Twirl with Motion Strong-type actions and Bilbao with split cuts.

In the NBA, Bilbao action is associated mostly with Golden State Warriors’ version of triangle/Princeton concepts, but as its name suggests, it was popularized by the Spanish club Bilbao Basket.

According to Zak Boisvert (@PickAndPopNet on Twitter), Quin Snyder brought the action to the modern NBA:

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