“Zipper”

Term: Zipper

Definition: a down screen for a player on the strongside low block to cut to the slot, where he receives a pass from the wing

See Also:

• Down screen
• Loop (a play from the San Antonio Spurs motion offense similar to floppy that is initiated with a zipper)
• UCLA (a zipper screen in reverse)

Origin of the Name: The zipper cut was the first movement of the zipper offense used by the Boston Celtics in the 1960s.

How It Works: In the diagram above, 4 sets a zipper screen for 2 to cut to the slot, where he receives a pass from 1 on the wing.

Zipper screens are often preceded by the point guard dribbling to the wing, triggering the player in the corner (or on the wing) to move to the low block and make a zipper cut.

Unlike most down screens, a zipper is rarely a scoring action by itself. Of course, zippers can set up a catch-and-shoot attempt or an isolation:

But more often than not (especially at the pro level), it’s followed by another action, such as a pick-and-roll or and an off-ball screen, typically to the weakside.

Why It Works: Because the zipper screen occurs near the low post, defenses are reluctant to switch; if they do, the screener (often a center) is defended by a guard on the block, in easy post position. Instead, the cutter’s defender usually lock and trails, making him a step or two behind his man and therefore at a disadvantage.

From ram/wedge rolls to Chicago, actions are often stacked on top of each other because recovering from the first puts the defender susceptible for dealing with the second. For zippers, the second action is frequently to the weakside, exploiting the principles of help defense (as hammers also do). Perhaps the most common use of a zipper is to pair it with a ballscreen, often called Zip Spread or Zip Fist, to the opposite side of the court:

In this example below of Zip Fist, Nerlens Noel sets a zipper screen for Derrick Rose, who then receives a ballscreen from Obi Toppin toward the weakside. (Also, notice that Noel makes what’s sometimes known as a “short action” or “shadow cut,” cutting under the basket to the opposite dunker spot to create room for Toppin’s path to the hoop.)

A zipper can also be paired with a weakside pin-down or flare screen (Kelly Oubré slips the flare screen in the second clip):

Zippers are also great for getting the ball out of the point guard’s hands, particularly if he’s a shooter adept at coming off screens: The Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors use zippers this way for Damian Lillard and Steph Curry. San Antonio’s “Loop” play also uses a zip cut, thus letting the initial ballhandler, often Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili (in the video below), cut off the floppy screens:

Conversely, zippers can also be used to get the ball into the hands of scoring off-guards like Bradley Beal (instead of having Beal play point guard). Zippers can also relieve the pressure for a team playing without a traditional playmaker at point guard.

Although zipper is a type of down screen, not all down screens are zippers. Here, Tony Snell inbounds the ball to Trae Young, who’s coming off a zipper screen. Trae passes to Bogdan Bogdanovic, who cuts off a screen nearly identical to Trae’s—from the low block to the slot—but since it’s on the weakside, it’s not a zipper:

Because zippers include a pass from the wing, they’re commonly part of SLOB plays. Here, the inbounder gets a handoff or pitch from the player who made the zipper cut and then gets a ballscreen (similar to Miami action):

See More:

Zip Spread:

Zipper Blind Pig: