Ram Screen

What it is

• The Ram Screen is a clever two-screen action that creates confusion by using a guard to screen for a big, then having that big immediately turn and set a ball screen.
• The big man's defender has just been screened and is momentarily behind the play when the big arrives to set the ball screen.
• A guard or wing (often stationed on the weak side or corner) cuts to the top of the key and sets a back screen on the opposing big man's defender — screening for the offensive.

Why it matters

• Layered confusion: - Defenses typically call out "Ball screen!" but the Ram creates a ball screen that arrives with momentum rather than statically.
• The big man's defender has just been screened and is momentarily behind the play when the big arrives to set the ball screen.
• The ball handler's defender has not had time to prepare for the ball screen.
• The guard who set the initial back screen is now floating free on the perimeter — their defender helped guard the back screen.

How it works

• A guard or wing (often stationed on the weak side or corner) cuts to the top of the key and sets a back screen on the opposing big man's defender — screening for the offensive center or power forward.
• The big man uses the guard's back screen to get a running start and pops to the ball handler's position at the top of the key.
• The big man immediately sets a ball screen for the primary ball handler.
• The guard who set the initial back screen continues their cut, often drifting to the corner or weak side.
• Dallas Mavericks have used Ram actions with Luka Dončić, using a guard to free the screener and then immediately putting Luka into a ball screen scenario.

Reads and counters

• Primary — PnR Attack: The ball handler uses the big's ball screen normally: attack the hedge/drop, read the big's roll, make the pass.
• The big's defender is behind the play, making the roll particularly effective.
• Secondary — Guard Corner Three: The guard who set the initial back screen is floating to the corner or wing.
• If the defense over-rotates to the ball screen, a skip pass to that guard produces a wide-open three.
• Tertiary — Big Pop: If the defense blitzes or hedges hard on the ball screen, the big pops to the three-point line (if they can shoot) for a mid-range or three-point attempt.

Bilingual terms

Learn before and after

These graph neighbors help place Ram Screen in the larger basketball map.

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