Hardwood Highlight of the Night: Triple pin-down leads to DeRozan's 3-pointer
The Toronto Raptors are an oddity: they boast the 4th-best offense despite recording the 6th-fewest passes per game.
In part, their lack of passing is attributable to roster construction. The Raptors have a number of shoot-first guards dominating the ball at all times. DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry, Greivis Vasquez and Lou Williams are shot creators, but their shot creation is often to their own benefit, rather than to create open looks for others.
The result is a plodding, isolation-heavy style of play, but again, the Raptors have made it work, scoring 112.2 points per 100 possessions.
However, despite the proficiency in isolation sets, the Raptors are at their best when players are catching and shooting off screens.
Against the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, the Raptors ran one of their pet plays: the triple-pin down.
The play opens with DeRozan cutting towards the baseline, while Vasquez handles the ball up top. Lowry turns to set a first pin-down screen on DeRozan's defender Kyle Singler.
Once he gets to the baseline, DeRozan turns to move East-West, while his defender tries to trail him. Raptors power forward Amir Johnson moves to set a first down screen on Singler, which serves to generate even more separation between Singler and DeRozan.
Singler fights dutifully to dodge Johnson's screen, but he is then met with a third screen from Jonas Valanciunas. The final screen completely wipes Singler from the play, which leaves DeRozan open in the corner.
With Greg Monroe slow to close out, DeRozan rises up for an uncontested 3-pointer.
(courtesy: Sportsnet)