Slip

Connections

Common Mistakes

One of the most common errors in executing the slip involves the screener's timing. Slipping too early, before the screen defender has genuinely committed to an aggressive hedge, allows the defender to recover effortlessly, negating the advantage. Conversely, waiting too long and making actual contact transforms the action into a traditional screen, losing the element of surprise and the immediate rim threat. The correction lies in reading the defender's first decisive step outwards; the slip should be initiated precisely at that moment of defensive over-commitment, ensuring the cut to the basket is swift and decisive, not hesitant. From the ball-handler's perspective, a significant mistake is failing to recognize the slip opportunity or delivering an inaccurate pass. If the ball-handler is too fixated on the primary screen action or tunnel-visioned on driving, they can miss the wide-open screener diving to the basket. Even when recognized, a poor pass – too high, too low, too slow, or off-target – can negate the advantage, leading to turnovers or contested shots. Ball-handlers must maintain peripheral vision, constantly scanning both the screen defender and the screener's movement. They need to anticipate the slip and deliver an on-target lob over the screen defender or a sharp bounce pass through a tight window, hitting the screener in stride. Defensively, while the slip is designed to exploit over-aggression, the primary mistake from the screen defender is an inability to recover quickly once they realize the screener has slipped. Over-committing to the hedge without the athletic capacity or communication to recover, or simply giving up on the play, directly leads to easy baskets. The corrective action involves hedging with control and being prepared to sprint back into the play. Furthermore, a critical mistake is the lack of communication and rotation from help defenders, particularly the low post defender who should be prepared to 'tag' the slipping screener to buy valuable milliseconds for the primary defender to recover. Without this coordinated defensive effort, the slip remains a high-percentage offensive action.