Throwing A “Grenade” Into Your Offense!!

• By Coach Perkins

Coaches and teams at all levels have been looking for additional ways to create actions that get 2 defenders on the ball.  While side ball screens, middle ball screens and DHO’s have been a normal part of the game, another offensive action is beginning to gain traction. 

During the NBA playoffs and the finals, teams were adding this new action as another option in their offensive attack.

Army assistant coach Zak Boisvert was the first person to refer to it as a “Grenade” action.  This action starts with a feed into the low post, then the post player dribbling the ball up toward the free throw line extended area for a hand off or can pass to a cutter coming around and catching on the wing, then screening on the ball.  

There are a variety of actions away from the ball that can be used to bring the cutter to the ball side wing area.

Check out this compilation prepared by Coach Boisvert on Grenade Actions.

Here are clips of both the Sixers and the Warriors using Grenade actions in their offense. (Thank you Kostas Kalogeropoulos for sharing these clips)

The grenade action is also popular with teams and coaches across the globe.  Sarunas Jasikevicius, former point guard at Maryland, is utilizing this action now with FC Barcelona and when he was head coach with Lithuanian powerhouse Zalgiris. (Thank you Baskethead for the clip)

Here is a play from the Australian National Team utilizing grenade action to get Patty Mills open.

Hope you are enjoying these X and O ideas we are sharing with you.  Do you have a favorite set or action you would like to see more examples of?

Keep stealing ideas from each other!!

Lason, Leigh, and the Coaches Clinic Community.