Chicago Action
Dribble hand-off into a ball screen, run as one continuous action.
Chicago action gets its name from the Bulls’ frequent use of the play under Tom Thibodeau, though variants existed long before. The mechanics: a wing dribbles toward a teammate, executes a dribble hand-off, then immediately sets a ball screen for the player who just received the hand-off. Two actions, one possession, continuous motion.
What makes Chicago hard to defend is the speed of the second action. A defense that switches the DHO has to immediately decide how to defend the ball screen — usually with a different player in the wrong position. A defense that doesn’t switch the DHO has to chase, then defend the ball screen on the move.
Modern variations layer additional actions: Chicago + back-screen (Spain element added to the ball screen), Chicago + flare (the original screener flares to the wing for a three), and Chicago slip (the screener fakes the screen and cuts to the rim). Each adds another decision the defense must make in real time.
Key principles
- Wing dribbles toward a teammate, executes a DHO
- The original dribbler immediately becomes the screener for the new ball-handler
- Defense has to switch two consecutive actions — usually breaks down on the second
- Branches into roll, pop, or slip based on coverage