Quick (Wide Pin-Down)
The fastest way to get a shooter a catch on the wing.
Quick action is one of the simplest named plays in basketball and one of the most reliable. The setup: a big sets a wide pin-down screen near the high elbow; the shooter sprints up from the strong-side block to the wing; the catch happens at the three-point line.
What makes Quick effective is its speed. The cutter only has to navigate one screen and travel ~10 feet. The defense has barely enough time to communicate the coverage. Most defenders chase, leaving the shooter open for a catch-and-shoot three. Defenders who anticipate the cut and top-lock invite a back-cut.
Quick is often run as the entry to a longer set — the shooter catches and immediately enters a pick-and-roll, dribble hand-off, or ball screen. The catch is the start, not the finish. Teams that run Quick frequently teach their shooters to read defensive positioning in the moment of the catch rather than committing to a predetermined action.
Key principles
- Big sets a pin-down screen at the high-elbow, facing the baseline
- Shooter sprints up from the strong-side block to the wing
- Catch happens at the three-point line with the chaser one step behind
- Quick branches: shoot, drive, or set up a follow-on action