Panathinaikos Horns Action

What is Panathinaikos Horns Action?

The set starts in horns: 4 at the right elbow, 5 at the left elbow, 3 and 2 in the right and left corners, and 1 with the ball out past the arc at the top of the key. Before the ball screen, the bigs trade sides through the lane and 4 screens for 5 on the way. The screener's defender has a screen to beat before the ball screen even starts.

When to use it

Call it against man-to-man when the bigs' defenders sit at the elbows and get set early for horns ball screens. It suits a 5 who can run the lane and still set a solid screen, and a 1 who turns the corner going right.

How to run it

Step 1. 4 leaves the right elbow and curves through the upper part of the lane to screen beside 5, just inside the left elbow. 5 comes off it on a deeper curve, lower in the lane, crosses to the right side and rises past the right elbow to a spot above it.

Step 2. 5 steps up to the top of the key and screens for 1, who dribbles off it to his right, toward the right elbow. 4 has spaced out above the left elbow, and 3 and 2 stay in the corners.

Counters

• 5 leaves before 4 arrives, so the screen hits nobody. 5 waits for 4 to set, then goes.
• The bigs cross at the same depth and collide. 4 stays high in the lane and 5 runs his curve lower.
• 1 starts his dribble while 5 is still moving. He waits until 5 is set and still.

What it attacks

The cross punishes a big defender who wants to be waiting at the screen. X5 has to get around 4 and then chase 5 across the lane, so he is late to the spot above the right elbow where the pick and roll starts. With 2 and 3 deep in the corners, the nearest help on 1's drive has to leave a shooter.

Teaching points

• 4 gets beside 5 and stops before 5 moves, so 5 can cut low off his shoulder.
• 5 stays low through the lane and rises only once he is past the right elbow.
• 1 waits out past the arc until 5 is set, then attacks the right elbow.
• 2 and 3 stay deep in the corners and give their defenders a long way to help.

Build it in practice

Walk the cross with 4 and 5 alone until the two curves never touch. Add 1 and the ball screen, then defenders on the bigs, and play it live with your ball screen reads once 1 comes off. The horns guide has more actions from this alignment.