What is shake action in basketball?
Shake action in basketball occurs when an off-ball offensive player lifts up, typically from an area behind the three-point line such as the corner to an adjacent area such as the wing during a pick and roll opportunity that is from the side or generally towards the middle of the court.
Furthermore, the dribbling action via the pick would also be generally opposite or away from the lifting off-ball player.
How to understand the player roles and diagrams on this page
In reference to any diagrams below, each of the offensive and defensive players are generally represented by the standard basketball positions, unless otherwise noted.
Additionally, offensive players are signified by numbers such as 1-5 while defensive players are indicated by the letter X, which is then followed by numbers such as X1-X5.
In essence, 1 and X1 indicate the respective offensive and defensive point guards. 2 and X2 signify the respective offensive and defensive shooting guards.
3 and X3 denote the respective offensive and defensive small forwards. 4 and X4 designate the respective offensive and defensive power forwards.
5 and X5 represent the respective offensive and defensive centers.
Moreover, in terms of a brief legend for the diagrams:
- Black Dot or Small Circle: The black dot or small circle represents the basketball.
- Solid Arrow: The solid arrow indicates movement or a cut on the basketball court.
- Dotted Arrow: The dotted arrow represents a basketball pass.
- Wavy Arrow: The wavy arrow indicates dribbling.
- T-Shaped Symbol: The T-shaped symbol signifies a screen, also known as a pick.
- Double pipe symbol: The double pipe symbol denotes handoff action.
What are examples of shake action?
Side pick and roll example
The offensive sequence begins with side pick and roll action between 1 and 2.
Next, as 1 dribbles toward the middle area and 2 rolls to the basket, 3 can lift up with the shake action filling the space that was previously occupied by 1.
Afterwards, 2 could receive the ball while rolling or 3 could gain possession of it instead after the shake action happens.
Following that, either player could attempt to score via a layup near the rim or jump shot from the wing area, respectively.
It should also be mentioned that whenever there is a side pick and roll occurring and at the same time, there is a player in the adjacent corner, that is usually a good opportunity for that corner player to consider shaking up to the wing area.
Essentially, once the recipient of the pick utilizes it to drive towards the middle from the wing/side area, that space should then be empty, which is a great opportunity for the other player in the adjacent corner to lift towards it with the shake action.
Slot/Middle pick and roll example
To begin, 2 moves upward to set an on-ball screen near the left slot. Next, 1 uses that pick and dribbles toward the middle of the lane while 2 rolls to the basket.
As that happens, 3 lifts up from the left corner to the adjacent left side wing, which was previously empty.
From there, 2 or 3 could receive the ball from 1 and score via a layup or jump shot, respectively.
Shake action potential counter vs. hedge
If the opposing team implements the hedge as their pick and roll defense tactic, then that could be countered with the shake action whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Basically, to hamper pick and roll offensive action, especially towards the middle of the lane, the on-ball defender could fight over the top of the screen while the defender guarding the screener could hedge by getting parallel or above the screen.
The general purpose of the hedge is to hinder the intended dribbling route of the screen recipient while also giving the on-ball defender more time to fight over the screen and keep in front of the ball.
Furthermore, after performing the hedge, the screener’s defender still needs to recover as the screener would be open to roll unimpeded to the basket, at least momentarily.
So, to alleviate that potential issue, the defensive team will typically have another defender tag the rolling player, ultimately to give the screener’s defender, who hedged earlier, more time to recover.
This tagging defender, sometimes referred to as the low man, is usually guarding the off-ball player on the opposite side of the screening action and that is when the shake action can come into play as an effective counter to the defensive hedge.
The related diagrams below further expand on these concepts.
Corner player doesn’t shake vs. hedge
This is an example of what could potentially happen if the defensive team employs the hedge tactic but the corner player remains stationary without shaking up towards the adjacent wing.
For the initial setup: 1 is in the left slot in possession of the ball; 2 occupies the right corner; 3 fills the right side wing area; 4 occupies the left corner; 5 fills the right side elbow area.
To begin, 5 moves up to set the pick, which 1 attempts to use while X1 fights over the top.
However, as that happens, X5, who is the screener’s defender, hedges the screening action by lifting slightly above it.
From there, 5 rolls to the basket after setting the screen but that gets impeded by X4 stepping up into the lane to tag 5.
That tagging action also gives X5 enough time to recover back to the rolling player (5), indicated by the gray arrow.
Furthermore, since the corner player (4) remained stationary and didn’t shake to the empty wing, X4 can simply return to the original help area near the left side low post.
At that point, even if 5 received the ball from 1 and kicked it out to 4 or if 1 threw a skip pass with 4 as the recipient, that ball movement would not be as effective because X4 could simply follow the path of the ball and closeout to guard 4.
Related: “Shake” – The Basketball Dictionary
Corner player uses shake action vs. hedge
For this example, let’s say that the slot pick and roll occurs once again and X5 hedges slightly above the screen while X1 initially fights over it.
The dribbling route directly towards the middle gets obstructed by way of the hedge and while X5 recovers, indicated by the gray arrow, X4 tags 5 within the lane.
Simultaneously, as X5 recovers, 1 attacks the rim via a newly established dribbling path towards the middle while X1 continues to fight over and chase behind 1, shown via the blue arrow.
However, this time, instead of remaining stationary, 4 shakes to the left side wing.
Afterwards, 4 receives the ball from 1 and takes the open jump shot or attacks the basket while X4 is attempting to closeout.
This is one of the main reasons why the shake action can be highly beneficial for the offense and detrimental for the defense, especially when used in combination with side and/or middle pick and roll action.
In essence, when the ball is further away from the basket, specifically near perimeter areas such as the high post, it can generally move towards the wing or slot area via passing action much faster than to the corner.
Moreover, if a defender is near the basket while the ball is around a perimeter area, which is followed up with passing action towards a wing or slot, then that defender would take slightly longer closing out to that wing or slot as opposed to a corner.