The LeBron James–Anthony Davis pick-and-roll (PnR) remains one of the deadliest weapons in the NBA. Year after year, the Los Angeles Lakers find new ways to unlock this combo and keep defenses guessing. In this article, we’ll break down the Lakers’ PnR playbook, focusing on three key concepts: the empty corner PnR, the Spain pick-and-roll, and the series of decisions that emerge from AD’s short rolls. Understanding these designs reveals how LA creates efficient offense, maximizes LeBron and AD’s skillsets, and continually adapts to new defensive tactics.
The Power of the LeBron-AD Pick-and-Roll
Few duos in NBA history can match the versatility and dynamism of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. LeBron’s passing and scoring threat, combined with Davis’s elite finishing and lob-catching, force defenders into constant dilemmas. The Lakers’ playbook layers multiple wrinkles onto basic PnR action, ensuring their stars operate in space and leverage mismatches.
Empty Corner Pick-and-Roll: Maximizing Space
One of the Lakers’ go-to sets is the empty corner PnR. In this alignment, LeBron (as the ball-handler) and AD (as the screener) operate on one side of the floor, with all other Lakers players spaced away—often occupying the weak side.
Why does this work?
- Space for the Roll: With no weak-side help defenders nearby, Davis has more room to slip to the basket for a dunk or lob.
- Easier Reads for LeBron: With the defense unable to load up on his driving lane, LeBron can attack the rim or make quick skip passes to the opposite corner.
- Difficult Defensive Choices: Defenders guarding the weak side must decide whether to leave shooters open or help on the roller, often resulting in wide-open threes or easy finishes inside.
A Case Study: 2020 NBA Playoffs
During the Lakers’ championship run in 2020, the empty corner PnR was a staple. Whether against the Rockets’ micro-ball lineups or the Nuggets’ sagging bigs, this alignment allowed LeBron to collapse the defense and generate high-value shots.
Pro Tip: Teams often use “shake” action, where a shooter in the weak-side corner lifts up to the wing as the PnR happens, ensuring their defender can’t sneak in to help on Davis’s roll.
The Spain Pick-and-Roll: Layered Complexity
As NBA defenses get more sophisticated, so do offensive counters. Enter the Spain pick-and-roll, a variation that adds another screener, usually a shooter, into the action.
What is the Spain PnR?
- LeBron and AD initiate a standard pick-and-roll at the top or wing.
- A third Laker (often Austin Reaves or D’Angelo Russell) sets a backscreen on Davis’s defender as AD rolls to the rim.
- This “Spain” (or stack) screen prevents the big from dropping back comfortably and often confuses the help defense, creating an opening for a pocket pass, a lob, or a pop-out three for the shooter.
Why Is Spain PnR So Effective?
- Multiple Threats: The defense must monitor three credible scorers simultaneously: the ball-handler, the roller, and the shooter.
- Tagging Dilemmas: The backscreen can leave Davis’ defender trailing behind, turning a simple roll into an uncontested dunk.
- Perimeter Opportunities: If help collapses onto the roll, the shooter who set the backscreen may pop out to the arc for a clean look.
Lakers’ Adaptations
The Lakers sometimes tweak the Spain action by letting AD “short roll” to the foul line, creating a four-on-three scenario where he can pass, shoot, or drive depending on the defense’s rotations. Meanwhile, the shooter who set the backscreen drifts to the perimeter, and weak-side players position themselves as kick-out threats.
Short-Roll Decision Trees: AD as a Playmaking Hub
At the heart of advanced PnR offense is the short roll—a concept where the screener (AD) pops to the free-throw line instead of rolling all the way to the rim. If defenses blitz LeBron out of the PnR or try to trap him high, the Lakers immediately feed the ball to Davis in this zone, creating a fast-moving offensive advantage.
Reading the Defense
Once AD receives the ball around the nail, he has several choices:
- Attack the Rim: If the help defender stays home or rotates late, Davis can power to the hoop for a layup or dunk.
- Lob Passes: When the weak-side defender rotates to stop Davis, that opens up a lob to the baseline dunker-spot or a cutter.
- Corner/Perimeter Kicks: If defenders collapse on his drive, AD can swing the ball out to wide-open shooters in the corners or on the wing.
- Mid-Range Pull-Up: If he sees a gap, Davis can rise for his reliable jumper.
Playmaking Pressure
This short-roll decision tree is lethal because all outcomes are high-percentage looks. AD’s growth as a passer has only made this wrinkle more dangerous, as he can punish aggressive schemes—whether it’s a double team on LeBron or a late “tag” from a defender.
Evolving Against the Defense
What makes the Lakers’ PnR menu so potent isn’t just talent, but adaptability. Coach Darvin Ham and his staff constantly refine sets to counter the latest defensive trends:
- Switching Defenses: If teams switch screens, LeBron/AD seek out the most favorable matchup and isolate.
- Zone Defenses: Against zones, the Lakers use empty-corner set-ups to distort help responsibilities and create passing or driving lanes.
- Physicality and Trapping: The short-roll becomes a release valve; with proper spacing, even aggressive traps can’t stop LA from finding the open man.
Conclusion
The Lakers’ LeBron-AD pick-and-roll arsenal is a masterclass in offensive design and in-game adjustments. Whether they’re clearing out for an empty-corner drive, adding layers with the Spain PnR, or unleashing AD’s short-roll passing, these actions keep opposing defenses in a bind. By staying a step ahead tactically and leveraging their stars’ unique talents, the Lakers continue to make their two-man game the NBA’s gold standard in pick-and-roll efficiency.
For fans and analysts alike, understanding these PnR wrinkles offers new appreciation of just how much detail and creativity goes into Lakers basketball—and why this duo remains a matchup nightmare for the rest of the league.
