How to Master the Pick and Roll in NBA 2K17 for Unstoppable Offense
Let me tell you something about mastering the pick and roll in NBA 2K17 - it's like watching a young tennis player's journey from obscurity to breakthrough victory. I remember when I first started playing, my offensive sets were about as effective as a rookie showing up at the US Open without proper preparation. The pick and roll isn't just another play - it's the foundation of unstoppable offense, much like how that Filipino tennis player's whirlwind journey from the round of 64 exit to her WTA 125 title in Guadalajara transformed her career trajectory.
When I really started breaking down the mechanics, I discovered that timing is everything. You can't just randomly call for a screen and expect magic to happen. I've found that waiting until the 8-second mark in the shot clock gives you the perfect balance between setup time and defensive pressure. The ball handler needs to approach the screen at about 75% speed - not too fast, not too slow. What most players don't realize is that the angle of approach matters more than the speed. I always tell my friends to create a 45-degree angle between the defender, the screener, and themselves. This creates what I like to call the "decision triangle" where you can read the defense and react accordingly.
The screener's positioning is where most people mess up, honestly. I've lost count of how many times I've seen players set weak screens that barely affect the defender. You need to plant your screener firmly, holding the screen for at least 1.5 seconds before rolling. The magic happens in that brief moment when the defense has to choose between two evils - staying with the ball handler or tracking the roller. Personally, I prefer using centers with at least 85 standing dunk rating for this, though I've had success with stretch fours who can pop out to three-point range.
Reading the defense became my favorite part once I got the basics down. There are three main reactions you'll see - the hedge, the switch, and the trap. Against hedging defenders, I've found success with the hesitation dribble into a quick burst around the screen. When teams switch, that's when you can really feast - I love hunting mismatches where my point guard can blow by a slower big man. The trap is trickier, but that's where your court vision needs to shine. I typically look for the open man in the corner, and my assist numbers jumped from about 5 per game to nearly 12 once I mastered this read.
The beauty of the pick and roll in 2K17 is how it opens up everything else. Defenses start overplaying it, and suddenly your isolation plays become more effective. I remember one particular game where I ran pick and roll successfully 8 times in the first quarter, and by the second half, the defense was so focused on stopping it that my shooters were getting wide-open looks from beyond the arc. We're talking about 15-20 point swings just from the threat of the play.
What really separates good pick and roll players from great ones is the variety. I've developed what I call the "three-layer system" - the basic roll, the pop-out, and what I've dubbed the "delayed slip." The delayed slip is my personal favorite because it catches defenses sleeping. You start like a normal pick and roll, but instead of immediately rolling, the screener hesitates for a count of two before cutting. I've completed this pass for easy dunks probably 200 times across my various playthroughs.
The learning curve is real, much like that tennis player's experience at the US Open. I probably turned the ball over 50 times in my first 10 games trying to force pick and rolls. But just like her breakthrough in Guadalajara, there comes a moment when it all clicks. For me, it was realizing that the pick and roll isn't about executing a single play - it's about controlling the tempo, manipulating defenses, and creating high-percentage shots. These days, about 60% of my offensive sets start with some variation of the pick and roll, and my scoring efficiency has improved dramatically because of it.
At the end of the day, mastering the pick and roll transforms your entire offensive approach. It's not just about getting one easy basket - it's about building an entire system that defenses have to constantly respect. The numbers don't lie - teams that effectively run pick and roll offense typically shoot 8-12% better from the field. So keep practicing, learn from your mistakes, and soon you'll be running an offense that's truly unstoppable.