The Suns and the Story of Spain (PnR)

When the Sacramento Kings traveled to play the Phoenix Suns on April 15th 2021, they knew they were going to be in for a LOT of Spain/Stack PnR actions.

A Spain Pick and Roll is defined, by the Basketball Action Dictionary, as: “a pick-and-roll combined with a backscreen (the player who sets the ballscreen then receives a backscreen as he rolls to the hoop)”

One of the first times Phoenix runs Spain is with Dario Saric as the ball screener and Cam Johnson as the backscreener.
So the format going forward will be talking about the offensive alignment and the defensive coverage or what *I believe* the defense is trying to do.
Ball handler (CP) - ball screener (Saric) - back screener (Cam Johnson)
The coverage? It looks like they are switching everything. At least the initial ball screen action.
Metu switches onto CP. Delon Wright gets pushed into the post by Saric and Cam Johnson doesn’t even have to set the back screen here. He just leaks out so he can quickly high-low to Saric for the post score.

CP - Saric - Cam Johnson again.
The coverage? Switch everything. Barnes takes CP coming off the screen, Delon points for Buddy to take Dario as he rolls to the basket and Delon switches onto Cam.
Moe Harkless sinks over here because Chris Paul gets to his patented spot at the elbow AND Saric is in the post against Hield. All of that opens up Torrey Craig to get an open triple.

CP - Deandre Ayton - Jevon Carter
The coverage? *shrugs shoulders*
The timing of Jevon’s back screen here is fantastic. It seems like De’Aaron Fox is telling Whiteside to take Chris Paul here because he’s sliding over to take Ayton. Whiteside seems like he’s determined to go get Ayton. Chris doesn’t need a whole lot of space to get his jumper off but the look he gets here…so fresh and so clean.

CP - Ayton - Jevon again
The coverage? Whiteside drops all the way to the basket - which is the other main coverage you’ll see around the league - leaving it up to the guards to switch. Jevon leaks out here and gets an open triple. If Moe Harkless comes off of Jae Crowder in the corner instead of stunting, then Jae Crowder gets the open triple.

CP- Ayton- Jevon part III
The coverage? Switch everything. That is made infinitely easier by the fact that Jevon leaks out again instead of making contact. That means all three defenders involved don’t have to work as hard because there is minimal screen navigation…but that also leaves Whiteside switched onto Chris Paul.
CP could enter the ball into Ayton here but you can see Buddy Hield rotate all the way over. If Paul hooks it to Mikal, Buddy can probably get back before any damage is done. Here, CP opts to pull over Whiteside.

CP - Ayton - Devin Booker
The coverage? It looks like they were *supposed* to switch everything but Harkless stays stuck onto Devin Booker (understandable). You see Fox point for Harkless to switch onto the rolling Ayton but miscommunications happen! Credit to Hield here- he could’ve declined to help but he rotates over and takes a swipe. Ayton is still 6'11" at the end of the day so it’s a relatively easy finish but great job by Buddy.