The pick and roll (sometimes called screen and roll) is a fundamental offensive play in basketball. The play involves two players, the ball-handler and the player setting the 'pick' or 'screen'. The ball-handler moves around the 'pick' and attempts to run the player guarding him/her into the pick. This creates separation between the ball-handler and the defensive player, forcing the other defensive players to make an adjustment. While the defense is reacting, the player who set the 'pick' then moves ('rolls') towards the basket. Depending on the defensive reaction to the 'pick and roll', there are several common outcomes: 1) The defense reacts poorly, so the player who 'rolls' to the basket is not picked up by the defense. The ball-handler passes the ball to the 'roller' who takes an easy shot. 2) The defensive players 'switch' assignments, so the player who guarded the ball-handler now guards the 'pick' player, while the defensive player who was guarding the 'picker' now guards the ball-handler. This generally results in a mismatch in favor of the offense, which then exploits it (e.g. a big player posts up the smaller defensive player, or the ball-handler uses quickness to get around the larger but slower defender). 3) Both defensive players stay with the ball-handler and 'trap' him/her. If done well, the 'trap' forces the ball-handler to pick up the ball and pass it to a teammate away from the basket. The defense then reacts according to where the ball is passed. If done poorly, it results in an uncontested shot by the 'pick' player, who has 'rolled' to the basket. Either way, the 'trap' puts the defense in a 'scrambling' mode as it reacts to where the ball and offensive players are moving. Two notes: 1) The 'pick' player must remain stationary as the ball-handler is moving past. If the 'pick' player moves, it is a violation (called a 'moving screen' or 'illegal screen') and possession of the ball is awarded to the defensive team (i.e. it's a turnover). 2) There is a variation of the pick-and-roll called the 'pick-and-pop'. In this variation, the 'pick' player moves *away* from the basket. Usually, the defensive players stay with the ball-handler moving towards the basket, who passes the ball to the 'pop' player for an unguarded jump shot. . .