The Chin Set is easy to install because it is similar to so many other continuities like the Flex or the Swing. In fact, those continuities have 5 player motion whereas the Chin Set only uses 4 players that have to learn all of the perimeter cuts and reads. (When I say “5 player motion”, I mean that all 5 offensive players have to memorize what to do at each position within the continuity.) Here, only 4 players have to learn the cuts and reads.
The post player, while always a threat, will initially set many different screens at different angles for the cutter to score. It is simpler to learn because you only have to teach 4 players the cuts off the screens the the 5th player is a screener.
Secondarily, if a layup is not available, the set focuses on downhill drives from the top of the key off of a flare screen read. Flare screens will only become more and more important as teams begin to shift their defensive focus towards a “Packline” type of defense instead of the traditional force baseline style. These types of screens create a driving lane for the offense to attack downhill and also force the defense to move if not shot is available. For these reasons, the Chin Set is effective because it creates the two most valuable shot attempts in the game: three point shots and layups.
This distinction is preferred:
Read – a player sees the defense and makes a different decision based on the location;
Counter – a coach makes a call that changes a small part of the play based on how the other team is defending the action (switching, overplay, extra help from certain locations, etc.)
There are many reads that you can teach in a breakdown drill and counters that a coach can add as the season progresses to keep options open for your players and to create layups and three point shots out of the Chin Set.
Princeton Offense Chin Set