Offensive Actions that Create Disadvantages Rounding off exit cuts When the offensive player curves her exit cut it allows the defender to take a straight line short cut to deny the pass. It also allows the defender to stay in the gap as a help defender. The second problem is that this cut is usually performed at one speed. Because there is no change in speed, the defense can mimic the tempo of the offensive player. This often results in a steal or a denied pass. When the offensive player sprints her cut to the corner and stops with a little fishhook at the end, it gives her great vision. This also forces the defender to widen and stop. It is on this pause where the offensive player turns her next cut into a short race where she decides when and where to cut. Only she and the passer know the start signal, the direction of the race and the finish line. Double gap pass Most steals off passes come from the passer passing the ball before the receiver shortens the gap to a single gap. The defender is often closer to the ball then the receiver. The length of the pass and the positioning of the defender make it the easiest pass to steal.
The passer can shorten the pass by dribbling to the player and understand that she is passing to the spot, not the player. The receiver must sprint to the spot, reading her defender as she cuts. The pass is made to the outside of the receiver. Short cutting the backdoor cut Too often on the blast cut the receiver makes a back door cut well before the wing spot. When a defender is in a support position this often leads to a catch too deep in the key. The receiver often does not have time to read the help defender. Also, since this is a longer pass the help side defenders have more time to react to the ball. The vison of the passer also allows the help side defenders to cheat. Straight basket cut When the defender is in support and turns her head the offensive player can often run a straight basket cut. This works best when the help side defense is engaged. Notice that in the example given the passer is looking more at the rim rather than staring at the receiver. This alone is often enough to take the eyes of the defense off their checks and freeze them. Cut to the single gap Run the blast cut to the single gap. This forces the wing defender to show her hand. Now the back door cut is a shorter pass and the receiver catches the ball earlier giving her more time to make a decision.
Not attacking the rim on ball cut Very often the player cutting to the rim does not finish her cut at the rim. This does not put pressure on the defense. Her defender is often now able to sit in the middle and help on other actions. This is because the cutter loses sight of the ball and does not see what is happening. She is just taking a short cut to a space. Playing to weakness vs. strength Often the action that is run is not a bad action it is that it does not fit the strengths of the players involved and therefore does not create an advantage. This is the heart and soul of team decision making, whom am I, and who is guarding me. Who are my teammates and who is guarding them? Here we see a screen away from the ball. #4 had the choice to curl or back cut. By popping to the ball it now means she will have to initiate the next action to create an advantage. In this case she is not a good shooter or ball handler (pass or dribble). When #5 sets a ball screen the offence now has a switchable screen being run by two players who do not handle the ball well. No advantage is created. The time used in these actions is lost. If the shot clock is running down the offence needs to run at least one more action to create an advantage. The problem is that the ball is in the hands of someone who cannot create for herself, in a short period of time. A forced shot is the likely outcome.
Allow the playmaker to come to the ball Late in the clock it is better to allow the play maker to come to the ball. If no advantage is available on the catch the next actions have a greater likelihood of producing an advantage. Dribbles going nowhere This is the biggest disadvantage for most young players who are attempting to learn to play dynamic 1 on 1. The player catches the ball and immediately dribbles. She has reduced her opportunity to shoot, pass and beat the defender off the dribble. You are never more dangerous than when you first catch the ball. Non attacking penetration Over dribbling on the catch often leads to a dribble attack that does not produce an advantage. This occurs because the dribble does not put pressure on the basket, therefore no help is required. There are no open players to pass on the advantage too. No advantage attack to a bad spot Very often players dribble out of habit, especially to the baseline with their dominate hand. When first learning to play this is how most players score. It is a hard habit to break. When there is no advantage the player will often dribble to a bad spot. This is a place on the floor where she cannot see the rim and it will take at least two more actions to create an advantage.
Bad Spot Picking the ball up in the corner is a common bad spot. It is difficult to pass to the rim and the other offensive players have to run to the ball. This too can be a difficult pass to rescue the ball. Even if the pass is completed at least one more action must occur to create a scoring opportunity. Single gap stationary player When a player, who is not sealing her defender, is waiting for a pass in a single gap it is a dangerous situation for the offence. Dribbling into single gap If the ball handler tries to dribble into the single gap the ball side defender can stab at the ball. Even if she does not get the ball she can easily recover. The ball handler must make a quick decision under a lot of duress. Passing in the single gap to a stationary player The ball side defender is closer to the ball and in a position to make the steal. This steal leads to the homerun, the uncontested lay-up or worse the clear path foul which is two shots plus the ball.
Running behind the ball Especially late in a shot clock this is a bad habit of many players. They do this because they want the ball. The problem is that it takes the vison of the player with the ball off the basket. If the ball is caught it will take a minimum of two more actions before an advantage is created. This is especially bad when the player running behind the ball cannot create advantages for herself. You just may not have enough time to create a quality shot. Here we see an example of the first action which is a cut by #1. This action alone does not produce a scoring opportunity. Other things will have to happen, which all take time. What should have happened is the stationary player in the single gap should have back cut. This action creates many opportunities for a big advantage. These include scores at the rim, open threes or fouls. All actions that give you the highest points per possession. Advantage #1 of back cut Back door pass to cutter
Advantage #2 off back cut Triple (double gap) for the ball handler to attack. If 4 helps #4 has the open corner three. Advantage #3 dynamic 1 on 1 off the blast cut The next cutter has a dynamic 1 on 1. If #1 cannot drive #4 gets to cut and be dynamic. She has many opportunities to bat her defender; Curl, x-over baseline, back cut or shoots. If none of these are open she is a passer in a good spot to feed the 1 st cutter at the rim. Advantage #4 off back cut Relay pass to the 1 st cutter in the post. This action again creates a score at the rim, a foul or a kick out for a three point shot if the defense collapses. It is for the above reasons that a back cut to the rim is one of the most effective actions the offence can make. Pivot at stationary players The same problem occurs when a player is pivoted at. Here we see #5 pivoting to protect the ball. She looks at #1 and then #2. Both players remain stationary. This is a dangerous situation that has turnover or 5 sec count written all over it.
When pivoted at one gap away you should back cut. It creates big advantages. Dribble Hand Off (DHO) team decision making A DHO is a good pressure release move for a player who is not good at creating an advantage by herself. In this situation it is similar to the pick. If both players involved in the DHO cannot use this action to create an advantage it is a wasted action. All it does is consume time or give the defense an opportunity to disrupt. Back cut the DHO If the player being dribbled at is a non-ball handler she should back cut. This brings a playmaker to the action.