Digital Playbook: Cutting in Motion

When a player passes the ball, he can cut hard to the tip of the rim. This is defined as a basket cut.

Every time a spot is vacated, the next closest man needs to sprint to fill it.

We must always square the top.

After a player makes a basket cut, they have to make an exit cut back to the perimeter if they're not open to re-space the floor.

A cutter can make two reads: front cut or rear cut.

A front cut occurs when the defender does not jump to the ball. The cutter then cuts in front of the defender.

A rear cut occurs when a defender jumps to the ball. The cutter cuts behind the defense to the basket.

Pass and cut action can happen from any spot on the floor, except the corners. 

After a cut, if you clear out to an open spot simply fill it.

After a cut, if you clear out to a spot that is already occupied, back screen your way out. 

Basket cuts should only be made by a player that passes the ball. Do not randomly basket cut through the lane as this presents spacing issues. 

A thru cut is made to open up a driving gap for your teammate.

When making a thru cut, sprint straight through as fast as you can.

As a cutter, you do not need to get deep into the lane. Simply cut through the elbow or the lane depending on where your cut originates from. 

Sometimes, two players can make a thru cut at the same time.

Thru cuts can happen naturally or be called to start an offensive possession (i.e. "1 Thru" and "2 Thru").

The goal of thru cuts is to open up double and triple gaps for the drivers.

On a thru cut, the driver should drive in the wake of the cutter. The rest of the players on the perimeter can engage in circle movement.

A thru cut can also lead to a flank reverse (see below).

If, at any time, your defender overplays you over the “Read Line,” or three point line, you should make a back door cut.

Any player at any position on the floor can make a back cut if they're overplayed. 

The cut needs to be a scoring cut.

Set your man up by planting your outside foot and showing your outside hand before cutting back door.

The next closest man will sprint to fill your vacated spot.

A 45 cut is made from the weak side of the floor during a drive.

It should be made when a defender is too focused on the ball while on the helpline or as the defender is actively helping on a drive.

Any player at any position can make a 45 cut from the weak side on a drive, but we should avoid two players making a 45 cut at the same time on a single drive.

Post up actions can happen one of two ways in our offense:

1. We are in 41 alignment and have a permanent dunker who has the role of posting up.

2. We have a bigger perimeter player who is role defined as a cut and seal player. They cut to the lane and seal in the post, remaining in the post temporarily before back screening their way out back to the perimeter.

In this example, we used a cut and seal from the perimeter in a 50 alignment. 

When you're entering the ball into the post from the perimeter, make sure you have a good passing angle.

If, at any time, there is a post feed, the feeder must make a Laker cut.

The other perimeter players should fill the next open spots.

Note: the cutter must cut through the elbow on a Laker cut to maintain good spacing.

While Laker cuts can occur from multiple spots on the floor, they should generally happen when a perimeter player enters the ball into the post from a wing and then cuts after his pass.

Whenever someone leaves an open spot on the perimeter after an action (i.e. cut, drive, screen, etc.), the next man has to fill the next open spot

Likewise, if a player is inside the 3 point line after an action, they have to make an "exit cut" to clear the lane and space the floor.

Both fill cuts and exit cuts are extremely important for maintaining spacing and they also can turn into scoring cuts if done well.