Offence

Sacred Cow “Pass and Cut”

Observe: If you walk into a stadium and here this 'Sacred Cow', what you will see is chaos, anxiousness and eventually an easy bucket for the opposition.

Problem: The team either has no system, does not trust it, or being presented with an unfamiliar situation has reverted to panic.

Origin: Lack of philosophy, preparation and performance. Philosophy is the most imporant perspective. The basic themes are seemingly:

Read and React. In this philosophy, the decision-making is on an individual level. If there is someone free, pass. If there is a gap, drive. If overplayed, then cut. The offensive teammates then react in response. Fill the gap created. Move to the open shot. Screen the pass and so on. Kobe Brant called this style of Penetrate and Pitch as "Accidental Basketball." In this style, we are effectively using the Defence like a sponge, deforming by individually poking and then allowing it to instantly reform to little team advantage.
Play based Offences. The aims of these types of systems, is to influence the defence in such a way, that it creates the desired shot(s) preferred. The problem with this mindset, is that it underestimates the collective intelligence of the defence. It also becomes additionally complex as each option is nullified. The players end up confused by the range of overthinking. The obvious choices go unnoticed. When the options are seemingly exhausted the players tend to revert into 'Read and React' mode. In this style we are trying to build a sandcastle out of the Defence.
Continuity based Officences. These systems are seemingly preferred by amateur coaches. This approach has a continuous pattern, that is usually symetrical on both sides of the floor. However, it usually features a built-in bias that is dependent on the Defence. For example the pattern may have three bigs screening and extending the baseline to the corners, where the Defence is undersized. The idea being to use the extra big to draw out the Defence's last big and open up the middle. Or the reverse scenario where the team has great shooters, by overloading the perimeter until open shots materialise. However, the problem with this is again that it underestimates the intelligence of Defence and assumes Defence will be compliant with maintaining the predictability of their system for your shot making convenience. As the Defence matures, nullifying each area of advantage, overthinking returns until we are back into either 'Play based Offences' for the prepared team, or 'Read and React' for the underprepared team. In this style, we are effectively sifting the Defence; constantly disturbing it; but the predictability hinders Offence, while helping the Defence.

The Solution

We therefore aspire to the advantages of all three philosophical approaches. We therefore have a choice, to learn all of the above which can take a career, or learn a more succinct system of thinking based in geometry and influenced by pressure. The response of all Offensive players, can then be a collective action, since all players can recognise the scenario. The appearance is that the system is at times 'Read and React', sometimes 'Play based' and sometimes 'Continuity based'. Surprisingly, coaches, fans, oppositions; all fail to comprehend how all this was achieved and strive to replicate in their own systems. They skip to the moment that was their favourite, and are oblivious to the foundation.

Foundation. Geometry is the foundation of Offence. The line markings have no source of advantage. They are just lines. For example the half-way point between the sideline passer and the split line, is not the edge of the key way. It is a good step out from the post toward the sideline. Draw an X from the basket to the sideline/free throw extension. And complete the X from the baseline three point corner to the middle of the three throw line. This is your geometric centre for post-passing. It is fine to vary this, but do so intentionally, noting that favouring a position that is higher or lower, will increase the passing difficulty, and change the subsequent angles for the cutters. The passers therefore do not rely on the three point line as their reference point. Their angles are also aligned with the geometry of the post.

Aim. The aim is to involve the whole team in the shared joy of creating open shots. Everyone has a role to play. Even if the system breaks down, everyone has a role to play in order to fix it. The fixes are fundamental, as the difficulties could be brought on by the Defence, or by our own mistakes. We therefore place in the player the mindset that offence is a constant problem-solving activity. This is a very different mindset to the earlier philosophies, whereby problem-solving only begins when the whole system breaks down. Instead of "I must pass to this position" it becomes "should I pass to this position".

Advantage. The advantage is that from a single geometric system, mixed with continuous collective decision-making, we can create a different offence every trip down the floor. The possibilities become infinite. The coaching decisions are thereby delegated to the players. This frees the coach to move from tactical to strategic and from being the instructor to becoming the mentor.

Actions. The actions are surprisingly simple, in yet within them the players can create additional options through the order they apply them. The basic actions are:

Creating a passing triangle. In order to intiate an offence inside of the perimeter, we need a target to pass to. Establishing the post position, therefore creates the geometric need for two passing angles. These angles are created based on the position of the post player. The perimeter is irrelevant. If the defence plays high on the post, the passing angle comes from the baseline side. If the defence plays baseline side on the post, the passing angle comes from the wing.
Cuts on a pass to the post. Movement is then triggered, usually sending both passers to cut either side of the post simultaneoulsy. This creates a dilemma for defence, which is overwhelmed by offence. The defence can no longer favour a side, since the options for offence to both receive and give are doubled. The defence must absorb these cuts, and therefore the post player cannot be double-teamed without multiplying the risk.
Cuts when passing to the post is denied. If the defensive pressure denies a pass to the post, the ball is reversed. This triggers the perimeter passers to cross-over cuts, using the post as the screener. The opposite side of the floor reconfigures into a new passing triangle.
Invasion of Split Line. Our system constantly visits the split line, and then re-expands. Our offensive transition already visited the split line when the bigs trailed through the middle. We make the defence work from split line all the way back to the perimeter and back again. We do not give them the luxury, of only seeing offence visit the edge of the key. We also do not give them the luxury of only having one player cutting. Every cut has at its minimum a pair of simultaneous cuts.
Reversal of the Ball. When an action has occurred, the energy of the cuts is sent to the opposite side of the floor. The ball is therefore reversed, and a new passing triangle is established. The order of the build is up to the players. For example, if the big wishes to play the perimeter and a small wishes to play the post, they can fill up the triangle in the order that suits. If the post is established first, this creates an angle for the last two players who are filling the triangle to use the post as an additional screen on their way there.
Pick and Roll. If a post player moves to the wing to set a pick and roll, this triggers both the point and baseline corner players to both simultaneously cut. This temporarily vacates a position to the left and right of the pick and roll, making the next pass a two pass length. The solution to this, is the pick and roll, even if unsuccessful, creates space for the dribbler to attack these vacancies by at least one pass distance. The next pass to reverse the ball or attack now also becomes a one pass length.
Tandem. The tandem pair, that are not involved in the passing triangle position themselves blind of the Defence. They also do not wait on the perimeter, nor at one pass length. Their job is to observe, and leave the space free for the passing triangle to mature through their options and trigger the next wave of cuts. When the passer action begin their cuts, the tandem also simultaneoulsy execute theirs, usually to the foul line and point. Perhaps a high or low screen interchange added in. Or wrapping under the basket, if the offence is already attacking the middle. In effect, we therefore have a single action, triggering four simultaneous cuts. The dilemmas for Defence are exponential.
Reverse of the Ball is Obstructed. We have two ways to fix, the first method enables us to continue with our first intention to complete the build of the passing triangle. The second method, turns the weakside (Tandem) into the ballside. If the point is prevented passing to the wing, we can temporarily bring a two guard front, i.e. higher with an extra pass. Once we enter the ball into the wing, we can use one of the two guard front to shallow cut to the baseline perimeter corner, completing our passing triangle, again using the post as a screen on the overplay. The second method, is to enter the ball into the tandem, stepping to the high post creating the Pinch Post scenarios. This method punishes the defence, for extending pressure on the strong side. The important teaching point, is that the tandem pair work behind the passing triangle, and not on the perimeter pre-emptively. If the tandem attack from the Pinch Post, then the passing triangle does not begin their cuts. If the tandem, are denied the Pinch Post, and continue to L-cut to the wing on weakside, then this is the visible trigger that brings the remaining cuts from the opposite side, to recreate the new passing triangle.
Quality Check: Strongside and Weakside. We need to quality check our system, that if the above is implemented, we have the following attributes in order to provide a lethal range of options that punish overt pressure:

Strongside is usually ballside,
Weakside is rarely ballside, which implies that....
Strongisde is rarely offballside, and
Weakside is often offball side.

Quality Check: Blind Cuts. We should always have the existence of blind cuts occurring naturally. If the Defence can maintain vision of the offence, it can increase the overtness of pressure. The shape of offence with the above principals should automatically lead to this, however it is worth noting in order to quality check that we are always challenging the Defence.
Quality Check: Energy. We also need to check, that the timing introduces a dilemma for Defence on the split line, and a receding of energy as the perimeter is re-established. The vision for this is like the Fibonacci sequence, whereby the preceding actions build the pressure and energy, that compounds on the split line. The Defence must respond, and if not successfully attacked, the space is revealed as the energy recedes as the next perimeter is built. Therefore, while we often view offence as building toward a shot, we can also have the opposite occur. During the phase of re-establishing the perimeter, the Defence is scattering to recover from the simultaneous blows to their split line. It is in this phase, that accurate ball movement to the open shot emerges. I visualise this latter stage of Offence, like a receding wave, whereby the shoreline becomes visible again.
Quality Check: Recovery. Offence should be the time the players recover their energy. A poorly disciplined Offence is obvious where the players without the ball do nothing, and the player with the ball does too much. The Offence described earlier, requires critical movement, but is also interspersed with moments to observe. As a team we should feel our energy return through Offence. When we have the ball in our hands, we should be even calmer. The Defence shall still be stressed, as our cuts lead them to run further distances detouring screens and recovering from multiple open threats.
Quality Check: Shared Roles. All of the players, should feel involved in the offence, recognise the triggers and understand what good looks like. They should also feel released of the burden to try and predict the Defence. They should react calmly and with certainty when executing the reactions, in a manner that is positive and looking to help each other.

Key Teaching Points

1. Philosophy is where your coaching structure begins. Begin with contemplating the most aggressive and stiffling Defence you can imagine. Then work to build your philosophy with this forefront in your mind. It is pointless to build a philosophy based on an easily influenced Defence, and then crumble in the pressure of a Grand Final. However be warned, never discuss Politics, Religion, or ..... Offence. While what has been presented is seemingly simplified, the possibilities that may emerge based on this geometry are in the order of fractals. Over a season these fractals become important, as the options are incrementally achieved. The Law of Large Numbers prevails overtime, providing an as yet unexplored option, when the pressure really mounts.

2. Delegate the decision-making to your players. A coherent system will enable them to read the situation and collectively build the solution. The mindset of problem-solving needs to be instilled for all situations, rather than relying on automatic systems, until difficulties emerge. Basketball should be coached by the captain, managed by the coach and administered by the team manager.

3. Lethality needs to exist, whereby the Defence is punished for overplaying. This will relieve pressure over the long term, increase confidence in the players to handle all situations and overall lead to great team morale.

Offence

Sacred Cow “Pass and Cut”

The Solution

Key Teaching Points

Video Tutorials

Further Reading