Player on the baseline is a cutter and player on the top is a passer.
The cutter runs towards the key until one foot is inside the key then they change direction and move towards the ball. When they are free they must signal for the ball with their outside hand.
Once they receive the ball they can then square up towards the basket and go for a shot or drive for a lay up.
Good spacing is only the start. The best modern offences teach players to attack the defence's rotations and play in a permanent 4-on-3 - here is how to coach that read.
The ball screen produces almost half of all professional offensive possessions, yet most teams still teach it as a memorised play. The modern approach trains the read - giving players a framework to decide based on what the defence does, not what the coach called.
The closeout is the most repeated defensive action in modern basketball. With fouls per game climbing in the 2025-26 season, coaches must teach defenders to contest the three without surrendering the drive or putting shooters on the line.
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