Basketball Fundamentals: Spacing, Cutting, and Simple Team Offense

Why Spacing and Cutting Matter

Team offense gets easier when the floor is “big”: good spacing stretches defenders, creates driving lanes, and makes passes safer. Cutting adds movement that forces defensive decisions—help, switch, or stay—often creating open layups or open shots. Think of spacing as the shape of your offense and cutting as the motion that breaks the defense.

Two simple goals

• Create a clear lane for a drive or cut (no extra bodies in the paint).
• Create a clear passing window (angles and distance that allow a clean pass).

Core Spacing Rules (Easy to Remember)

Rule 1: Maintain “drive gaps”

A drive gap is the open space between two defenders that a ball-handler can attack. If you stand too close to a teammate, your defenders can guard both of you. As a guideline, keep enough distance that one defender cannot easily stunt at the ball and still recover to you.

• On the perimeter: avoid standing in the same “lane line” as a teammate. Spread to different spots (wing, corner, slot/top).
• Near the paint: if a teammate is driving, move out of the lane unless you are the cutter to the rim.

Rule 2: Corners are valuable

Placing a player in each corner pulls help defenders away from the paint and makes rotations longer. If you drift up from the corner without a reason, you often bring your defender closer to the ball and shrink the floor.

Rule 3: Don’t crowd the ball

When you’re one pass away from the ball, your job is usually to be a threat, not a spectator. If you walk toward the ball, you reduce the ball-handler’s options. Instead, adjust by moving away to create a better angle or by cutting with purpose.

Rule 4: Fill empty spots (spacing “shape”)

Offenses often use a simple shape like 4-out-1-in (four players outside the three-point line, one near the rim) or 5-out (all five outside). Regardless of the system, the key is: if someone leaves a spot, someone else fills it so the shape stays balanced.

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Cutting: The 4 Cuts You’ll Use Most

Cuts should be hard (sell it), timed (move when the defense is vulnerable), and finished (arrive at a spot ready to catch and score or flow into the next action).

1) Basket cut (backdoor or front cut)

When to use: your defender is overplaying the passing lane, denying you, or watching the ball instead of you.

Key idea: if your defender’s top foot is in your path to the ball, the rim is often open.

Step-by-step: basket cut from the wing

• Set up: start on the wing with space from the corner and top.
• Sell the catch: take one or two steps toward the ball as if you’re coming to receive a pass.
• Plant and go: change direction sharply and cut to the front of the rim.
• Show a target: present your hands early; look for the pass in stride.
• Finish quickly: catch and score before help arrives, or if you don’t get it, continue through to the opposite side to keep spacing.

2) L-cut (to get open on the perimeter)

When to use: you’re being denied on the wing or slot and need to create separation to receive a pass.

Step-by-step: L-cut to the wing

• Start: stand where you want the ball (wing).
• Cut away first: take a hard step or two toward the corner (or toward the baseline) to move your defender.
• Plant: stop and change direction.
• Pop out: explode back to the wing with your hands ready.
• Catch in triple-threat spacing: land balanced and ready to attack, pass, or shoot.

3) V-cut (classic separation cut)

When to use: you’re guarded closely and need a simple, reliable way to get open without going to the rim.

How it works: you cut toward the rim (or away from the ball) to create space, then pop back out to the perimeter, forming a “V” path.

4) Replace cut (fill behind a teammate)

When to use: a teammate dribbles at you or cuts through your area, leaving an empty spot behind them.

Key idea: don’t stand and watch the dribble-at; move to keep spacing.

Step-by-step: replace on a dribble-at

• Read it: if the ball-handler dribbles toward you on the wing, assume you must move.
• Choose a direction: either backdoor cut to the rim (if your defender is high) or drift to the corner (if the lane is crowded).
• Fill behind: after you move, the ball-handler can “replace” into your old spot, keeping the floor balanced.

Timing and Communication (So Cuts Actually Work)

Passer’s cues

• Eyes and shoulders: if the passer turns their shoulders toward you, be ready to receive; if they look away, keep moving to the next spot.
• One-second rule: if you’re open and don’t get the ball within about a second, flow into the next action (cut through, screen away, or relocate) instead of freezing.

Cutter’s cues

• Defender’s head: if they’re ball-watching, cut.
• Defender’s feet: if they’re angled to deny the pass, cut behind them.
• Paint traffic: if the lane is full, don’t cut into bodies—relocate to create a better drive gap.

Simple verbal cues

Use short, universal calls:

• “Cut!” (teammate is being denied or ball-watching defender)
• “Fill!” (someone must replace an empty spot)
• “Corner!” (remind a teammate to stay deep and wide)

Simple Team Offense You Can Run: Pass-and-Cut (Motion Basics)

Pass-and-cut is a beginner-friendly team concept that teaches spacing, cutting, and sharing the ball. It works in 5-out (everyone outside) or 4-out-1-in (one inside). The rule is simple: after you pass, you cut with purpose.

Pass-and-cut rules (5-out version)

• Rule A: pass and basket cut.
• Rule B: if you don’t get the ball, clear to the opposite corner or fill an open perimeter spot.
• Rule C: the next player fills the spot you vacated (keep the shape).
• Rule D: if the ball is driven, perimeter players “drift” or “lift” to create a passing angle (don’t stand behind the drive).

Step-by-step: one pass-and-cut sequence

• 1) Start spaced: two corners, two wings, one top.
• 2) Top passes to wing: top player immediately basket cuts.
• 3) Wing reads: if the cutter is open, pass for a layup; if not, keep the ball moving.
• 4) Fill: the opposite wing or top fills the empty top spot created by the cut.
• 5) Continue: each pass triggers a cut and a fill, keeping defenders moving.

Common fixes

• Problem: two players cut to the rim at once. Fix: only the passer cuts; others hold spacing unless they are replacing.
• Problem: cutters stop under the rim. Fix: cut through and clear out to the opposite side if you don’t receive the pass.
• Problem: everyone drifts toward the ball. Fix: opposite side stays wide (especially corners) to punish help defense.

Simple Team Offense You Can Run: Drive-and-Kick Spacing

Drive-and-kick is less about set plays and more about rules when someone attacks the paint. The goal is to give the driver a clear lane and give them clear outlets if help comes.

Four perimeter reactions to a drive

• Drift: if you’re in the corner on the driver’s side, slide along the baseline to stay visible if your defender helps.
• Lift: if you’re one pass away above the driver, move slightly up toward the wing/slot to open a passing lane around a helper.
• Replace: if a teammate vacates a spot (cut or drive), fill it to keep spacing.
• Stay: if you’re on the weak-side corner, often the best move is to stay deep and ready—your defender is the most tempted to help.

Step-by-step: reacting to a right-hand drive from the top

• 1) Driver goes right: right wing lifts slightly to create a clean angle.
• 2) Right corner drifts: slide along the baseline to remain in the driver’s vision.
• 3) Weak-side wing replaces: fill toward the top/slot as a safety outlet.
• 4) Weak-side corner stays: hold the corner to punish help with a long closeout.

Simple Team Offense You Can Run: Give-and-Go

The give-and-go is a two-player action that fits into any offense. It’s especially effective when defenders overplay passing lanes or relax after a pass.

Step-by-step: basic give-and-go from the wing

• 1) Pass: wing passes to the top (or to a nearby teammate).
• 2) Cut immediately: wing cuts hard to the rim, aiming for the front of the basket.
• 3) Passer reads: if the defender turns their head or trails, pass to the cutter.
• 4) If not open: cutter clears through to the opposite corner; offense keeps spacing and continues.

Spacing and Cutting Drills (No Complex Setup)

Drill 1: 5-out “pass, cut, fill” (no defense)

Goal: learn automatic movement and spot-filling.

• Place five players in 5-out spots.
• Ball starts at the top.
• On every pass: passer basket cuts; the next player fills the open spot.
• Coaching points: hard cuts, show hands, fill quickly, keep corners deep.

Drill 2: Backdoor recognition (guided defense)

Goal: punish denial with a basket cut.

• Pair up on a wing: offense on the wing, defender in denial.
• Coach or teammate at the top with the ball.
• Offense uses a quick setup step toward the ball, then cuts backdoor.
• Rotate roles after several reps.

Drill 3: Drive-and-kick spacing walk-through

Goal: build correct drift/lift/replace habits.

• Set up 4-out spacing (two corners, two wings, one top with ball).
• Coach calls “Drive right” or “Drive left.”
• Players move on the call: corner drift, wing lift, weak-side replace, weak-side corner stay.
• Add a pass to the open player to reinforce timing and angles.

Quick Checklist for Players During Games

• If you’re denied, think backdoor.
• After you pass, cut (then clear if you don’t get it).
• Keep corners deep unless you have a clear reason to move.
• When a teammate drives, don’t stand behind the drive—drift or lift to be seen.
• If a spot is empty, fill it to keep the offense balanced.