Movement of the ball | Movement  of   players | Obtaining the good shot | Obtaining the second shot | Maintaining   floor   balance | The one-on-one situation

One has only to visit a regional or state tournament where a number of basketball teams are assembled to see the varied assortment of offensive patterns being used today. In the immediate chapters to follow, numerous plays from several of these offensive patterns will be presented. Regardless of offensive pattern, there are certain essentials that are found in all offenses if the team is to be successful. The ability to shoot the ball, to pass the ball, to dribble and drive, and to perform basic screens are certainly among those absolutely necessary. However, these qualities fall under the general classification of individual offensive fundamentals. In our discussion here, we are concerned with team offensive essentials rather than individual offensive fundamentals and our discussion will be limited therefore to pinpointing these essentials.

The major essentials necessary for a sound team offense are:

1. Movement of the ball

2. Movement of players

3. Obtaining the good shot

4. Obtaining the second shot

5. Maintaining floor balance

6. The one-on-one situation

All offenses must move the ball if the defense is to be penetrated. This is true whether the defense is man-for-man, zone, *or a combination of both. The team that passes the ball slowly from one player to another is simply playing into the hands of the defense, allowing an opportunity for the defense to shift, sag, fight through or around screens, or make some other move to counteract an offensive screen or maneuver. On the other hand, the team that keeps the ball moving from player to player will make the defense keep constantly on the move to compensate. It is far easier to attack the defense when it is kept moving than when it is allowed to stand virtually motionless and concentrated around the basket.

Movement of Players

One of the qualities that often distinguishes great players from good ones is the ability to be dangerous when not in possession of the ball. Most players can make an offensive move if they possess the basketball. Far fewer players remain dangerous after giving up ball possession.

The sound offensive pattern will allow for movement of players in conjunction with movement of the ball. Constant movement, fakes, and cuts are necessary. When players remain in one position and pose no offensive threat, most defenses quickly take advantage and use sinking or double-teaming techniques to congest a more dangerous area. This is far more difficult when all offensive players are kept on the move and each constantly poses a threat to the defense.

Obtaining the Good Shot

The offense must work for the good percentage shot. Few teams win consistently if they continually violate this principle. The team that is over-anxious to shoot, with poor play patterns, and with the resulting sub-par team play will find themselves taking the bad shot often—and, hand in hand, will find themselves on the short end of the score at the game's end.

The good offensive pattern will be designed with its primary objective to get the good shot. What do we mean by the "good" shot? When can a player shoot with the complete knowledge that the shot is a good one?

1. The shot must be a high percentage shot to be considered good.

2. The player must know he has the ability to shoot the shot. What may be a good shot for one player may be a bad shot for another. The 20-foot jump shot by a guard could be a percentage shot whereas the same shot taken by a big center could very well be a bad shot.

3. Rebounders must be in position for the shot to be considered a good shot. Few things are more irritating in basketball than the player "gunning the ball up" from twenty feet out with no one even near the rebounding area.

Obtaining the Second Shot

Many coaches maintain that this is the chief essential of offensive play. Statistics show that the team that consistently gets the offensive rebound and the resulting second shot attempts usually is successful. Therefore, the offensive pattern must be planned so that at least three players are in position to rebound a shot attempt. Three rebounders in position, provided these players are grounded soundly in offensive rebounding techniques, will usually result in an adequate number of second shot attempts. Obviously, the play patterns should be so designed as to get the better rebounders into the rebounding area.

Maintaining Floor Balance

All good offensive patterns will eliminate congestion insofar as possible. To do this, the floor must be kept balanced. The type offense being played will determine just where players must be to keep the floor balanced. In general, when two or three players are standing close together (unless part of a play pattern as on a single or double screen), they are easily defensed. One player can defense two standing close together and allow one defensive player to sag and congest the scoring area. Proper floor balance will help prevent this.

Proper floor balance not only includes offensive balance but defensive balance as well. Provision must be made in every play pattern for players to remain out to prevent fast break opportunities by the opponents. Of course, the number of players needed for defensive balance responsibilities will depend on the particular opponent. A fast-breaking opponent will require two players back for maintenance of defensive balance whereas the slow-breaking or ball-control opponent will require only one player back for proper defensive balance.

The One-on-One Situation

The successful offense will include opportunities for the one-on-one situation in order to take advantage of the scoring abilities of the better offensive players and to capitalize on weak defensive players. The offensive guard who fakes a drive and shoots the jumper, the forward who drives the base-line for a lay-up, and the center who rolls for a score are all executing one-on-one scoring maneuvers. The stereotyped offense that does not allow such individual scoring moves is greatly reducing its effectiveness and can more easily be scouted and defensed.

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