What is continuity offense in basketball?
- Continuity offense is a system in basketball that incorporates specific patterns of actions in a consecutive manner, particularly on both sides of the floor.
- The various actions within continuity offense will generally include cuts, screens, passes, or dribbles.
- The primary purpose of the continuity pattern is to ultimately produce the highest quality scoring opportunity near the basket or around the perimeter areas of the court.
General advantages
- Team-focused, no stars generally required: Continuity offense is typically a team-oriented scheme.
- This generally means that all five players could potentially have an opportunity to perform at least one action within the entire system at any given time.
- Potential skill and confidence builder: Continuity offense can also help build players’ various skills as well as give a boost to confidence.
- Can teach concepts more quickly in general: Continuity offense is generally easier to teach, which can give it an advantage over other offensive systems.
- The main reason why that could be the case is because of its built-in routines and patterns.
- This could also make continuity offense highly useful for youth teams or inexperienced teams in general.
General disadvantages
- Patterns are easier to scout: Continuity offense typically includes specific and predictable patterns within the overall flow.
- As a result, it could be much easier for opponents to scout it and potentially nullify it.
- However, it’s feasible to implement offensive counters to create alternative actions and/or scoring opportunities.
- May not be as useful against specific defenses: Continuity offense can be potentially ineffective against certain types of defense.
- Essentially, the defensive team could counter the various cuts, screens, passes, or dribble actions with strategies or schemes of their own.
- As a basic example, a continuity series that implements passing and cutting measures, particularly against man to man defense, could be neutralized by a zone defense.
- Being down in points could be a problem: Continuity offense might not be the best strategy when the team is losing, especially by several points, during a game.
- In essence, the general premise of a continuity offense is to execute the various patterns over and over until the best available scoring opportunity becomes available.
- However, this could become a potential issue to tackle, particularly as time winds down when the team is losing by a few points or more.
- As a result, a losing team might end up taking quicker shots that may be of a lower quality.
- This also goes against the overall patience factor of the offense in general.
What are example demonstrations of continuity offense?
- Continuity offense could be implemented via different types of strategies and/or tactics.
- Initial actions could include a wing entry or slot to slot pass.
- The examples below showcase these concepts in more detail, which also includes diagrams, videos and key actions in bold text.
How to understand the diagram examples via a brief legend
In reference to any diagrams below, each of the offensive players are generally represented by the standard basketball positions in number format, unless otherwise noted.
- 1 through 5: 1 through 5 represents the point guard (1), shooting guard (2), small forward (3), power forward (4), and center (5), respectively.
- Black Dot or Small Circle: The black dot or small circle represents the basketball.
- Solid Arrow: The solid arrow indicates movement or a cut on the basketball court.
- Dotted Arrow: The dotted arrow represents a basketball pass.
- Wavy Arrow: The wavy arrow indicates dribbling.
- T-Shaped Symbol: The T-shaped symbol signifies a screen, also known as a pick.
- Double Pipe Symbol: The double pipe symbol denotes handoff action.
Chin
Part 1
- Slot to slot pass: Starting off, 1 passes the ball from the right slot to the left slot, which is received by 2.
- Slot to wing pass: 2 passes the ball from the left slot to the left side wing, which is received by 4.
- Back screen: Following the initial passes, 1 cuts to the basket via the back screen set by 5.
- Scoring opportunity: 1 could receive the ball from 4 and score via a layup.
- Fill cuts: 1 fills the left side corner if it was not open. Also, 5 fills the middle of the high post area after setting the screen.
Part 2
- Flare action: 3 and 5 could cut towards the right slot and top area, respectively to set flare screens.
- Wing cut: 2 could cut from the left slot all the way towards the right side wing via the flare screens.
- Skip pass: 2 could receive the ball from 4 via a skip pass.
- Scoring opportunities:
- 2 could take the open three-point shot or drive to the basket for a layup.
- Additionally, if 2 drives to the basket and 1’s defender slides into the lane to help, then 2 could throw a kick pass to 1.
- That could also lead to a three-point scoring opportunity for 1.
- Fill cuts: If 4 does not throw the skip pass, then offensive players could fill certain spots.
- 1 could fill the left side wing; 3 could fill the right slot; 4 could dribble and fill the left slot; 5 could fill the left side high post elbow.
Part 3
- Starting the continuity: At this point, it’s possible to execute the continuity pattern on the other side of the floor.
- Slot to slot pass: 4 passes the ball from the left slot to the right slot, which is received by 3.
- Slot to wing pass: 3 passes from the right slot to the right side wing, which is received by 2.
- Back screen: 4 cuts to the basket via the back screen set by 5.
- Scoring opportunity: 2 passes to 4 who could score by way of a layup at the rim.
- Fill cuts: 4 fills the right side corner if it was not open. Also, 5 fills the middle of the high post area after setting the screen.
Part 4
- Flare action: 1 and 5 could cut towards the left slot and top area, respectively to set flare screens.
- Wing cut: 3 could cut from the right slot all the way towards the left side wing via the flare screens.
- Skip pass: 3 could receive the ball from 2 via a skip pass.
- Scoring opportunities:
- 3 could take the open three-point shot or drive to the basket for a layup.
- In addition, if 3 drives to the basket and 4’s defender slides into the lane to help, then 3 could throw a kick pass to 4.
- That could, once again, lead to a three-point scoring opportunity for 4.
- Fill cuts: If 2 does not throw the skip pass, then offensive players could fill certain spots.
- 4 could fill the right side wing; 1 could fill the left slot; 2 could dribble and fill the right slot; 5 could fill the right side high post elbow.
- Continuity again: The offensive team could execute the continuity again looking for a high percentage scoring opportunity.
Point of emphasis: Flare screen counter options
- Fade cut: If the defender who would be the target of the flare screens go under them, then the offensive player cutting towards the wing can simply fade back towards the top or slot.
- From there, the player could receive the ball from the wing player (who was going to skip it across) and take the open three-point shot.
- Slip the screen: If one of the screeners’ defenders attempt to switch onto the player using the flare screen, then that particular screener could slip to the basket.
- From that point, the slipping player could receive the ball from the wing player instead and score via a layup.
Related: Princeton Chin Series
Flex
Part 1
- Slot to slot pass: 1 passes the ball to 2 from the right to left slot.
- Flex action: 3 cuts to the basket via the flex screen set by 5.
- Down screen action: After setting the flex screen, 5 cuts up to the right slot via the down screen set by 1.
- Scoring opportunities:
- 3 could receive the ball from 2 and score via a layup.
- Alternatively, 5 could receive the ball from 2 and take the open three-point shot.
- Fill cuts: If 5 receives the ball but 5 does not shoot it, then 3 fills the left side low post area while 1 occupies the right side corner after the screening action.
Part 2
- Starting the continuity: It’s possible to execute the continuity pattern on the other side of the floor.
- Flex action: 4 cuts to the basket via the flex screen set by 3.
- Down screen: Afterwards, 3 could cut towards the left slot area via the down screen by 2.
- Scoring opportunities:
- 4 could receive the ball from 5 and score via a layup.
- Otherwise, 3 could receive the ball instead and take the open three-point shot.
- Fill cuts: If 3 receives the ball but does not shoot, then 4 could fill the right side low post area and 2 could fill the left side corner.
- Continuity pattern: It’s feasible to run the continuity over again until the team takes a good quality shot attempt.
Related: Flex Offense
Pass and screen away
Part 1
- Top to wing pass: Starting off, 1 passes the ball towards the right side wing, which is received by 3.
- Screen away: Following the initial wing entry pass, 1 cuts away to set a screen for 2.
- Cross screen action: As that happens, 4 cuts into the lane to set a cross screen.
- Cut towards low post: 5 uses that screen and cuts to the right side low post area.
- Cut to top: At the same time, 2 utilizes the screen set by 1 and cuts to the top.
- Scoring opportunities: Afterwards, 2 or 5 could receive possession of the ball from 3, which could lead to scoring possibilities via a three-point shot or low post move, respectively.
- Fill cuts: What’s more, 1 and 4 could replace at the left side wing and low post area, respectively, following the screening actions.
Point of Emphasis: Wing entry counter
Watch the video below to discover a quick counter that can be implemented if a wing defender overplays and tries to deny the initial top to wing pass.
Part 2
- Starting the continuity: If 2 gains possession of the ball but is not open to take the three-point shot, then it is possible to implement the simple continuity.
- Top to wing pass: 2 passes the ball to 1 near the left side wing area.
- Screen away: 2 cuts away to set a screen for 3.
- Cross screen action: As that occurs, 4 cuts into the lane to set a cross screen.
- Cut towards low post: 5 utilizes that screen and cuts to the left side low post area.
- Cut to top: Simultaneously, 3 uses the screen set by 2 and cuts to the top.
- Scoring opportunities: Following that, 3 or 5 could receive the ball and score via a three-point shot or low post move, respectively.
- Fill cuts: Similar to previous action, 2 and 4 could replace at the right side wing and low post area, respectively.
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