This web page contains brief explanations of various offensive topics within the game of basketball.
Additionally, each respective topic includes a link to another web page that contains more details about that subject.
1-3-1 zone offense: Strategies alongside skill-based actions that are designed to create scoring opportunities against the 1-3-1 zone defense.
1-4 high offense: Basketball offensive strategy that primarily utilizes the high post as well as the wing areas to create scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter, typically with a variety of basketball cuts and/or basketball screens.
1-4 high pick and roll offense: Comprises various actions, particularly on-ball screens from a 1-4 high set, that emphasize creating scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the court.
1-4 set high post offense: Actions, initiated from a 1-4 high alignment, that focus on creating potential scoring opportunities near the basket or around the perimeter areas of the court after an offensive player within the high post area receives possession of the basketball.
1-4 press break offense: Strategy that is generally designed to create scoring opportunities against certain press defenses such as the 1-2-1-1 diamond press, the 2-2-1 press, the 1-2-2 press or a full court man to man press.
1-4 low offense: Strategy that begins with one player at the top above the three-point line and four additional players adjacent to the baseline, specifically near the low post and corner areas.
2-3 zone offense: Strategies and tactics that are designed to create scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the court against the 2-3 zone defense.
2 on 1 fast break offense: Situation that occurs when two offensive players have an opportunity to score points while only one defender is available at that moment to limit or prevent any scoring possibilities.
2 on 2 offense: Actions designed for two players on the court, ultimately to create high percentage scoring opportunities near the basket or around the perimeter areas.
2 out 3 in motion offense: Basketball offensive strategy that emphasizes ball movement, post split action, and continuity patterns to create scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter.
3 on 3 offense: Actions designed for three players on the court to create high percentage scoring opportunities near the basket or around the perimeter areas.
3 out 2 in continuity offense: Actions that could be executed on either side of the court in a consecutive fashion, initially by way of three players around the perimeter and two players near the low post areas, ultimately to create high percentage scoring opportunities.
3 out 2 in flex offense: Actions that mainly focus on screening and cutting near the vicinity of a corner area to generate high percentage scoring opportunities, initially by way of three players around the perimeter and two players near the low post areas.
3 out 2 in motion offense: Basketball offensive strategy that generally focuses on creating various scoring opportunities via the initial formation of three offensive players located outside near perimeter areas, typically beyond the three-point line, and two offensive players located inside near the low post areas.
3 out 2 in quick hitters: Brief number of passing, cutting, and screening actions based on an initial formation of three perimeter players as well as two interior players.
3 out 2 in wing offense: Actions that are designed to create scoring opportunities from the wing areas or for wing players in general based on the initial formation of three perimeter players and two interior players.
4 out 1 in motion offense: Basketball offensive strategy that creates scoring opportunities via a variety of sequences such as basketball cuts, basketball screens, and dribble drive action.
4 out 1 in continuity offense: Actions that could be implemented and performed on either side of the floor consecutively, initially by way of four perimeter players around one interior player.
5 out backdoor offense: Actions, particularly featuring backdoor cuts, that could be utilized as a counter to create a high percentage scoring opportunity near the basket within the overall 5 out motion strategy.
5 out continuity offense: Scoring options via actions that could be implemented and performed on either side of the floor consecutively, initially via five players around perimeter areas of the court.
5 out motion offense: Basketball offensive strategy that utilizes the fundamental skill sets of passing, cutting, and screening as well as continuity patterns to create scoring opportunities, typically near the basket or from the perimeter.
5 out offense entries: High percentage scoring opportunities such as open three-point shots or layups at the rim from initial actions, prior to flowing swiftly into the 5 out motion strategy.
After timeout plays: Sets designed by the coaching staff during a timeout which consist of various offensive actions such as basketball screens or basketball cuts with the main purpose of creating scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter.
Attack and react offense: Basketball offensive strategy that utilizes the fundamental principles of dribble drive, read and react, and motion offense to create scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter.
Baseline out of bounds plays: Sets that feature one offensive player that will inbound the basketball and four additional offensive players that will execute actions such as cuts or screens to generate potential scoring opportunities at the rim or from the perimeter.
Baseline runner offense: Strategies as well as general tactics that utilize baseline runner action to create one or more potential scoring opportunities, especially from three-point range.
Basketball offense: Foundational component within the game of basketball and its primary emphasis is to use a combination of individual player skills as well as team strategies and tactics to create scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter.
Box and 1 offense: Offensive strategy that seeks to limit the effectiveness of the box and 1 defense by utilizing a series of off-ball screens and continuity patterns to create multiple scoring opportunities for the offensive team’s best player as well as additional players.
Box dribble entry offense: Actions from the box set that focuses on creating possible scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the court after a player initially dribbles the basketball towards a wing area, usually from the top.
Box offense: Basketball offensive strategy that utilizes quick hitting set plays with various basketball screens to create scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter, particularly for the team’s best players.
Box sideline out of bounds offense: Actions that can be ran during an inbound passing opportunity from the sideline, initially from the box formation.
Circle offense: Basketball offensive strategy that utilizes cuts and continuity patterns to create scoring opportunities near the basket.
Continuity ball screen offense: Basketball offensive strategy that seeks to create scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter by utilizing ball screens or pick and roll action with a constant sequence on both sides of the floor.
Continuity offense: Basketball offensive system which incorporates specific patterns of cuts, screens, passes, or dribble actions executed in a continuous manner on both sides of the court to generate the highest quality scoring opportunity near the basket or from the perimeter.
Delay offense: Offensive strategy that emphasizes executing actions that could be utilized to run down the game clock and/or shot clock prior to attempting a field goal such as a jump shot near the perimeter or layup at the basket.
Early offense: Action that occurs when a team in possession of the basketball attempts to score quickly before the opposing team is fully set and prepared to limit or prevent scoring opportunities.
Flex offense: Basketball offensive strategy that creates scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter by way of two types of basketball screens known as the flex screen and the down screen.
Hawk offense: Unique basketball offensive strategy that utilizes high post action, a stack alignment, and various basketball screens to create scoring opportunities from the perimeter or near the basket for one or more players on the offensive team.
Horns backdoor offense: Actions that are designed to create a scoring opportunity near the basket through the use of a backdoor cut via Horns.
Horns high post offense: Actions from a Horns set that emphasizes creating potential scoring opportunities near the basket or around the perimeter areas of the court once a high post player receives possession of the basketball.
Horns low post offense: Actions initiated from the Horns set, that are utilized to create scoring opportunities, typically for low post players near the basket or alternatively, for offensive players in general near the low post areas.
Horns offense: Basketball offensive strategy which emphasizes spacing to create scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter by way of various actions such as basketball screens and dribble handoffs.
Horns quick hitter offense: Comprises a brief number of actions, initiated from a Horns set, ultimately to create scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the court.
Horns stagger screen offense: Actions initiated from the Horns set that include the stagger screen to create one or more scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the court.
Horns zipper offense: Features a zipper cut and other actions that can be executed from the Horns set.
Last second plays: Offensive actions that could result in scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the court during the end of a period such as a quarter or half.
Last second inbound plays: Offensive actions from a baseline or sideline throw-in that could result in scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the basketball court during the end of a period such as a quarter or half.
Layup basketball plays: Offensive actions that are generally designed to help one or more players get open for scoring opportunities by way of high percentage shots near the rim.
Loop offense: Strategies and/or general tactics that involve loop action to create scoring opportunities around the perimeter areas of the court or near the basket.
Motion offense: Basketball offensive system that primarily utilizes at least one of the fundamental elements of passing, cutting, screening, or dribbling while also incorporating player movement and ball movement to create scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter.
Press break offense: Generally consists of different set plays and additional offensive actions that could be used to break a press defense while also creating one or more potential scoring options near the basket or near perimeter areas of the court.
Princeton offense (Fundamentals): Basketball strategy that utilizes certain fundamental skills such as passing, cutting, and screening to create one or more scoring opportunities near the basket or near perimeter areas of the court.
Princeton offense (Chin series): Unique set of actions within the Princeton offense that emphasize creating high percentage scoring opportunities near the basket or near perimeter areas of the court, primarily via certain basketball screens.
Princeton offense (Low Post series): Sub-strategy within Princeton offense that generally focuses on utilizing a low post player to ultimately create close-range or perimeter-oriented scoring opportunities, especially via cutting and screening actions.
Princeton offense (Point series): Sub-strategy within Princeton offense that primarily features a high post entry pass followed up by additional actions, ultimately to create scoring opportunities around the rim or near perimeter areas of the court.
Quick hitter offense: Brief number of actions to create one or more scoring opportunities near the basket or near perimeter areas of the court.
Quick hitter 3-point offense: Swift actions that are generally designed to create scoring opportunities for a team’s best perimeter shooters, especially from three-point range.
Shuffle offense: Basketball offensive strategy that utilizes the shuffle cut, certain types of basketball screens, and a possible continuity pattern to create scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter.
Sideline out of bounds plays: Special plays comprised of one offensive player that will inbound the basketball by standing near a sideline and four additional offensive players that will execute actions such as basketball cuts and basketball screens to generate potential scoring opportunities at the rim, near the mid-range, or beyond the three-point line.
Side pick and roll offense: Practical actions to create one or more scoring opportunities via the use of an on-ball screen that is set by one particular offensive player generally facing towards a sideline for a teammate who has possession of the basketball near a wing area.
Stack offense: Basketball offensive strategy that generally utilizes actions such as basketball screens and basketball cuts to create quick hitting scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court, typically for the team’s best players.
Swing offense: Basketball offensive strategy that utilizes several basketball screens alongside ball reversal action and continuity patterns to create scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter.
Transition low post offense: Actions that occur when a team in possession of the basketball attempts to score quickly primarily by way of low post players or via the low post area in general.
Transition offense: Basketball offensive strategies in which the main objective is to score points quickly and efficiently, particularly when a team converts from defense to offense.
Triangle low post offense: Actions initiated from the triangle offense that generally emphasize creating scoring opportunities once the basketball gets entered into the low post area, typically while in possession of a low post player.
Triangle offense: Basketball offensive strategy in which three players form a sideline triangle on one side of the court to create scoring opportunities via the use of various actions such as ball movement, basketball cuts, and basketball screens, primarily based on the reactions of the defense.
Triangle offense counters: Actions based on the triangle offense that could be utilized to mitigate certain defensive measures by the opposing team, ultimately to generate scoring opportunities near the basket or around perimeter areas of the court.
UCLA offense: Basketball offensive strategy developed by Coach John Wooden that focuses on the fundamentals of passing, screening, and cutting to create various scoring opportunities, primarily near the basket but also from the perimeter.
Wheel offense: Basketball offensive strategy that utilizes cutting and screening actions alongside continuity patterns to create scoring opportunities near the basket or near the high post elbow areas of the court.
Youth basketball offense: Basketball offense that consists of simple actions that can help young basketball players score points near the basket or from the perimeter.
Youth basketball passing drills: Practice exercises that can help young players develop throwing and catching techniques while also emphasizing hand-eye coordination.
Zone offense: Type of basketball offense that utilizes actions such as screens, cuts, and ball reversal against zone defenses to ultimately create scoring opportunities near the basket or near perimeter areas of the court.