Basketball Fundamentals - Cutting and Faking

From the Coach’s Clipboard Basketball Playbook, @ http://www.coachesclipboard.net

There are 10 players on the floor. Only one player has the ball. That means that 90% of time, you won't have the ball, and that only 10% of the time you may actually have the ball (a little less for post players, a little more for guards). So you have a limited number of opportunities to score from an individual move when you are the ball-handler. Good scorers find ways to get open for an easy pass from a teammate, and an easy shot off the pass reception. Good scorers never just stand around and watch. They are always trying to find ways to get open by coming off screens, or faking and cutting to open areas of the floor (within their shooting range). The keys are timing, cutting to open areas, setting good screens, and maintaining good spacing. In regard to cutting, there is a saying "get open, or get out!", which means that if you are not open, or don't receive the ball within a couple seconds, move out and maintain motion and spacing. Passing is easier if offensive players maintain a spacing of 12 to 15 feet apart. Don't get bunched up.

Faking

Faking is an important skill that is often overlooked and not taught. Good faking is an important key in just about every offensive basketball skill, whether it is an on-ball perimeter or post move, or throwing a pass, or cutting. A fake simply is a deception or decoy move to throw the defender off balance, or get him leaning the wrong way just long enough so the offensive player can gain a step or two on him, or so a passer can open up the passing lane.

A good passer can "look" the defender off his receiver by looking the opposite way that he intends to pass... example: look left, pass right on a fast break.

Fakes can be a simple "look away", or can be as subtle as moving your eyes opposite the way you want to pass, or cut. A fake can be a jab step to get the defender leaning, and then you move quickly in the opposite direction. You can fake with a shrug of your shoulders, or a bob of your head in the opposite direction that you plan to cut. You can use a "sleep fake", where you pretend you are winded and tired, and you bend over with your hands on your knees, like you are catching your breath... the defender relaxes too, and suddenly you make your hard, quick cut. You can use a verbal fake... yell the ball-handler's name loudly and wave your arms to get the defender (who is help-side defense sagging toward the paint) to come out on you. That may open up the lane for a clean cut by a teammate. In this case you don't actually get the ball, but you made the lane available for your teammate to cut through. Have a team agreement... if you yell "ball!" you really want the ball, if you yell a name, it's a decoy. To be a good faker, you need a little acting ability!

Cutting

There are a number of different types of cuts that can be made, in addition to making the correct moves in running a specific play or set motion offense, and in addition to setting and cutting around screens (see Setting Screens).

Here are some tips in making a good cut:

1. A key in making an effective cut is timing. Try to "time" your cut, so you arrive at the correct time to receive the pass.

2. Make a good fake and cut hard. Often I see kids make a quick fake, and then a somewhat slow cut. Do just the opposite... make a slow, sleepy fake followed by a quick cut move.

3. This is another important tip: kids often try to avoid contact with the defender and try to run away from him. In trying to get open, go right up to the defender and make contact with him, then quickly "bounce off" in the direction of your cut. He won't be able to react fast enough to your quick first step.

In addition to the cut moves described below, don't forget this move: slip behind the defender (who may be in "deny" and over-playing the passing lane) and move below him toward the baseline. The defender should always see the ball. Try to slip out of his field of vision, so that he loses you briefly... then you can get open.

Types of Cuts Front cut The front cut is a cut made with the defender behind you, on your back. This is the typical "give and go" cut (see Diagram A, FC). See video clip. Backcut A back cut is when you cut behind the defender. Make a fake toward the ball, then cut quickly behind the defender. Back cuts can be a "ball-side" back-cut (see Diagram A, BBC), or a "weak-side" back-cut which means on the side opposite the ball, or "back-door" (see Diagram A, WBC). See video clip.

V-cut A cut made in the shape of a "V". The first leg of the "V" can be slow. The last leg of the "V" is quick (Diagram B, VC). When making the V-cut, plant the inside foot hard, and step off quickly with your other foot in the direction of your final cut. See video clip. L-cut A cut made in the shape of an "L", often along the lane (or "lane cut"). Diagram B, LC. The cut can be made up the lane, or down the lane (from the wing position). Use footwork similar to the V-cut. Curl-cut A curl is a somewhat circular cut often made around a teammate (Diagram B, CC). See video clip. Button-hook A quick cut made with a quick stop, a pivot toward the ball, sealing the defender on your back side, and receiving the pass from your teammate (Diagram B, BH).

Shallow cut A perimeter cut used to exchange positions with another perimeter player who dribbles into your position, while you "shallow cut" to his/her vacated position (Diagram C, SC). See video clip. Deep cut A cut from the perimeter all the way to the basket and out to the side (Diagram C, DC). See video clip.

Flash Cut A quick cut made often made by a post player up to the high post (free-throw line) toward the ball (Diagram D1, FC). See video clip. Jam-Down, V-Cut Walk your defender down to the block, plant the inside foot and quickly V-cut back out to receive the ball (Diagram D, JDVC). Jam-Down, Back Cut (Diagram D, JDBC) Walk the defender down to the block, plant the inside foot and quickly make the V-cut back out. This time the defender is ready and is in front you, over-playing the pass. So now plant the outside foot, and make a quick back-cut. So that the passer knows which way you are going, use a hand signal. For example, if you are going to back-cut, hold your inside (receiving) hand up high.

See also: When you don't have the ball,   Setting Screens