Today's Theme... Attacking a Press that Denies the Inbounds Pass to your Point Guard

Here are three excellent strategies for attacking a press that double-denies the inbounds pass to your point guard.

"81"  See the diagram below.  Notice that our point guard O1 is being double-teammed and denied the inbounds pass.  Instead of O1 trying to fight to get open, we just have O2 and O4 flash from half-court up the sidelines.  Either will get the inbounds pass.  As soon as this pass is made, O1 quickly cuts hard up the middle for the pass from O2 (or O4).

At this point, the press is broken and we look to attack in transition for a quick score.

"3-Thru" Here's another strategy.  See the diagrams below.  Again O1 is being double-denied.  O1 takes the two defenders off to the opposite side.  O2 and O4 again cut hard up the sidelines, and O2 (ballside) gets the inbounds pass.  The inbounds passer O3 cuts thru hard for the pass from O2, and O3 speed dribbles up the court.  The press is beaten and we are looking to score in transition.

"Full-Denial"  Here O1, O2 and O4 are all being denied the inbounds pass.  In the diagram below, we have all three (O1, O2, and O4), cut hard toward the baseline, then quickly back-cut (O2 and O4 up the sidelines, and O1 up the middle), for a lob pass from O3.  Notice that O5 runs deep, taking X5 with him/her.  This strategy usually works well because four of the defenders are caught down near the baseline and they have no over the top help, so that pass should be open.

Also see 80-60-40 Press Breakers.