Off-Ball Cutting Hierarchy

Definition

Off-ball cutting hierarchy is a decision tree for what to do when you don't have the ball: cut backdoor, replace, lift, or hold spacing, based on what your defender is doing.

Why it matters

Five players standing still kills any offense. Off-ball intelligence is what turns 1-on-1 advantages into team advantages.

Examples

• Defender's head turns → backdoor.
• Defender's hands point at the ball → lift to the slot.
• Defender is in deny → seal and post up.

Practical application

• Make off-ball reads visible in practice — call out which read you took.
• Reward cuts in scoring even when the cut doesn't get the ball.

Common mistakes

• Cutting on a fixed timing rule instead of a read.