“THE IMPORTANCE OF A CONTINUITY OFFENSE’S SPOT-UP LOCATIONS”— PROVIDES AN INSTANT AND FLUID TRANSITION FROM THE 1ST PHASE TO THE LAST PHASE OF THE OFFENSIVE ATTACK—
After a selected play/entry from a set/alignment is executed and the offensive team maintains control of the ball with no shot taken; the next phase of the offensive attack begins by smoothly and seamlessly flowing into a variety of continuity offenses or types of motion offenses. This next phase or wave of the attack from different types of offenses must begin with players beginning in specific locations on the court after the play/entry has been concluded (with no shot or loss of possession of the ball.) These important locations or positions are defined as the continuity offense’s “spot-ups.” The concern that a defensive opponent is able to predict the offensive action should be somewhat minimal, especially if there are multiple plays/entries that are used with some options and counter-options within the continuity offense. When plays or entries are run but the desired shot is not taken, but possession of the ball remains with the offensive team and then flows into the designated continuity offense, defenses will not be able to recognize the actual continuity offense because of the spot-ups of all five offensive players. And from those spot-ups, there will again be an immediate and fluid conversion into the continuity offense that actually is the second and final wave or phase of the overall offensive attack.
Spot-Ups of a continuity offense become a conduit between a team’s plays/entries & the team’s Second phase of attack—be it a continuity offense or a motion-type offense. It also becomes a means to be able to smoothly continue after Secondary Breaks, Baseline Out-of-Bounds, and Sideline Out-of-Bounds Plays that do not produce shots. ‘Spot-Ups’ are a way to camouflage a continuity offense because many times the offense will score or lose possession of the ball during the entry before the actual continuity is utilized. Therefore opposing teams will not even see the continuity offense many times and therefore, not necessarily be accustomed to defending it.
Concept 11A:
“SPOT-UPS OF CONTINUITY OFFENSES” WILL CREATE AN EVENLY BALANCED AND THEREFORE AN UNPREDICTABLE AND CONTINUOUS SCORING ATTACK”—
Chuck Daly, once Head Coach of the Detroit Pistons, has stated, “Offense is spacing and spacing is offense.”
Good man-to-man offenses maintain good floor balance and good spacing between offensive players. (Appropriately 15 feet to 18 feet between most players.) Proper spacing will (vertically as well as horizontally) stretch the overall strength of the defense and helps make ball-reversals much easier and safer as well as skip passes. Spacing also discourages double-team traps both on the perimeter as well as “double-downs” when the ball is passed inside to an interior player.
This multi-phase offensive attack produces a potent and fluid type of offense that fits many types of philosophies and styles of offensive play. Using plays from various sets that then smoothly flow into this continuity offense can give the team various styles of offensive attack such as an up-tempo or a slower ball-control type of attack which can both be executed, making the attack a different kind of “balanced attack.” Passing rules in this continuity offense allow an offensive team to have both an “inside oriented” as well as an outside or “3-pt. oriented” or a mixture of both—making it an even different type of balanced (and more difficult to defend) method of attack. In addition, various types of plays can provide a balanced scoring attack as well.
The concern that a defensive opponent is able to predict the offensive action should be somewhat minimal, especially if there are multiple plays/entries that are used with some options and counter-options within the continuity offense. When plays or entries are successfully executed with no shots taken and the play transitions into the continuity, the smooth beginning of the continuity is camouflaged by the play’s action so that the continuity is not even recognized or distinguished as that continuity offense. Still, the spot-ups will smoothly flow into the designated continuity offense that becomes the second wave phase of the offensive attack.
As stated, every man-to-man offensive continuity can be a very effective and productive way to attack opposing man-to-man defenses. The selected continuity eventually gives every player equal opportunities both on the perimeter and on the interior to perform and utilize their offensive talents and skills. The continuity places individual offensive players in all of the various spot-up locations that can give every player a distinct and immediate “position advantage” that can be taken advantage of immediately. The continuity provides specific spot-ups so that each play can smoothly and seamlessly flow into that continuity to therefore become the final phase or wave of attack. It should be emphasized that each team must select the appropriate plays and just as importantly (or maybe even more so) the proper continuity or motion offense that is the right fit for their team.
CONCEPT 11B:
“SPOT-UPS OF CONTINUITY OFFENSES” WILL CREATE BALANCED LOCATIONS AND SPACING FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL OFFENSIVE PLAYER—
A Continuity Offense’s Spot-Ups provide excellent positions for maximum offensive success by allowing for ideal spacing both on the perimeter as well as the interior, by spreading the opposition’s defense both vertically and horizontally. The Spot-Ups of the designated continuity offense give offensive players good cutting, screening and passing angles to utilize in the offensive action. The continuity’s spot-ups provide opportunities for inside and outside shots. The spot-ups of the continuity offense also provide spacing for aggressive (but under control) dribble-attacks to the basket. In addition, these Spot-Ups can offer the offensive team fundamentally sound opportunities for successful offensive rebounding and also for efficient defensive transition.
Concept 11C:
CONTINUITY OFFENSES MUST PROVIDE THE OFFENSIVE TEAM WITH AN “EVENLY BALANCED INTERIOR AND PERIMETER SCORING ATTACK”—
Outstanding man offenses should have somewhat of a balanced attack by having an “inside-out” perimeter shooting attack as well as an “outside-in” type of attack. Starting an attack in one particular location to force opposing defenses to react, adjust and commit to stopping that form of attack before the offense itself countering to the other type of scoring attack is invaluable in keeping defenses off balance and off guard. Make the opposition “pick their poison” on which they attempt to defend—the inside or the perimeter.
Concept 11D:
“SPOT-UPS OF CONTINUITY OFFENSES” WILL CREATE BALANCED FLOOR LOCATIONS FOR PLAYERS AND THEREFORE HELP CREATE MORE OF A BALANCED AND UNPREDICTABLE AND CONTINUOUS SCORING ATTACK—
A Continuity Offense’s Spot-Ups provide excellent positions for maximum offensive success by allowing for ideal spacing both on the perimeter as well as the interior, by spreading the opposition’s defense both vertically and horizontally. The Spot-Ups of the designated continuity offense give offensive players good cutting, screening and passing angles to utilize in the offensive action. The continuity’s spot-ups provide opportunities for inside and outside shots. The spot-ups of the continuity offense also provide spacing for aggressive (but under control) dribble-attacks to the basket. In addition, these Spot-Ups can offer the offensive team fundamentally sound opportunities for successful offensive rebounding and also for efficient defensive transition.
Each entry that does not produce a shot from the half-court alignment the play was executed from will at least place all five offensive personnel in either a (Balanced or Unbalanced) “4-Out/1-In” set of continuity spot-ups or from a (Balanced or Unbalanced) “3-Out/2-In” continuity spot-ups. These same spot-ups should be filled at the conclusion of any Secondary Fastbreaks, Baseline Out-of-Bounds (B.L.O.B.) or Sideline Out-of-Bounds (S.L.O.B.) plays. Again, players having repositioned into these designated spot-ups allows the offense to smoothly, seamlessly, and immediately flow into various continuity offenses or different forms of motion offenses. This makes the designated continuity offense even more crucial to the overall success of the offense.