A good basketball playbook must include a solid sideline out of bounds play. Often forgotten or disregarded, these sets can be used in a variety of ways to stress the opposing defense. Sideline out of bounds plays (SLOBs) can initiate attacking actions, be a quick hitter or even as an end-of-game go-to.
Sideline Out of Bounds Play – Celtic
This SLOB starts in a box set. The 2 and 3 set up near the blocks, while the 4 and 5 occupy the elbows to start. 1 serves as the inbounder for this set.
The initial action sees 2 cut hard to the opposite corner to draw his defender away. 4 sets a down screen for 3, who flashes to the top of the key. 1 finds 3 with the inbound pass.
As 3 receives the pass, two things happen simultaneously. 1 immediately cuts seeking a dribble-hand-off (DHO) action. As the DHO is taking place, 5 comes up and sets a hard ball screen.
The second progression of this play immediately puts the offense into attack-mode. 1 uses the ball screen at the top of the key, looking to turn the corner.
As the high ball screen is taking place, 4 rotates up and sets a weak-side screen. 3 uses the flare screen to drift to the corner. 4 remains high to be an option for 1 on the drive.
After setting the ball screen, 5 rolls down the lane with hands ready. 2 reads the defender to either stay in the corner or drift high. 2 must present as a kick-out option for 1’s drive.
From here, 1 has multiple options to attack the defense. A breakdown may open a driving lane for a layup, or there are four potential passes to make.
Feeding 2 could result in an open corner three-pointer. 5’s dive could be a layup. If 4 is a pick-and-pop big, a pass there could result in a three-pointer or a high-low game between 4 and 5.
The least likely option in this sequence is a pass to 3 in the weak-side corner. Unless 1 gets to the baseline, that’s a hard pass to make.
Related: Baseline Out of Bounds Play (BLOB)
Resources:
Coach Unplugged Podcast: Coach Vann & Sideline Out of Bounds Play (SLOB)
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