Simple Basketball Plays

The simplest basketball plays are the ones easiest to execute. Obviously, what one coach thinks is easy to execute might be another coach's nightmare...

With that said, we have to clearly define what a simple basketball play is. Some people think that youth basketball plays are the simplest, but we dis-agree with that. In our opinion, a simple basketball play is defined by the number of sequences in it.

By number of sequences, we basically mean how much player movement and how much time passes before the play is fully executed. Some plays go on and on, with lots of rotation, cuts, backscreens, and movements...before the play is fully executed.

Simple basketball plays, on the other hand, execute with less player movement and less sequences. This way, they become easier for everyone to understand and follow. For example, you may have the point guard bringing the ball up, and then the man at the wing comes and sets a pick for him and rolls to the basket. This would be a very simple pick-n-roll play...

Or, you may have the point guard come down. On the right hand side of the court, there is a man at the wing and a man down in the low-post area. The man in the low-post comes up up set a backscreen for the man at the wing. The man at the wing uses the screen to cut to the basket and the point guard with ball makes the pass for an easy layup. This, once again, is a simple basketball play.

Every coach should have some easy plays in his playbook, because sometimes it is better to execute quickly to get baskets and open looks than talking up too much time on the clock. When the defense learns and adjusts to the simple plays, now its time pull out the better ones...

You have to remember that 5-on-5 basketball is a game of execution. The team that executes better has the winning advantage. You need to be able to execute at all levels, basic, intermediate, & advanced to keep the defense guessing and to keep your players motivated. The combination of quick-hitting and slow-hitting plays allows you to control the tempo of the game.

We have a number of simple basketball plays in both offensive and defensive formations. You'll be sure to find some plays you're looking for by visiting the links below:

Offense: 1-3-1 | 1-4 | 3 on 3 | Box | Flex | Man | Shuffle | Zone | Motion | Triangle | Specialty

Defense: Illustrated Defensive Drills | Defense 1-3-1 | Defense Man | Defense Match-up | Defense Press | Defense Zone

Click the link below for a step-by-step basketball coaching system with all the simple basketball plays, drills, & practice plans you need to create a winning team:

Check Out the Elite Basketball Coaching System