Ode to the Corner Cut
The Queen's Gambit
Welcome to our “Sunday Mornin’ Newsletter”, where we explore the best ideas, strategies, and coaches from around the world of basketball. It was another busy week and there’s much to talk about. Today’s newsletter will cover:
Ode to the Corner Cut - A breakdown of an increasingly popular off-ball action
Pedro Martinez Playbook - One of our favorite European Playbooks of 2020
Slappin’ Glass Podcast - Insights from our conversation with Coach Tim Bross
Best Sets of the Week
What We’re Reading/Who We’re Watching
Let’s dive in…
Ode to the Corner Cut
Over the last few months we’ve taken a hard look at the “45 Cut”, the “Shallow Cut” and “Split Cuts”, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t give the “Corner” or “Baseline Cut” its proper due before 2020 comes to a close.
* This cut has multiple names, but for wordcount purposes we’ll refer to it as a “Corner Cut” from here on.
The Corner Cut, is dangerous because it purposefully attacks the “low help” defender on the backline of the defense. At times this cut can lead to an open basket, but more often it is used as a way to distort the “Tag” in a PNR and open up advantages for the other four players on the court.
Before we get to how it’s used in the PNR, here’s one instance this cut is used without an on-ball screen involved…
{ Corner Cut on Middle Drive }
A concept that is built in to many “Dribble Drive” offensive concepts, is a Corner Cut on a middle drive. Simply, the player in the corner will make a timely rim cut as the ballhandler drives into the paint. There might not be a better team to study on this concept than Jay Wright and Villanova.
* Why It’s Effective: Most of the time, on a drive over the top the defender guarding the offensive player in the corner is the natural “stunt” or “help” defender if help is needed. The Corner Cut punishes that defender’s natural tendency to lose sight of their man, if only for a split second.
{ Corner Cut During a PNR }
Now, here’s a few ways the Corner Cut is used during a PNR, which can lead to layups/dunks like the Villanova clip above, but is more often used as a clever Queen’s Gambit-type move within the offensive/defensive chess match to try and manipulate the “Tag” defender (We’ve been patiently waiting for weeks to make that reference).
PNR Toward the 2-Man Side {No Nail Help}
The first way this cut can be used is when the PNR is going towards the 2-Player side and there is No Nail Help, so the help is coming from the bottom or “Low I” defender.
*Why It’s Effective: This Corner Cut, combined with the Offensive Big sprint rolling to the rim, puts the low help defender in a potential 2 on 1 situation if the ballhander is able to get downhill at all. A secondary advantage of this cut is that it puts the corner cutter in great offensive rebounding position should the ballhandler shoot a jumper or drop off a pass to the rolling big.
PNR Toward the 2-Man Side - {Nail Help/Next Defense}
Here’s how the Corner Cut can punish “Next Defense” or a stunt coming from the “High I” defender. Important with this cut is the simultaneous “Corner Drift” action from the player on the Wing.
*Why it’s effective: When done properly, this action against “Next Defense” opens up the entire side of the floor for the Wing defender to drift into. Whether there’s an immediate shot opportunity or not, the defense will certainly be in a closeout situation and the offensive can attack accordingly.
Obradovic Spacing
For further insight on this action we can look to the great Željko Obradović in his last years at Fenerbahce. Coach Obradović was intent on getting two players behind the PNR at all times, so anytime the PNR was going toward the two player side Fenerbahce would use three simultaneous cuts, “Obradović Spacing” … a Corner Cut, Corner Drift, and High Lift to move the help.
{ PNR Going Away from the 2-Man Side }
The next way the Corner Cut is useful is when the PNR is going AWAY from the 2-player side. A common set-up for this action comes from a “Reverse or Short Angle On-Ball Screen.”
Reverse Screen & Short Roll { Low Defender Helps}
Much like the helpside principles above, when the PNR is going away from the 2-player side the backside defenders must rely on either the “High I/Nail Defender” or the “Low I Defender” to stunt or take the rolling big after the Reverse screen.
In the Reverse Angled screen action, the offense will often try and play through the Offensive Big “short-rolling” to the Free Throw Line. When the help comes from the “Low I Defender” the Corner Cut creates a highly advantageous 3 on 2 situation for the offense with the Offensive Wing drifting to replace the Corner.
You can see this strategy taking shape at the NBA level recently as well. Here’s the Boston Celtics this week against Brooklyn using the Corner Cut on the Reverse Angle Screen. You can see all that great backside space the Offensive Wing player can drift into as the ballhandler snakes the dribble.
Reverse Screen & Short Roll - Flare and Drift {Nail Help}
Here are a couple more interesting actions that are closely related to the Corner Cut that can punish help coming from the “Nail” instead of the “Low I” . The first is from Coach Moncho Fernandez and Obradoiro where the Corner Cutter will instead set a Flare on their own man while the Offensive Wing drifts deeper toward the open corner.
Corner Shallow Cut {Nail Help}
Another action coming from the Corner Cutter that can completely eliminate the “Nail Help” is a “Shallow Cut”. An especially difficult action to guard…
*Why it’s effective: All of the above actions in attacking the “High I” defender essentially punish a team committed to stunting from the Nail on a Reverse Angle PNR. The advantage for the offense often comes in the form of a skip where they can play through a closeout.
Here are more resources and longer breakdowns of this action:
Moncho Fernandez: “4-Corner PNR Rules and Concepts”
Željko Obradović - “Offensive and Defensive Concepts”
Pedro Martinez Playbook
If you want another Primer on the use of the Corner Cut in a PNR, Coach Pedro Martinez and his club Baxi Manresa in Spain’s LIGA ACB is another great place to look.
This is truly one of our favorite playbooks from 2020. We’ll let the video speak for itself, but if you’re a fan of Shuffle Action, Ghost Screens, Backdoor Zipper Cuts, intricate off-ball movement, and open shots, this playbook won’t let you down.
Here are the free FastDraw PDF’s of this Playbook as well.
Resilience, Perspective, and The Things That Matter
Of all the content we work on, the Slappin’ Glass Podcast might be our favorite. Getting a front row seat to Ryan Pannone’s PNR Masterclass, Cody Toppert effortlessly explaining Late-Game strategy, seeing Zak Boisvert’s incredible offensive mind working in real time, and much more, leaves us thankful to get the chance to sit in the same (virtual) room with these great minds of the game.
Another such moment took place for us in this week’s latest podcast with the newly hired Head Coach of Cal State Maritime, Tim Bross. After exploring Coach Bross’ first months on the job, how he’s implementing a new offensive and defensive system, detailed switching concepts, and a free-wheelin’ “Overrated/Underrated” segment, Coach Bross provided a truly powerful personal account on resilience, perspective, and the things that truly matter in coaching.
A recommended listen, especially as we reflect on a difficult 2020 for so many inside and outside of coaching.
For those interested in connecting with Coach Bross, you can do so here… tbross@csum.edu
* Thank you for the support of the podcast. If you’re enjoying it we’d appreciate a rating and review HERE. Thank you!
Best Sets of the Week
Here are some of the sets/actions we enjoyed looking at this week.
1a) { Ghost Screen Flare } A two-parter here… First, this “Ghost Screen Flare” set is terrific, especially with a guard that can really get downhill…
1b) { Rytas Vilnius - Ghost Flare to Stagger Twirl } Part two here… the next action from Rytas Vilnius flowing from the Ghost Flare is pretty special…
2) { Furman and Johns Hopkins - “Split and Skip” } This action that flows from the Princeton “Point Series” is hard to guard… Btw… Furman is a must watch this season.
3) { Manresa & Hamburg - Pin to Ram Screen } Some great stuff here from these two top teams/coaches in Europe as they create all sorts of coverage problems for the PNR.
What We’re Reading/Watching
Teams We’ve Enjoyed Watching:
Lafayette - Coach Fran O'Hanlon (NCAA DI)
ALBA Berlin - Coach Aíto García Reneses (Euroleague & BBL)
Salon Vilpas - Coach Joonas Iisalo (Finnish League)
Slovakia National Team - Coach Žan Tabak
Pacific Lutheran University - Coach Chad Murray (NCAA DIII)
What We’ve Enjoyed Reading:
Thank you for reading and supporting what we do. If you’re enjoying this newsletter we’d appreciate a share with others who might find it valuable.
Have a safe and happy Holidays. We’ll see you next week…
Dan and Pat
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