Defending the Backdoor Cut

Defending the Backdoor Cut

by American Sport Education Program

chapter from Coaching Basketball - Technical and Tactical Skills

A backdoor cut is used by an offensive player when the defender is overplaying the pass-that is, when the defender has a hand and foot in the passing lane to prevent the offensive player from receiving a pass. The offensive player sees this overplay by the defender and cuts hard to the basket, looking for a pass (typically a bounce pass) and an easy score. When an offensive player goes backdoor on a cut to get open for a pass, the defender may lose sight of the player. Therefore, defenders must learn how to stay with the offensive player on a backdoor cut and how to keep the ball in sight by opening to the ball as the offensive player goes back door.

WATCH OUT!
The following circumstances may distract your athletes:

1. Failing to communicate on defense. This prevents the defenders from helping each other on a backdoor cut.
2. Trying to defend a backdoor cutter whose size allows the ball to be easily thrown over the defenders.
3. Listening to the communication of the offensive players instead of focusing on defending the backdoor cut.
4. Trying to defend a backdoor cutter whose quickness can prevent the defender from opening up to guard the pass to the cutter.

ACQUIRING THE APPROPRIATE KNOWLEDGE
To help ensure your team's success in defending the backdoor cut, you and your players must know about the following:

Rules
You and your players need to know several main rules related to defending the backdoor cut:

1. When trying to stop the backdoor cut, defenders must be careful not to hold the cutter, or a holding foul may be called.
2. When weak-side defenders come to help on a backdoor cut, the defenders must avoid being late to help and causing the cutter to run into them. This can result in a blocking foul being called.
3. When trying to stop the backdoor cut, defenders must be careful not to use the hands to push the offensive player during the cut. This can result in a tagging foul (holding, hand-checking, or illegal use of hands) being called.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Opponents
You and your players must account for the opponent's strengths and weaknesses to know how to defend the backdoor cut properly. Consider the following about your opponents:

1. 1. How big is the player with the ball? If the offensive player with the ball is tall and can pass over the defender, defenders who are guarding an offensive player one pass away from the ball will need to play closer to the opponent to stop the high pass. As the backdoor cut is made, the defender should guard the cutter more closely because the size of the passer will allow a high pass to be completed. Playing closely will enable the defender to try to get to the pass.
       
   2. Is the opponent a strong passing team? When playing a poor passing team, defenders can play much tighter defense than normal. It takes a very good pass to complete the backdoor pass; therefore, if the offensive team is not a good passing team, they may not have a good chance of completing the backdoor pass. As a result, the defender will able to overplay the passing lanes without worrying about the backdoor cut.

1. 1. Are the opponent's players slow? If the offensive players are slow, especially with their cuts, the defense can apply more pressure and can play a more aggressive denial defense at the wing. The defender will have an advantage against a slower offensive player trying to make the backdoor cut.
       
   2. How well does the opponent shoot the ball? If the opponent is not a very good perimeter shooting team, the defense may not want to deny the pass to the wing; rather, the defense can let the offensive players catch the ball at the wing. This would result in the offensive team being open for the outside jump shot and not open for the backdoor cut.

Self-Knowledge
Besides being aware of your opponent's abilities, you and your players need to know about your own team's strengths and weaknesses. Teach your players to be aware of the following when defending the backdoor cut:

1. 1. Does your team have strong help defense? If so, defenders may be able to put more pressure on the offensive player that is one pass away from the ball. The defenders will know that they have some help if the offensive player goes backdoor.

1. 1. How big are your team's post players? If a defense has a big post defender in the lane area who can block shots, the defense may encourage the offensive team to use backdoor cuts. Again, defenders guarding an offensive player one pass away from the ball can apply good pressure, knowing that a post defender will be ready to block the shot in the lane if they get beat on a backdoor cut.

1. 1. Are your perimeter players quick? Perimeter defenders with good quickness can apply pressure to deny passes at the wings and still be able to cover backdoor cuts. Good quickness enables the defender to deny the perimeter pass to the offensive player and then defend the backdoor pass by opening up quickly as the pass is made to the offensive player on the cut.
       
   2. Are your perimeter players quick? If so, these players can use the backdoor cut to get open without the use of a screen because they can beat their defender to the basket.

Decision-Making Guidelines
When deciding how to gain the best advantage when defending the backdoor cut, you and your players should consider the previous information as well as the following guidelines:

1. 1. If an off-the-ball defender who is guarding a player one pass away from the ball must deny a pass to that player, the defender will open up to the passer in order to see the ball. When doing so, the defender may lose sight of the offensive player he or she is guarding, which will provide an opportunity for the offensive player to go backdoor. The defender must be prepared to defend the backdoor appropriately in this situation.

1. 1. If the passer fakes a pass to an offensive player and that player's defender goes with the fake, this will open up an opportunity for the backdoor cut. Therefore, the defender must stay in the open denial position and not go for the fake on the pass.

1. 1. When the pass is made to the backdoor cutter, the defender on the help side should try to take a charge by quickly establishing position with the feet and getting the shoulders squared to the backdoor cutter.

1. 1. If the ball is on the baseline and the backdoor cut comes from the offensive player at the wing position, the defender guarding the wing player must drop to the lane immediately to stop the backdoor cut and pass.
       
   2. Rotation must occur as the backdoor cut is made to the basket. The off-the-ball defender on the help side should be the first defender sliding to the strong side to take away the pass or to guard the backdoor cutter. The top guard must then drop down to cover the offensive player that the help-side defender just left open to guard the backdoor cutter.