Here you’ll find offensive basketball plays utilizing the man to man offense. Just follow the key to understand the diagrams and follow along with the text descriptions. Practice, practice, practice until you can run these plays in your sleep. Only after hours and hours of perfect practice will you be ready to DOMINATE!
Key
1 = Point Guard
2 = Wing
3 = Wing
4 = Post
5 = Post
Red Dotted Arrow = a pass
Black Straight Arrow = player movement
Each man to man offense play is separated by a horizontal line running across the page.
Man to Man Offense: Play “1 Flash”
When the point guard/trigger man player 1 yells out “1”, 5 now flashes to the free throw line to receive a pass from 1. 4 then makes a quick fake and then a hard back cut towards the basket looking for the back door pass from 5.
If 5 cannot get the pass to 4, 4 shoots out to set a back screen for 3. 3 then v-cuts around the screen and flashes across the lane looking for a pass from 5 and a possible lay up. If 3 does not get the pass, he continues on to the weak side.
Player 5 has the option to either look for a possible pick and roll with 4, take the shot, drive to the basket or pass out to 3 who will then call the next play.
Man to Man Offense: Play “14”
When the point guard, player 1 calls for play “14”, this is the starting positions for this play. The man to man offense play begins when 1 yells “go”.
When “go” is called players 2 and 3 shoot out to their respective sideline positions. 4 and 5 will go out to their respective high post elbow, both looking for the pass from 1. The 1-4 alignment is now created.
If 1 does not have a pass to 4 or 5, he can pass out to 2 or 3, who are looking for the pass.
After passing to 2, 1 will now cut down, use 4 as a screen and flash to the basket, looking for a pass from 2. If no pass is there 1 continues out to the right side wing position. Meanwhile 3 has moved over to the top of center position.
4 will now slide over to screen 5’s defender. This allows 5 to cut to the basket for a pass from 2 and a possible lay up. If 5 doesn’t get the ball he clears the lane to the low post opposite the ball.
Once 5 has cleared the lane, 4 then cuts to the basket for a pass from 2 and a possible lay up. If there is no pass 4 clears to the low post on the ball side. 2 will then pass to 3 at the top to reset the man to man offense.
Man to Man Offense: Play “Circle”
As the point guard, player 1, dribbles out to the right wing position, player 2 circles around to the top of center position.
When 1 and 2 have reached their positions, 4 moves across the lane to screen 5’s defender. 5 then slants to the ball side high post and positions for a back screen for player 2.
Player 2 cuts hard toward the basket around 5’s screen, looking for the pass from 1 and a possible open shot. 5 must also be ready for a pass.
Player 1 can also pass it in to 5 at the high post who will then pass down to 2 for the easy shot(high-low) or 5 can slide out looking for the reversal. 3 will also slide over looking for the reversal.
3 receives the reversal from 5, passes to 2 cutting off a screen from 4. 2 looks for the baseline jumper. If not there then passes to a waiting 4 for a closer shot.
Man to Man Offense: Play “Amber”
As player 1(point guard) comes down court, he commits to one side, he then passes to player 2 who is lined up at foul line level along with players 5 and 3.
Once the pass is made to 2, 4, who is trailing 1, cuts towards the strong side low post position. He looks for the pass and a posible lay up. 5 steps out to set a screen for 4. 3 drops down to the weak side corner.
If 4 does not get the pass, he posts up for a couple of seconds then slides out the strong side corner. Meanwhile after 5 sets a screen for 4 he immediately turns around and drops down to set a staggered double screen along with player 1 for player 3. 3 curls around both screen and cuts to the basket.
If there is no pass, 3 continues through the curl all the way out to his original position. 1 will slide across from his screen position looking for a pass then to the top point guard position. 5 also slides across the lane looking for the pass. If there is none he moves to the strong side high post position.
With no other options available, 2 reverses the ball to 1 and 1 reverses to 3.
5 goes out to set a back screen for 2 who will now cut across to the strong side corner. 3, now the trigger man, will call the next play.