Basketball Inbounds Plays:
The Baseline Stack Inbounds Play

Really effective basketball inbounds plays are, first of all, simple to understand and execute. I say this about everything, but I think it's the truth. You have players needing to make decisions and execute them in a fraction of a second - they can't do this if they are too busy remembering a complex set of movements. Keep your basketball inbounds plays simple (and practice them a lot so that the movements become second nature when you play basketball games)

Lighting up the basketball scoreboard is, or course, the main point of offense. The other thing an effective inbounds play will do is put the ball in the hands of a player who can immediately score with it. Anytime you are in control of the ball you need to see it as an attacking situation, and the faster and harder you attack, the more likely you are to be successful.

I like this particular basketball strategy - the Baseline Stack Inbounds Play - because it is both of these things - simple in its movement, but with a quick and powerful attack.

Basketball Inbounds Plays: The Baseline Stack
Set Up

The Baseline Stack is set up as in Diagram #1 below, with players in a tight line in front of the inbounding player. It is important for all players in the stack to be pushed up tight against each other - no defense should be allowed in between any two players.

The players numbered in the diagram should correspond to these positions:

1. Point Guard
   
2. Shooting Guard
   
3. Small Forward
   
4. Big Forward
   
5. Center
   

Basketball Inbounds Plays: The Baseline Stack
Movement

When the inbounder (#3) yells "Break!" the players in the line will flash in different directions. With the defense on the outside of the line, the offensive players should have the upper hand for the first second or two - enough time to get the ball to a player in scoring position. Scoring options are as follows in Diagram #2.

Passes give scoring opportunities to: #5: This is the pass we hope for, the most likely pass to be open - as #2 and #4 pull defense to the left and right and allow an open lane for 5 to cut through to the basket - and also our easiest option to score, since #5 will get the ball right under the basket. #2: Our outside shooter. If the defense collapses in on the inside men, #2 may find himself all alone 15 feet or so from the basket - good for a quick shot. #4: Our second inside option and our best choice for a rebound and put-back if #5 or #2 misses the shot. #1: In this play, our point guard really isn't much of a scoring option, unless he happens to be an excellent three-point shooter. Otherwise, #1 is our safety. #3: As always, our inbounder needs to get on the court immediately after passing the ball - he's no good to the team standing on the sidelines watching the play. #3 flashes to the opposite side of the basket, looking for a pass from #4 (if the ball goes to him and he is closely guarded) or perhaps from #1. If nothing else, #3 steps into a good rebounding position.

This is a very quick inbounds play that depends on speed - everyone moves quickly and attacks the basket hard - and precision - everyone needs to move at once in the appropriate direction (that's why we want the inbounder to start them off with a loud call of "Break!)

Run this basketball inbounds play well and you should get a good scoring opportunity from it.