Hardwood Highlight of the Night: Off-ball cuts lead to easy score
The Toronto Raptors quietly boast the league's second-best offense, scoring an average of 115.6 points per 100 possessions this season.
In truth, the Raptors don't rely on complicated set plays. Rather, head coach Dwane Casey prefers to run flex options involving setting up their bigs on the elbows in an action known as HORNs. From there, the offense is free to read the defense, and exploit weaknesses wherever they may arise.
By employing a flurry of screens and well-timed cuts, the Raptors are able to employ a balanced attack wherein every player poses as a threat to score. It's simple, but effective.
Take the play below, for example. The set starts rather harmlessly, with Kyle Lowry handling the ball atop while the action starts down low with the frontcourt duo of Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson.
The play opens with Johnson setting a down screen for Landry Fields on the right side of the court.
The motion is designed to create disruptions in the Pacers' defense. Fields is contained by David West, while C.J. Miles gets caught on Johnson's screen. However, the Pacers manage to snuff out the Raptors' first option.
With the first motion having failed, the Raptors' set up another down screen on the left side, where Valanciunas screens for Terrence Ross, who makes a similar cut to Fields towards the lane.
Although Valanciunas's screen is weak, Ross manages to get open for the catch in the middle of the paint. Having seized prime real estate in the lane, Ross forces the moving defender into committing a foul, thus earning himself a pair of free-throws.
The simple action leads to an effective outcome, as can be seen below.