Out of the Timeout: The Spurs’ baseline cut and curl

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With the return of the season, we’re going back to the Out of the Timeout series. For those unfamiliar, in Out of the Timeout we break down a play the Spurs use and with pictures and videos. It’s all high tech and whatnot.
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In this first frame, Tony Parker (1) brings the ball up the floor. Tim Duncan (5) is the big man trailing the play. Richard Jefferson (3) down to the baseline and DeJuan Blair (4) sets a screen for Manu Ginobili (2) on the baseline. Ginobili curls from the ball-side corner off of Blair’s screen to the top of the key where he receives a pass from Parker.

Manu takes the pass and squares up to the basket. After passing to him, Tony Parker curls all the way around from the ball side off baseline screens from Blair and Jefferson and a third screen from Duncan, to the opposite elbow where he receives a pass from Manu.

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Parker catches the ball off the Duncan screen and curls to the free throw line. Duncan rolls off the screen he set for Parker and heads towards the rim. RJ cuts to the opposite corner after setting the baseline screen for Parker and looks for a kick-out pass. DeJuan Blair? Well, he’s still hanging around.

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After all is said and done, you can see here that Tony Parker has options. He can pull-up for the free throw line jumper, hit Duncan on the roll and kick it out to Jefferson in the corner. If the defender covering DeJuan Blair leaves to help on Duncan’s roll or Parker’s penetration, hitting Blair with a bounce pass is also an option. Ginobili is behind the play as an escape outlet if the play breaks down. He’s also in a position to get back on defense if Parker penetrates all the way to the hoop.

In the play from last night’s preseason game against the Rockets, Parker’s best option was probably to pull-up for the jump shot, which he did. Sort of. Parker dumped it down to Duncan in mid-air and Duncan missed the bunny. Still, can’t argue with a good shot at the rim.


Fast Draw play diagramming software provided by Fast Model Sports Technology.

  • SpursnDeacs

    They run this play a lot, and it often leads to a good look. Parker gets that mid-range jumper or a floater from this play all the time. I love the “Out of the Timeout” posts. Thanks again Andrew.

  • imwithstupid

    Glad you are doing these again, really enjoy the play breakdowns. It makes watching the game so much more fun when you can see all the options available on a given play. Also helps to place blame when a play breaks down… I’ll still probably just blame it on Bonner anyway though…..

  • JT

    If Timmy were younger that would have been an alley-oop. Should have been, we need some Athletic guys in the front court. Fun game though!!!

  • Anonymous

    In the old days, it would have just been a simple field goal, not an alley-oop, but it would have counted. I miss the MVP Duncan.

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