5-Out Concepts from NBA Champions: Away Screens, Toss Actions, and Get Game
Quick Coach Tips
Teach your 5 to trail into the action to trigger automatic away screens.
If the defense goes under the screen, auto-turn into a ball screen.
Use the get and toss actions to keep the ball in your best playmaker’s hands.
Backdoor cuts must be decisive against top-locking defenders.
Use handoff actions to help players create space without needing elite one-on-one skills.
Goal
To teach multiple five-out offensive concepts used by elite NBA teams, including away screens, get actions, toss actions, and their counters. These concepts are designed to:
Create driving lanes through spacing and screening
Punish defensive overplays
Generate continuous action and mismatches without relying on complex sets
Setup
Spacing: Standard five-out alignment with one player at the top, two in the slots, and two in the corners
Personnel: A mobile 5 who can set screens and pass (ideal), and guards/wings capable of cutting decisively and shooting
Ball location: Initiated from either wing or slot
Transition entry: 5 typically trails into the play and arrives at the top of the key
Step-by-Step Execution
1. Away Screen Setup
The ball is entered to one wing.
The 5 trails to the top of the key.
As the ball is on one side, the 5 sets an away screen on the opposite wing.
If defender trails:
The cutter curls off the screen and receives the ball going downhill.
If defender goes under:
The 5 flips into a ball screen (turns and screens for the ball handler).
The guard uses the screen, creating multiple actions for the defense to guard in succession.
2. Backdoor Cut vs. Top Lock
If the defender denies or top-locks the cutter, the player immediately goes backdoor.
Teach players to take one step out (away from the basket) to create space, then cut sharply toward the rim.
If the 5’s defender drops to help, the ball handler skips it to the 5 popping back.
3. Get Action (Handoff After Pop Back)
After the 5 pops, the passer sprints into a handoff with the 5.
This creates an action without needing a traditional ball screen.
Effective at all levels, especially for youth players still learning pick-and-roll timing.
4. Toss Action
The cutter off the away screen receives the pass.
The original ball handler sprints after their pass and receives a toss-back.
The 5 turns and screens for the original ball handler (now coming downhill again).
Variations:
Fake the toss back and drive baseline or middle
After toss, flow into back screen + down screen combo for off-ball movement
If toss back is covered, the 5 can initiate a dribble handoff with another perimeter player
Coaching Tips
Teaching Points
Away screens should be automatic when the 5 trails into the action
If the guard defender goes under the screen, the 5 should immediately flip into a ball screen
Teach decisiveness on backdoor cuts, hesitation kills timing
The get action doesn’t require contact like a ball screen; speed and timing are more important
Encourage players to “keep the ball hot” (Steve Kerr term), the ball shouldn’t stick
Key Cues
“If they go under, flip it!”
“Don’t wait, sprint into the get.”
“Pop and pitch, then chase it down.”
“Cut hard or don’t cut at all.”
“Move it, don’t hold it.”
Common Mistakes
Setting away screens too close to the ball, must occur on the opposite slot
Waiting too long to initiate the toss or get actions
Backdoor cuts with no intent, slow or wide angles make it easy to defend
5 not popping wide enough to create driving lanes
Screen angles that don’t force the defense to choose
Youth and High School Application
Simplify: Don’t over-explain, teach one read at a time (e.g., just read the curl or backdoor)
Assign rules: “Any time you're denied, back cut.” “If they go under, screen the ball.”
Use “get” and “toss” actions to help weaker ball handlers still contribute in motion
These actions are ideal for programs with limited size but good movement and shooting
Full Breakdown
Introduction to 5-Out Movement Concepts
The 5-out offense spaces all five players around the perimeter, opening up the paint for driving, cutting, and screening opportunities. It's especially effective at the youth and high school levels because it teaches spacing, movement, and reading the defense, foundational concepts in player development.
In this breakdown, we’ll focus on a series of flowing actions you can build into your 5-out system:
Away screens
Get actions
Toss counters
Automatic reads and teaching cues
Each action can be taught in layers and used to attack aggressive defenses without relying on traditional set plays.
Away Screen in 5-Out Spacing
The away screen is one of the simplest and most effective actions in a 5-out setup. It involves a player (often the trailing big or a perimeter player) setting a screen for a teammate on the opposite side of the floor from the ball.
Example:
The ball is on the right wing.
The player at the top of the key screens away for the player on the left wing.
The left wing uses the screen and cuts toward the ball, either for a shot or drive.
Why it works:
It creates movement without needing a dribble.
It engages help defenders, which can open up drive-and-kick opportunities.
It teaches timing and screen angles early.
Key coaching points:
Set the screen at an angle that allows the cutter to curl downhill.
If the defense goes under the screen, teach the screener to immediately turn into a ball screen (see next section).
Make the cutter’s read automatic: curl, pop, or backdoor depending on the defender’s position.
Read Options: Curl, Pop, or Backdoor
The away screen is only effective if players read the defense and react in real time. Here are three primary reads:
Curl:
If the defender chases over the top, the cutter curls tight to the screen toward the ball.
The passer looks to hit them in stride for a finish or pull-up.
Pop:
If the defense switches or the cutter is denied, the screener pops back to the perimeter after screening.
This creates an outlet pass or sets up a get action.
Backdoor:
If the cutter is being top-locked or overplayed, they should immediately cut backdoor.
The screener must clear space and the passer must be ready to deliver a bounce pass.
Drill it:
Use 2-on-0 or 3-on-3 setups to walk through each scenario.
Freeze after each screen and ask, “What did the defender do?” to train visual recognition.
Automatic Counter: Screen Then Ball Screen
If the defense goes under the away screen, one simple rule applies:
The screener turns and immediately ball screens for the ball handler.
This automatic read is easy to teach and turns one off-ball action into a second on-ball action. The defense now must guard:
An off-ball cut,
A pop,
And a live dribble ball screen, all in the same possession.
Teaching Points:
Set the ball screen low, near the wing or corner, to improve driving angles.
The cutter must clear out quickly to avoid crowding the lane.
Reinforce that the ball handler should attack decisively off the second screen.
The Get Action: Pass and Follow
A get action is when a player passes to a teammate, then immediately follows their pass to receive a handoff.
In a 5-out offense, this works well after a pop or a failed curl. For example:
The ball handler passes to the player who popped after an away screen.
Then sprints toward them to receive a handoff or pitch-back.
The handoff receiver turns the corner to attack, shoot, or kick.
Why it works:
It creates momentum for the guard.
It works without needing a traditional screen.
It builds natural two-man game chemistry.
Coach Cues:
“Pass and follow” becomes a habit, don’t let players stand after passing.
The handoff player must reverse pivot and protect the ball during the exchange.
Emphasize footwork: the receiver takes the handoff at speed, on balance, with a live dribble.
The Toss Action: Keeping Your Guard Involved
Sometimes after the away screen, the defense switches or denies hard, so instead of having the cutter receive the ball, the passer follows the pass and receives a toss-back.
This toss action leads directly into a ball screen from the screener, who has just popped or reset their angle.
This is called the toss counter, and it's especially effective when your guard is the best decision-maker or creator on the team.
Simple Sequence:
Ball handler passes to cutter (who may not catch it cleanly).
Ball handler sprints to get it back (toss).
Screener flips into a ball screen for the original ball handler.
Why it’s useful:
Keeps your best guard involved.
Forces defenses to defend two sides in quick succession.
Works well even if the initial cut is denied.
Layering It: Backdoor, Hand-off, and DHO Chains
When defenses overplay or start anticipating your flow, teach players how to “chain” actions together:
If denied → backdoor cut.
If backdoor not open → handoff to the next player.
If handoff is denied → dribble handoff with another teammate.
This keeps the offense moving and prevents dead possessions.
Tip for youth teams:
Use a call like “Keep it hot!” to encourage constant movement.
Add 10-second shot clock drills in practice to simulate decision-making under time.
Practical Implementation for Youth & High School Coaches
Even without elite shooters or ball handlers, 5-out concepts create teachable moments. Here's how to apply these ideas at your level:
Drills to Emphasize:
2-on-0 and 3-on-3 reads: Start with just the away screen and drill curl/pop/backdoor.
Pass and follow: Use the get action as a warm-up drill every day.
Toss to ball screen: Run it live in transition to simulate game tempo.
Core Rules to Teach:
If you pass, follow to get it back or screen away.
If denied, go backdoor.
If the defense goes under, use a ball screen.
Benefits:
Simple to teach.
Encourages movement and spacing.
Players learn to read, not just run plays.
