Basketball Out of Bounds Plays: Baseline (BLOB) and Sideline (SLOB) Plays

A dead ball under your own basket is one of the best scoring chances in the game, and the sideline is where you have to get it in safely against pressure. This page collects every baseline out of bounds play (BLOB), sideline out of bounds play (SLOB) and last-second play on Hoop Coach in one place, sorted by defense and situation. Each play has a diagram and an animation you can watch step by step.

Out of Bounds Play Principles

  1. Check the defense first. Have one play for man, one for zone, and one that works against both, and teach your inbounder to call the right one.
  2. Start everyone at once. Use a signal, like the inbounder slapping the ball, so all four players move on the same count.
  3. Put a good passer on the ball. The inbounder sees the whole play, and on many sets they get a shot after they step in.
  4. The screener is usually open. When a defender helps on a screen, the player who set it is often the one left alone. Screen-the-screener and elevator actions are built on this.
  5. Space so one defender can’t guard two. Cutters who end up too close together let a single defender take away both passes.
  6. Always have a safety outlet. Someone flashes back toward the ball or out to the top so the inbounder never runs out of time. Count the five seconds in practice.
  7. Keep the clock and the score in mind. A sideline play with two seconds left needs a catch-and-shoot or a lob, not a three-pass action.

Man to Man Baseline Out of Bounds Plays (BLOBs)

Screen the Screener BLOBs

BLOBs for an Open Three

Simple Stack, Box and Line BLOBs

Zone Baseline Out of Bounds Plays

For half-court zone sets, see our zone offense plays for beating a 2-3, 1-3-1 or 1-2-2 zone.

Baseline Plays for Man or Zone

Sideline Out of Bounds Plays (SLOBs)

Getting the Ball In Against Pressure

Sideline Plays to Score

Last Second and End of Game Plays

Draw Your Own Out of Bounds Plays

Want to change one of these for your team? Every play above was drawn in the Hoop Coach Playbook. Draw and animate your own plays for free and share them with your players.