2-on-0 DHO Timing is a fundamental offensive breakdown drill designed to teach the timing and spacing of a slot-to-wing dribble handoff. It emphasizes clear decision-making, proper reads, and footwork while reinforcing our philosophy of attacking the elbow, re-spacing, and maintaining offensive flow. It also builds the habit of recognizing backdoor opportunities when defenders overplay.

Setup & Organization

Use a half court. Place two lines at half court: one on the right side of the jump circle (ball handlers) and one near the right sideline (wings). All players have a ball except the first wing, who will be the recipient of the handoff. The first ball handler dribbles into the slot while the wing sprints into the baseline corner and then lifts hard to foul-line extended, two steps outside the arc.

Step-by-Step Progression

The ball handler drives toward the slot, attacks the elbow, then retreats dribbles back out. At the same time, the wing lifts aggressively into position. The ball handler dribbles at him to deliver a dribble handoff. The wing comes hard off the exchange, attacks the foul line, and shoots. After the handoff, the ball handler re-spaces to replace the wing’s spot on the perimeter. He immediately receives a simulated pitch-ahead pass from the next player in line and takes a second shot. Both players rebound their own shots and rotate lines. Players alternate between executing the DHO and cutting backdoor when the defense would deny. Use clear signals such as a fist to indicate a backdoor cut. On the backdoor read, the passer delivers an on-time, on-target bounce pass for a layup finish.

Scoring

Twos are worth two, threes worth three. Deduct three points for a missed shot to emphasize precision. Run the drill in four-minute segments with the goal of 25–30 points as a team. The drill is complete only if spacing, timing, and communication are sharp.

Coaching Points

Ball handler must attack downhill first before pulling back into the DHO. The wing must sprint into his lift, show hands, and decide quickly: take the handoff or go backdoor. All passes must be crisp, two-handed, and on time. Players should communicate every exchange by calling names. After the pass or finish, re-space immediately to keep balance. The goal is to build automatic reactions that flow into our offense.

Variations

Alternate sides of the floor. Add a guided defender to force the wing to recognize backdoor reads under pressure. Allow the DHO receiver to kick to the next wing in line for an extra pass and shot. Increase pace by requiring continuous back-to-back reps. Advanced groups can combine DHO with immediate one-more passing to simulate in-game ball movement.