"How hard are your cuts in the tempo of your offense? This is what matters. Cut with purpose and cut hard for 40 minutes. How hard are your cuts the last seven or eight minutes? You wear people down this way."
As a coach, you must demand that your players cut hard at all times. The majority of players will cut hard when they think they are the primary receiver and a touch is possible. But cutting hard all the time creates other advantages for an offensive team.
Kevin eluded that it wears the defense down -- but only if you consistently cut hard. If you pick your spots to cut hard then the defense can also pick their spots as well. Be the type of player in practice that constantly cuts hard -- so hard, so consistently, that your teammates will grumble when they are told to defend you.
The other advantage of hard, sharp cuts is that it creates opportunity for your teammates. We refer to this as "cutting to create help." Quite often when you make a hard, sharp cut, you will force another defender to leave his/her assignment to help on you and this will allow them to be open for a shot.
Occupying the defense is a great advantage of hard cuts to occupy a defender (or two). Often when you see a penetrating dribble to the basket, it is because of cutting away from the ball.
As a coach, demand it of your players. Even if you work on dummy offense -- all cuts must be hard and sharp.
