Downcourt is the direction where the offensive team moves or where the team is going. This movement starts from their backcourt, which is the half of the court they defend. The team then advances the ball past the midcourt line into the frontcourt.
The frontcourt is the half of the court where the team's basket is located. So downcourt describes moving from the backcourt to the frontcourt, towards the hoop. Players advance the ball downcourt by dribbling or passing to a teammate.
The goal is to get the ball downcourt quickly to create scoring opportunities. Fast breaks occur when a team moves downcourt rapidly before the defense can get set. Going downcourt efficiently is key to running an effective offense and putting points on the board.