Zone Defense in Basketball
A description of a zone defense corresponds to the number of players on the front of the zone (farthest from the goal) and works its way to the back of the zone. For example, a 2–3 zone is a zone defense in which two defenders are covering areas in the top of the zone (near the top of the key) while three defenders are covering areas near the baseline.
Other types of zone defense include:
- Match-up zone, a hybrid of man-to-man defense and zone defense where players apply man-to-man defense to whichever opposing player enters their area. John Chaney, former head coach of Temple University, is this defense's most famous proponent.
- Box-and-one in which four defenders are in a 2–2 zone and one defender guards a specific player on the offense. A variant of this is the triangle-and-two, in which three defenders are in a 2–1 zone and two defenders guard two specific offensive players. This scheme was invented by the late National Basketball Hall of Fame coach and former Temple University head
When a team plays a zone, the defenders must keep their hands up and in passing lanes and quickly adjust their positions as the ball and the offensive players move around. Teams that successfully play zone defenses are very vocal and effectively communicate where they, the ball, and their opponents are or will be.
Teams playing a zone occasionally try to "trap" the ball handler, an aggressive strategy designed to "double-team" the player with the ball. While this tactic may cause a turnover, it leaves one or more players on the offense undefended. The undefended player(s) are generally schemed to be on the opposite side of the court, away from the ball, so any attempt to pass the ball to them would result in the ball either traveling a long distance through the air or being relayed by a third offensive player, allowing the defense to recover. Good ball handlers can also try to "split" the trap by bringing the ball through the space in the middle of the two trapping defenders, creating an instant advantage for the offense.
Zone defenses were prohibited in the National Basketball Association prior to the 2001–2002 season. The NBA currently permits the use of zones; however, teams generally do not use them as a primary defensive strategy and no zone defense may feature an unguarded defender inside the free-throw lane (a violation of that results in a defensive three-second violation, which is a technical foul). The Dallas Mavericks are an example of an NBA team that regularly uses zone defenses; during the 2011 Playoffs, their zone defense was credited with slowing down offenses, forcing opposing players to recognize which defense they were playing. Zone defenses are more common in international, college, and youth competition.
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