Most Popular Basketball Defense Strategies

Defense	Definition
3-2 zone defense	A basketball defense in which three players guard the perimeter, while two players defend inside.
1-3-1 zone defense	A basketball defense in which one player is stationed at the top of the key, three players along the perimeter, and one player near the basket.
NBA pick and roll defense	A defensive strategy used in the NBA to defend against the pick and roll play.
Box and 1 defense	A basketball defense in which one player (usually the best offensive player of the opposing team) is guarded man-to-man, while the remaining four players use a zone defense.
1-2-2 zone defense	A basketball defense in which one player guards the ball handler, two players guard the perimeter, and two players defend inside.
Diamond and one defense	A basketball defense in which one player guards the best offensive player of the opposing team, while the remaining four players use a diamond-shaped zone defense.
1-1-3 zone defense	A basketball defense in which one player guards the ball handler, one player is stationed at the top of the key, and three players defend inside.
2-1-2 zone defense	A basketball defense in which two players guard the perimeter, one player is stationed at the top of the key, and two players defend inside.
Syracuse 2-3 zone defense More	A basketball defense made famous by Syracuse University, in which two players guard the perimeter and three players defend inside.
Diamond defense basketball	A basketball defense in which four players use a diamond-shaped zone defense.
Amoeba defense	A basketball defense in which players frequently shift and change positions during the game.
Youth basketball defenses	Defensive strategies used in youth basketball games.
Press defense basketball	A defensive strategy in basketball in which players aggressively guard the opposing team.
Man-to-man defense	A type of basketball defense in which each player is responsible for guarding a specific player on the opposing team.
Transition defense	A defensive strategy in basketball in which players quickly get back on defense after losing possession of the ball.
Trapping 2-3 zone defense More	A basketball defense in which two players guard the perimeter and three players trap the ball handler.
1-1-3 amoeba defense	A basketball defense in which one player guards the ball handler, one player is stationed at the top of the key, and three players frequently shift and change positions.
Zone defense in basketball	A type of basketball defense in which players are responsible for guarding an area of the court.
Half-court trap defense basketball	A basketball defense in which players trap the opposing team in the half-court.

1-3-1 offenseOkay, let's imagine a basketball court. The 1-3-1 offense is all about where players position themselves on the court. The numbers "1-3-1" tell us how many players should be in each area of the court.
• "1" is the point guard. This player is usually your team's best ball handler and passer. The... More