This web page contains brief explanations of various defensive topics within the game of basketball.
Additionally, each topic includes a link to another separate web page that contains more information about that subject.
1-1-2-1 press defense: Basketball strategy that emphasizes defensive pressure as well as traps near the corners, ultimately to create turnovers or at minimum, to disrupt offensive scoring opportunities near the basket or near perimeter areas of the court.
1-1-3 press defense: Basketball defensive strategy that uses on-ball pressure and sideline traps to disrupt offensive flow, which in turn, limits scoring opportunities and generates turnovers.
1-1-3 zone defense: Basketball defensive strategy that seeks to prevent low post scoring opportunities while influencing contested field goal attempts and limiting dribble penetration with on-ball pressure, particularly near the perimeter at the top.
1-2-1-1 press defense: Basketball defensive strategy that features full court pressure and sideline traps, particularly in the backcourt which could lead to limited scoring opportunities as well as possible turnovers for the offensive team.
1-2-2 press defense: Basketball defensive strategy that features sideline traps, particularly in the backcourt or frontcourt, which in turn, could limit offensive scoring opportunities.
1-2-2 zone defense: Basketball defensive strategy that seeks to limit low post scoring opportunities, restrict dribble penetration, and influence inferior perimeter shot selection while executing on-ball pressure, particularly near the perimeter.
1-3-1 press defense: Basketball defensive strategy that utilizes on-ball pressure and implements traps near the sidelines in the frontcourt to limit or prevent offensive scoring opportunities.
1-3-1 zone defense: Basketball defensive strategy which seeks to disrupt offensive scoring opportunities by influencing contested perimeter jump shots and limiting dribble penetration, while executing solid on-ball defense.
2-1-2 press defense: Basketball defensive strategy that implements traps near the sidelines to disrupt the scoring effectiveness of the offensive team with the additional possibility of creating turnovers.
2-1-2 zone defense: Basketball defensive strategy that seeks to limit dribble penetration, influence contested perimeter jump shots, and reduce offensive scoring opportunities, particularly from the low post areas, while executing adequate on-ball defense.
2-2-1 press defense: Basketball defensive strategy that seeks to limit offensive scoring opportunities with the possibility of creating turnovers by way of sideline traps in the backcourt or frontcourt.
2-3 zone defense: Basketball defensive strategy that seeks to limit dribble penetration, influence contested perimeter jump shots, and decrease offensive scoring opportunities, particularly from the low post areas, while executing adequate on-ball defense.
3-2 zone defense: Basketball defensive strategy which emphasizes the prevention of low post scoring opportunities while restricting dribble penetration with adequate on-ball defense and influencing poor shot selection, particularly from the perimeter.
Amoeba defense: Basketball defensive strategy which seeks to limit scoring opportunities for the offensive team by implementing on-ball pressure as well as sideline traps while preventing dribble penetration from the perimeter and restricting entry passes into the high or low post areas.
Ball line defense — Basketball defensive strategy that implements on-ball defensive pressure and off-ball help defense principles to limit scoring opportunities near the basket while influencing contested perimeter jump shots.
Ball screen defense: Tactics that seek to mitigate or totally eliminate the effects of the on-ball screen that would be implemented by an offensive team, ultimately to disrupt scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Basketball defense (Overview): Foundational component within the game of basketball with its main emphasis being to use a combination of various defensive types, concepts, strategies, and tactics to stop an opponent from scoring points near the basket or from the perimeter.
Blitz defense: Defensive tactic, particularly utilized against ball screens, that occurs when the on-ball defender and the screener’s defender attempt to limit the effectiveness of the ball screen by implementing a certain amount of defensive pressure on the offensive player in possession of the basketball.
Block (Defense): Action that occurs when a defensive player is able to use one or both hands to nullify an offensive player’s field goal attempt, generally while the basketball is in mid-flight on an upward trajectory, typically towards the rim.
Box and 1 defense: Basketball strategy as well as a type of junk defense that utilizes a combination of man to man and zone defense principles to limit an opponent’s potential scoring opportunities.
Chase down block: Action that happens when an offensive player is initially ahead of most (if not all) of the defender but afterwards, one particular defender is able to chase down that same player, as the name implies, to ultimately block the scoring attempt, which is usually a layup or a dunk at the basket.
Closeout defense: Basketball defensive tactic in which a player on defense will swiftly close the open space on the court between themselves and an adjacent offensive player with the ball in an effort to limit or prevent an uncontested jump shot or dribble penetration, particularly towards the basket.
Combination defense: Basketball defensive system that incorporates and utilizes components of man to man defense, zone defense, and/or additional defensive tactics to ultimately limit or prevent offensive scoring opportunities.
Defensive foul: Infraction that occurs during a basketball game when a defender uses any part of their body such as their hands, arms, legs, or feet to make illegal contact with an opposing offensive player.
Defensive stop: Process that occurs when a defensive team prevents an offensive team, currently in possession of the basketball, from scoring points near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Denial defense: Basketball defensive tactic in which an off-ball defender, typically one pass away adjacent to the player with the ball, prevents the offensive player that they are currently guarding from receiving the ball.
Diamond and 1 defense: Basketball defensive strategy which seeks to limit scoring opportunities, particularly for the opposing team’s best player, by implementing a combination of man to man and zone defense principles.
Double team defense: Basketball defensive tactic executed by two defenders in an effort to get the ball out of the hands of the team’s best player.
Drop coverage: Basketball defensive tactic in which the screener’s defender stays below the screen in an effort to limit scoring opportunities.
Full court press: Type of basketball defense in which players of the defensive team execute backcourt and frontcourt on-ball pressure, typically accompanied by sideline traps against players of the offensive team.
Havoc press defense: Basketball defensive strategy and a variation of the 1-2-1-1 press that emphasizes backcourt ball pressure and traps near the sidelines and/or corners to disrupt offensive scoring opportunities.
Hedge defense: Basketball defensive tactic in which a screener’s defender lifts above an on-ball screen to obstruct the intended dribbling route of the screen receiver.
Help defense: Basketball defensive tactic, primarily used within man to man defense, in which weak side defenders will support strong side defenders to ultimately limit or prevent potential scoring opportunities of an offensive team.
Ice defense: Basketball defensive technique which focuses on limiting scoring options from the side pick and roll action of the ball handler as well as the screener who would typically roll to the basket after setting the screen.
Jump to the ball: Basketball defensive concept in which a defender, as the name implies, jumps to the direction of the basketball when it gets passed from one perimeter area of the court to the next adjacent perimeter area.
Junk defense: Unique type of basketball defensive system which integrates certain elements of man to man defense alongside certain elements of zone defense to limit or prevent scoring opportunities of the offensive team.
Man to man defense: Basketball defensive system in which each defender guards a certain offensive player to ultimately limit or prevent scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter.
Pack line defense: Basketball defensive strategy as well as a variation of man to man defense that implements on-ball defensive pressure and off-ball actions in which defenders will either sag into the pack line or deny passing lanes to limit or prevent offensive scoring opportunities.
Point zone defense: Basketball defensive strategy that primarily seeks to prevent dribble penetration, hinder low post touches, and influence contested jump shots to ultimately disrupt offensive scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Pressure defense: Basketball concept that can be implemented by one or more defenders in a full court or half court setting to disrupt offensive productivity which could lead to detrimental offensive results such as low quality shot attempts and/or turnovers.
Run and jump defense: Basketball defensive strategy that utilizes man to man principles, defensive sideline traps, and the defensive switch tactic to disrupt offensive flow which could result in potential turnovers or limited scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter.
Shell drill: Basketball defensive drill which seeks to improve various defensive related concepts in addition to team chemistry, communication, and overall defensive intelligence to ultimately hinder offensive scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Shooting foul: Infraction that occurs during a basketball game when a defender commits illegal contact against an opposing player who is in the act of shooting near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Shoot the gap: Basketball defensive tactic in which a defender will attempt to evade or diminish the effectiveness of certain types of off-ball screens by going under them to converge on an offensive player that the defender is currently guarding in a effort to limit or prevent scoring opportunities.
Steal (Defensive skill): Action that occurs when a defensive player causes an offensive player to lose possession of the basketball, primarily by legally taking it away from the offensive player, intercepting the offensive player’s pass, or deflecting the offensive player’s pass or dribble.
Stunt defense: Basketball defensive tactic, in which an off-ball defender will momentarily step towards an adjacent offensive player with the ball and then return to the specific offensive player that they are currently guarding.
Switch defense: Defensive tactic in which two defenders exchange the offensive players that they are currently guarding to ultimately hinder or prevent offensive scoring opportunities near the basket or from the perimeter.
Transition defense: Basketball defensive strategy in which a team will swiftly convert from offense to defense in an effort to counter and disrupt an opposing team’s potential transition offensive scoring opportunities near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Transition take foul: Infraction that occurs when a defender commits illegal contact that does not attempt to make a legitimate play on the basketball during an opposing team’s transition scoring opportunity.
Trap defense: Basketball defensive tactic in which two defenders will effectively double team an offensive player with the ball, typically near a sideline and/or corner of the court.
Triangle and 2 defense: Basketball defensive strategy and a type of junk defense which seeks to limit scoring opportunities, primarily for the opposing team’s two best perimeter players, by implementing a combination of man to man and zone defense concepts.
Zone defense: Type of basketball defense in which each defender guards a certain area on the court and by extension, any offensive player that enters into that zone defender’s respective area.