Basketball Man-to-Man Defense

Man to man defense is where the defender follows their check (offensive player) through their movement on the court. The court is divided into four parts. Any number that is in the 40s refers to the full court. Any number that is in the 20s is half-court.

Any number that ends in '0' means that everyone stays with their check. Any number that ends in '1' means that the first pass is double teamed or trapped. Any number which ends in '2' means that the second pass is attacked with a double team or a trap. Any number that ends in '3' means to fake an attack on the first pass, but then return to normal. Any number ending in '4' means that the player that is furthest away from the ball handler, attacks the ball handler.

Full-court man to man

40 man to man
41 man to man
42 man to man
43 man to man
44 man to man

Half-court man to man

20 man to man
21 man to man
22 man to man
23 man to man
24 man to man

Often, a player guards his counterpart (e.g. center guarding center), but a player may be assigned to guard a different position. However, the strategy is not rigid, and a player might switch assignment if needed, or leave his own assignment for a moment to double team an offensive player. The term is commonly used even in women's basketball, though the gender-neutral 'player-to-player' also has some usage.

The alternative to man-to-man defense is zone defense, in which the defender is assigned a specific area of the floor, and then guards whatever offensive player enters his area.

Basketball zone defense - Stories Preschool

The advantage of the man-to-man defense is that it is more aggressive than the zone defense. It also allows a team's best defender to stay on a player who has to be guarded at all times. The disadvantage is that it allows the offensive team to run screens more effectively, and it leaves weaker or slower defenders more exposed. In a man-to-man defense, those defenders are generally teammates staying close to their own assigned offensive player, and thus are often not in good position to offer help should a weaker defender be eluded by the offensive player he is trying to guard.

Zone defenses were disallowed by the National Basketball Association in 1947. During this period, an illegal defense violation was called when a defender was either guarding an area instead of a specific offensive player, or was double teaming an offensive player away from the ball. A rule change in 2001 eventually permitted zone defense, but also specified that a defender who is standing inside the key is limited to not guarding an offensive player at arm's length for no more than three seconds. If the defender violates this rule, a technical foul is assessed against his team, and the opposing team is granted one free throw and subsequent possession of the basketball. This makes it difficult for NBA teams to play zone, since such defenses usually position a player in the middle of the key to stop penetration.

Man-to-man defense is still the primary defensive scheme in the NBA, and some coaches use it exclusively.

Technique

When defending the ball (i.e. guarding the man with the basketball) away from the basket in basketball, players typically should use a version of the following technique:

The defender stands and faces the opponent.
He is positioned between the ball and the basket and may be angled in one direction or another depending on the defensive scheme of that defender's team.
He has his feet positioned beyond shoulder width with most of the weight distributed to the balls of his feet. However, the defender's heels should not be off the floor as this will put him off balance.
The defender's knees should be bent at roughly a ninety degree angle with the bottom of his thighs parallel to the ground.
This will place the defenders buttocks in a seated position.
The defenders back should be straight with just a slight tilt forward.

This will place the defender's head over the center of his body and maintain proper balance. Depending on the teachings of his coach, the defender should position his hands wide as if he were stretching his wingspan or place one hand high and one hand low.

Outline

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Basketball

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 metres (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made.

Rules and Regulations

Gameplay: A jump ball is a method used to begin or resume play in basketball. Two opposing players attempt to gain control of the ball after it is tossed up into the air in between them by an official.

Positions: During the early years of basketball's evolution, two guards, two forwards, and one center were used.

Equipment: The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends.

Official: Basketball is regarded as among the most difficult sports to officiate due to the fast speed of play, the complexity of rules that must be followed, the unique case-specific interpretations of rules, and the instantaneous judgement required.

Violations: The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds.

Fouls: An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul.

Strategy: The playbook starts as a canvas picture of the basketball court with all its boundaries and lines. On top of that, the playmaker can draw O's for players on offense, and X's for players on defense.
Techniques and Practices

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Techniques and Practices

Basketball moves are generally individual actions used by players in basketball to pass by defenders to gain access to the basket or to get a clean pass to a teammate to score a two pointer or three pointer. Basketball Moves »

Shooting: Shooting is the act of attempting to score points by throwing the ball through the basket, methods varying with players and situations.

Slam dunks: A slam dunk, also dunk or dunk shot, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball(s) above the horizontal plane of the rim, and scores by putting the ball directly through the basket with one or both hands.

Rebounding: Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made, or the rebound allows the defensive team to take possession.

Passing: A pass is a method of moving the ball between players. Most passes are accompanied by a step forward to increase power and are followed through with the hands to ensure accuracy.

Dribbling: Dribbling is the act of bouncing the ball continuously with one hand, and is a requirement for a player to take steps with the ball.

Blocking: In basketball, a block or blocked shot occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player.

SPORTS

Basketball

The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own.

The rules of basketball are the rules and regulations that govern the play, officiating, equipment and procedures of basketball. While many of the basic rules are uniform throughout the world, variations do exist.