Eternal debate - Man to man defense vs Zone defense in basketball

There are some common preferences which we use to determine a person’s character. Are you a republican or a democrat? A vegetarian or non-vegetarian? A leftie or a rightie? Do you drive an automatic or stick shift? All these little things tell us a little about the person. There’s a more telling question which is all revealing though, do you prefer man to man defense or zone defense? The answer to this can make or break marriages apparently.

Once upon a time, a merry couple was watching TV and the husband innocuously remarked, “Look at this, honey! Which looney bin did Coach A escape from? Why doesn’t he go with what Coach K has been advocating over the ages and play man to man?” he chortled, unaware of the wheels he had set in motion. These words, upon entering the wife’s ears, caused her to freeze on the spot, turn the rolling pin in her hand to a bowling pin and hurtle it at her husband, screaming “What did you say? Man to man indeed! What rot! My high school team thrived with me zoning. Keep your blasphemy down! Little Z.One may hear you in my tummy.” The husband was hurt. In both senses of the word. A rolling pin can do a world of damage. And his belief in his significant other was shaken to the core too. “Now listen here, little women. You may know your way around the kitchen, but replace that chopping board with a coaching clipboard and you are out of your league. Best leave that to us men.” A few more kitchen appliances were found flying through the room and when the dust cleared, the couple were getting an annulment. That’s how polarizing the argument of man vs zone can be.

Since 1947 to 2001, zone defense was not allowed in the NBA, the thinking went that it slowed down the game. Thinking has changed significantly and all’s fair now. Both forms of defense have their own unique points. Let’s take a look at them.

Favour of man-to-man defense

- clear accountability

While playing man to man defense, you can keep track of which players lit you up at the end of the game. It makes it easier to keep players accountable on the defensive end.

- can assign players to guard the difficult assignments

A team playing man defense can assign its best defenders on the top scorers of the opponent’s team. In zone defense, the assignments get mixed up.

- full court press or half court traps

A team playing zone has to fall back into their end of the floor, but a team playing man to man can slip into a full court press and half court traps.

- not as vulnerable to outside shooting

Man defense can be as tight or as loose as you want it to be. In zone defense, the team’s priority is to protect the paint and prevent the drive. That leaves it vulnerable to outside shooting.

- know whom to box out

While playing man to man defense, you know when a shot goes up you are supposed to box out your man. In zone defense you have to scramble a little to box out. And the worst thing a zone defense can do is give up offensive rebounds. Ideally, a good zone defense forces the offense into taking bad shots from the outside. If they can’t box out properly it defeats some of the purpose of zone defense.

- help defense

Playing man defense you can plan out which players are going to go loose on their assignments and help out. In a zone defense, its more confusing to go out on a limb and leave your assigned area.

“Zone is usually an admission that you’re not as good as the other team.”- Steve Kerr

“If we have to play our girlie zone, as somebody said, we’ll play our girlie zone. We’re going to do whatever we have to do to win.” Alvin Gentry, in response to Phil Jackson

Perhaps the reason zone defense draws scorn at times is because of its effectiveness. One of the reasons the Dallas Mavericks won the championship in 2011 was because of their amazingly effective zone defense which they used at strategic times. Here are some points in favour of zone defense-

Favour of zone defense

- contain dominant big man/athletic team

The Miami Heat and OKC Thunder are two teams who frequently go up against zone defenses. That seems to be the only way other teams can try to contain their athletic superstars. Zone defense are also effective in trying to contain dominant post players.

- reduce danger of fouling out

While playing man to man defense, a defender is more liable to foul his assignment. Zone defense reduces the number of personal fouls in such cases.

- requires less stamina

A team which doesn’t have very athletic players can mask its weakness by playing zone defense. Teams playing zone defense tend to get less tired as they aren’t chasing their assignment around all over the court.

- makes it harder for offense to get high percentage shots inside

It’s difficult for the offense to get high percentage shots inside as the defense is in shape.

- more difficult to draw fouls

While going up against man to man defense, good scorers can draw fouls on the defense with more ease. If you’re playing against a zone defense, there will be fewer fouls committed upon you and you will get to the free throw line fewer times.

At the end of the day, its all context relative. Which defense you choose to play depends on your team’s abilities and your opponents’ strengths and weaknesses. Here are some of your views on the subject.