Man-to-man defense
Encyclopedia
Man-to-man defense is a type of defensive tactic used in American football
, association football, and basketball
in which each player is assigned to defend and follow the movements of a single player on offense. Often, a player guards his counterpart (e.g. center
guarding center), but a player may be assigned to guard a different position. The strategy is not rigid however, and a player might switch assignment if needed, or leave his own assignment for a moment to double team
an offensive player.
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.
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.
Following a rule change in 1977, man-to-man was the only type of defense allowed in the National Basketball Association
. This, in theory, created more actions (such as drives) that were more attractive to fans. 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 team
ing an offensive player away from the ball. With the rule change in 2001 permitting zone defense, defenders now have more freedom. However, a defender who is standing inside the key
is limited to playing zone defense (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 him, and the opposing team is granted one free throw and subsequent possession of the basketball.
Man-to-man defense is still the primary defensive scheme in the NBA, and some coaches use it exclusively.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, association football, and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
in which each player is assigned to defend and follow the movements of a single player on offense. Often, a player guards his counterpart (e.g. center
Center (basketball)
The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
guarding center), but a player may be assigned to guard a different position. The strategy is not rigid however, and a player might switch assignment if needed, or leave his own assignment for a moment to double team
Double team
In basketball, a double team is a defensive alignment in which two defensive players are assigned to guard a single offensive player....
an offensive player.
The alternative to man-to-man defense is zone defense
Zone defense
Zone defense is a type of defense, used in team sports, which is the alternative to man-to-man defense; instead of each player guarding a corresponding player on the other team, each defensive player is given an area known as a "zone" to cover....
, in which the defender is assigned a specific area of the floor, and then guards whatever offensive player enters his area.
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.
Following a rule change in 1977, man-to-man was the only type of defense allowed in the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. This, in theory, created more actions (such as drives) that were more attractive to fans. During this period, an illegal defense
Illegal defense
Defensive three-second violation, also known as illegal defense, is a rule violation in the National Basketball Association. It is assessed when a member of the defending team spends more than three seconds in the free throw lane while not actively guarding an opponent...
violation was called when a defender was either guarding an area instead of a specific offensive player, or was double team
Double team
In basketball, a double team is a defensive alignment in which two defensive players are assigned to guard a single offensive player....
ing an offensive player away from the ball. With the rule change in 2001 permitting zone defense, defenders now have more freedom. However, a defender who is standing inside the key
Key (basketball)
The key, officially referred to as the free throw lane by the National Basketball Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association , the restricted area by the international governing body FIBA, and colloquially as the shaded lane and the paint, is an area in a basketball court...
is limited to playing zone defense (not guarding an offensive player at arm's length) for no more than three seconds. If the defender violates this rule, a technical foul
Technical foul
In basketball, a technical foul is any infraction of the rules penalized as a foul which does not involve physical contact during the course of play between players on the court, or is a foul by a non-player. The most common technical foul is for unsportsmanlike conduct...
is assessed against him, and the opposing team is granted one free throw and subsequent possession of the basketball.
Man-to-man defense is still the primary defensive scheme in the NBA, and some coaches use it exclusively.