How to Run a 2 3 Zone Defense (Part 1)

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The 2-3 zone defense is an alternative to man-to-man or match-up defensive strategy used in basketball. It is referred to as the 2-3 because of its formation on the court, which consists of two players at the front of the defense and three players closer to the basket.
The 2-3 zone is usually one of the first zone defenses coaches and players learn and deploy. That’s probably because of it’s intuitive nature and ease of learning. The two players on the top of the zone are typically the two guards; the shooting and point guards. They guard the area of the zone on the perimeter and three-point arc.
The forwards (3 and 4 players) guard the sides of the zone and the center (5 player) guards the lane and center of the zone. When your opponent moves the basketball around the court, the entire zone shifts to cover their designated areas in the zone. As the ball moves throughout the court, the defense shifts simultaneously in the direction of the ball.
Communication is probably the most important thing to remember when playing a 2-3 zone (or any zone defense). Every player needs to talk to each other on the court . Typically, the center acts as a defensive director in the 2-3 zone because they care able to see more of the court. They are always shouting who should be where, what the offense is doing, and acts as the eyes behind the heads of their fellow teammates.
Even though the 2-3 zone is a “zone” defense, every player on the court should always be aware of the where the offensive players are on the court. It’s critical that the defense move to guard an open player than stay within the normal constraints of the 2-3 zone with offensive players that are closer to the basket taking a high priority.
The strength of the 2-3 zone originates at the basket and radiates outward. It’s typically deployed against an opponent who is stronger/bigger inside and are poor perimeter shooters. A general goal of the 2-3 zone is to force the offense to take perimeter shots and prevent entry into the paint by pass or drives.
The 2-3 zone is a very effective defense when teams communicate and rotate properly. It’s generally true that the further away from the basket, the lower the chances of scoring. The 2-3 zone protects the key and is great at preventing penetration into the lane. Because of that, it’s forces perimeter shooting as an offense's most accessible option, thus lowering your opponents overall field goal shooting percentage.
There are some times when using the 2-3 zone would leave your team vulnerable. With the perimeter, especially the 33-point arc, wide open, teams that are great at 3-point shots and mid-range shots can easily dismantle the 2-3 zone. Teams don’t remain in a 2-3 zone for very long when their opponents start knocking down long range shots with ease and consistency. If you’re committed to staying in a zone, your might want to switch to a 3-2 zone against a good perimeter shooting team.
The 2-3 zone requires good communication, teamwork and trust. Every player must know exactly where to be at all times, where their teammates should be, and where their opponents are at all times. Zone defense is more complex than just chasing one player around the court and staying between them and the basket. If you practice all aspects of this zone and defend as one single unit on the court, your team will be formidable with this zone defense.
Please watch part 2 here
• How to Run a 2 3 Zone ...
Thank you for watching my video and visiting my channel. Please check out other videos for play ideas for your team.

[@CoachRuss]

Typo at 1:49. Should read 2-3 zone not 3-2. Thanks leroyfj for the catch!

[@Keepfaith101]

Love it, I will put this to practice!!

[@leslielopez9561]

Thank you so much for this video. As a newbie youth coach who knows nothing about basketball, your explanation was very clear. I look forward to going through the rest of your videos.

[@CoachRuss]

Thank you so much for the positive feedback. I appreciate it a lot.

[@johndoe-km5st]

Keep grinding coach !

[@billterrenicestreetman5695]

Thanks Coach Russ! Some of this stuff I knew, some I did not! Thanks for helping me pay more attention to detail!

[@simplyblesd]

Very helpful! Watching this multiple times...

[@CoachRuss]

Thank you! I hope it’s easy to understand and implement with your team.

[@fineline8159]

Amazing!

[@CoachRuss]

Thanks for the positive comment!

[@AZ-rg3rf]

Your video is the best on youtube. You win the internet for today.

[@bossjun8276]

Will try this one thanks

[@CoachRuss]

+sgt snuj You’re welcome! Please let me know how your team does with it.

[@courtneykatherine376]

Hi Coach Russ! Thank you for your videos! Very detailed and easy to understand which I appreciate a lot. I am a high school basketball coach and I am looking two develop more of my team. How do you get your girl/boys to communicate more on a 2-3? I know that may seem like a weird question but no matter how many times I saw talk they don't. Do you think maybe its because they don't know what to say? Also during the high post and how to defend it it looks like you have defenders on the outside and the offense is on the inside with number five also being under the basket.. Do we want them to be on the outside down below in a zone or should they remain inside the block? Thanks!

[@clarksalac9965]

Thanks for this vid coach! Btw, may I know what app are you using to draw these plays and positions?

[@caesaraugustus1801]

Really well-explained and very helpful!

[@CoachRuss]

Thank you very much.

[@savanisthgg9415]

Thank you vert Munch coach

[@benjieandaya2426]

thank you so much coach, additional knowledge as a player...

[@CoachRuss]

You’re welcome!

[@lxveplays9718]

Thanks my Aau coach has been on my head for not covering the middle

[@thirst4844]

used this video to learn how to teach zone to my middle school team, its my first year as a coach and the schools 2nd year with a program and we are 4-2 and just won our leagues mid season tournament

[@CoachRuss]

That’s awesome! Congratulations coach!

[@Smoke1Kas]

I subscribed to your channel because me and my friends we play nba 2k in pro am and this stuffs useful to me so thank you

[@CoachRuss]

Ha! That’s so awesome! I’m glad you find them useful. Thanks for the positive feedback.

[@Smoke1Kas]

Coach Russ that 2-3 zone definitely helped us last night

[@Swervin22]

Thanks now are team can finally get a win

[@CoachRuss]

Good luck out there!

[@bigjs967]

Coach Russ can u make a diamond press video thanks.

[@jameacr8]

Great Video ! Coach Russ, how do you stop middle/shaded area cuts from the top ? Thank you !

[@CoachRuss]

Thanks for the feedback! In a less aggressive or non-trapping zone, the top two defenders would still force to one side. That’s one of the main principles of running any zone. So an attack really right down the middle mean we failed to force the ball handler to one side; particularly to their off hand.

[@julianinfantino]

I going to try this

[@CoachRuss]

Awesome! Please let me know how it goes for you and your team!

[@phoenixcat4753]

Thanks

[@CoachRuss]

You’re welcome!

[@CoachRuss]

Oh, that's definitely coming. Soon. Thanks for the suggestion.

[@nikanorvlogs8702]

Wow nice New friend here

[@abeldelfin948]

hello. Your explanatory video is very interesting, it makes it easy for any basketball coach to understand how players can understand each other in the game in positions 2-3, good presentation, thanks.

[@CoachRuss]

Thanks for the positive feedback! I really appreciate it.

[@simplyblesd]

Only noticed because I’m making slides, but at 1:49 the slide says 3-2 Zone Defense vs 2-3.

[@CoachRuss]

Wow! Great catch. Thank you. I think I can only make a comment to identify the error.

[@JHZ_99]

omg thank u I won my basketball game

[@avinashhiremath6274]

Hello sir... Plz make a video on 2+2+1 zone defence

[@HoopzzFam]

I’m a point guard and I play top right I never shift this much because weak side is going to get a wide open shot

[@michaelmorin5786]

Coach Russ I am a middle school coach. First of all thank you for your videos as they are very helpful. I did want to ask you a question. What is the software you are using to diagram your plays?

[@CoachRuss]

Thanks for the positive feedback. I use Keynote.

[@jedavlogs3102]

Move video coach thank you..

[@CoachRuss]

Coming soon! Thanks for your support!

[@JHZ_99]

dang i was so confuse when my coach explain me 2-3 zone today at basketball practice but i didnt understand so i did very bad im rewatching it but on youtube yikes....and i also have a basketball game this sat yikes...

[@dixonsworld757]

hey coach russ what do think of my boys

[@bernardkingfan]

Excellent video. My only issue is how two defenders at the top of the zone can guard three good perimeter shooters when one is at the top of the key and two are on the wings, and the ball is at the top of the key. The video shows the two defenders at the elbows with neither close enough to defend a 3-point shooter at the top of the key. If either defender gets close enough to prevent a quality 3-point shot, it is hard for him to recover to the wing when the ball swings there. When we play a 2-3, we have the forward come up temporarily to cover this first pass.

[@CoachRuss]

Thanks for the comment and for your question. The strengths of the 2-3 zone is defending the middle. If you’re playing a team with excellent three point shooters situated as you described, and you still want to play a zone defense, I would switch to a 3-2 zone. The 3-2 zone offers more perimeter defense but leaves the middle more exposed. I hope that helps.

[@reinhardysd7094]

Thanks!

[@CoachRuss]

You’re welcome!

[@MikeCostelloOutdoors]

I coach 10 and 11 year olds and we are gonna try this tonight at practice

[@CoachRuss]

Awesome! Please let me know how it goes with your team!

[@Sp-mp7ik]

Coach Russ - zone defense for 11yrs old is good to teach?

[@PK-hg6gl]

I'm going to teach this zone defense at tonight's practice for my 5th grade boys basketball team.

[@finderskeeperz8363]

When this drill is being performed, U should also be aware if the 3 sec violation when a defender isn't guarding an offensive opponent within the paint, correct?

[@CoachRuss]

Three second violation only applies to offensive players. I hope that helps or perhaps I misunderstood your question?

[@idkidk2573]

@@CoachRuss There is 3 sec violation to defensive player too but only in NBA rules.

[@garycuddy6013]

Very informative video, especially for newer coaches. Your intro? A lot of screaming at the officials! Whers's the sportsmanship?

[@CoachRuss]

Haha yes. It’s geared more towards coaches recognizing the phrases they often yell at referees. I referred for about 7 years. Passion on both sides is great for the game so long as it’s done with respect.

[@thenightmaricsenpai524]

Ah yes. Jim Boeheim's 2-3 zone defense

[@yiqunyuan2663]

coach，which software do you use to make the video?

[@CoachRuss]

Keynote

[@rosalynnfry960]

This video was helpful but it would be less confusing if people were demonstrating

[@CoachRuss]

Real person videos of all the animated plays is coming soon. That takes quite a bit more to produce. Cameras, gym, lighting, players, etc.

[@warrioreast6775]

How does this defense avoid 3 seconds in the key violations?

[@chesterthepro28]

Defence doesn't do 3 seconds.

[@jaygallagher8280]

Chester ThePro it does

[@aaronwillmann5440]

Exactly why i looked it up

[@mitchellcowan945]

Keep moving

[@mitchellcowan945]

The center have to keep switching sides where the ball is at.

[@vibin.-]

I feel so small after watching this…

[@thehappymobs]

I have no idea what any of this means lol

[@CoachRuss]

Is there something I can help clarify for you?

[@thehappymobs]

@@CoachRuss I just don't understand basketball

[@kevinm8865]

I didn't even know how this defense is played but watching the Lakers this year (and last year really) makes me cringe. I'm not sure why Frank is considered a defensive genius. His zone gets picked apart just about every game. In football, zones make sense ... in basketball it just seems like an easy concept to teach low IQ players or a concept that allows your team to rest more on defense..