How to attack a 2-3 zone
A 2-3 zone has two defenders on the top line and three underneath. Each one guards an area of the floor. Your offense wants one defender caught between the ball and a second threat they can't reach in time.
Start 3-on-2 above the first hash mark. The ball handler's job is to draw a help defender, then pass to the player that defender left. It is the first game in the collection below.
| What the offense sees | What to do | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| A gap between two defenders | Drive the gap to score, and pass when help commits. | Did the dribble make a second defender move? |
| The zone shifting after a reversal | Attack on the next catch, before the defense recovers. | Is a shot, drive or pass there on the catch? |
| A receiver between the top and bottom lines | Hit the inside pass, then play off the collapse. | Can the passer reach them, and can the receiver score or pass on the catch? |
| A defender watching the ball | Cut or run the baseline behind them. | Does the cut open a passing window without crowding a teammate? |
Start with the 3-on-2 gap game
Run it live and let the two defenders decide how to protect the basket. Change the starting spots and rotate the defenders after a short round.
The small game leaves out the rest of the zone on purpose. After a few rounds, go back to 5-on-5 against your real 2-3 and see if players find the same gap with more defenders on the floor.
Free resource
21 SSGs for your next practice.
A free PDF of small-sided games you can run right away. A practical first taste of the approach.
Pick a game for the problem you see
| Problem | Game to use |
|---|---|
| The ball goes around the perimeter and the zone never moves | Shift the Zone: a score after a reversal across the split line is worth double. Check that the reversal actually opens something. |
| Players miss the next pass after a drive | Relocations: 3-on-3 on one side. Attack the gap, kick out, then relocate into a new window. |
| Nothing goes inside | Inside-Outside: the ball goes inside and back out once before a score counts. A high post player in the middle of the zone makes it easier. |
| The bottom three defenders are comfortable facing the ball | Flash Cut and Baseline Runner: put a cutter behind the zone, where the defenders can't see them. |
These rules are practice constraints. If players pass up an open layup just to satisfy the inside-outside rule, drop the rule. Keep the shots inside your players' range.
Zone offense when your team can't shoot from range
Standing farther from the basket doesn't stretch a zone if the defense has no reason to guard you there. The receiver has to be a threat, and the passer has to be able to reach them. Use gaps they can reach, cuts behind help and advantage starts, then add space as players grow.
Keep the language simple. One defender can't guard two. Find the window, and play in zero seconds before the zone recovers.
Four coaches’ practical zone-offense contributions
Passing games for windows and decisions
Spacing explained with original film examples
What Are Small-Sided Games for Zone Offense Basketball?
For the format of this blog, I have split small-sided game ideas into four categories (dribbling, passing, spacing and moving), with sub principles of play within each activity. The Small-Sided Games are designed around the specific zone offense principle of play.
Dribbling
Principle of Play = Attacking and Exploiting Gaps
- SSG and Constraints = 3-on-2 with space constrained to playing only above the 1st hash mark. The player with the ball must force a help defender to commit to stopping the ball before kicking out to an open player with a numbers advantage. Bonus points for every offensive rebound and punishing one of the weaknesses of the zone.
Principle of Play = Shift the Zone
- SSG and Constraints = 5-on-5 half court. Players can explore how to shift or distort the zone out of their preferred alignment. Scores after a reversal across the split line are worth double points. Bonus points for every offensive rebound.
Principle of Play = Engage Two defenders
- SSG and Constraints = 3-on-3 with space constrained to one side of the court. Players will use a dribble to draw two defenders and utilize the 2-on-1 advantage. Player must attack with the intent to get paint touch and if dribble does not engage a defender, then any subsequent score does not count. Bonus points for every offensive rebound.
PASSING
Principle of Play = Pin-Ins and Skip Passes
- SSG and Constraints = 5-on-5 live. Players explore how to give the receiver of a skip pass some time and space for the shot. A score on the skip pass does not count unless a defender is sealed / screened with a pin-in before the shot. Players to debrief where a seal was effective (e.g. dunker for corner shot, or elbow for wing shot). Bonus points for every offensive rebound. Note the slip from the player pinning in can also be an option.
Principle of Play = Misdirection
- SSG and Constraints = 4-on-4 half court. Players must explore how to use misdirection and force the defense to closeout. Players to debrief misdirection solutions (e.g. pass fakes, boomerang passes, ball reversals, quick reversals into a pick and roll, etc).
Principle of Play = Inside-Outside
- SSG and Constraints = 5-on-5 half court. The ball must go inside-outside at least once on each possession for score to count. This can be done with a high post player playing through the middle of the zone.
SPACING
Principle of Play = Overload the Zone
- SSG and Constraints = 5-on-5 full court with 3 trips. Must be a different player in the dunker each trip and players have to explore how many different overloads they can create. Players debrief solutions (e.g. triangle, box, cut through, etc). Only ROB shot counts.
Principle of Play = Relocations
- SSG and Constraints = 3-on-3 with space constrained to one side of the court. Players to explore how to use dribble to attack gaps, kick out and relocate. Players to debrief relocate solutions (e.g. ghost screen, drift, lift, flare).
MOVING
Principle of Play = Flash Cut
- SSG and Constraints = 4-on-4 with space constrained to one half of the court and players have to explore affordances from a flash cut behind the zone from weak side corner towards the middle. Players start point, wing, dunker and weakside corner. Players to debrief the attractive affordances (e.g. high-low or lob pass). Gold medals only or catch and shoot threes.
Principle of Play = Baseline Runner
- SSG and Constraints = 4-on-4 with space constrained below the block. Players have to explore how a baseline runner from behind the zone can create attractive affordances and/or numbers advantage. Player to debrief solutions found (e.g. exit screen on baseline for catch & shoot). Gold medals and 3s only.
Principle of Play = Screening the Zone
- SSG and Constraints = 3-on-2 with space constrained above the first hash mark on the key. Players have to explore ways to use a screen to get an open shot. Players to debrief solutions found (e.g. wing to point screen). Plus 2 points for screener scoring.
Read the guide: Zone Offense in Basketball
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