Basketball, one of the most popular and exciting sports in the world, has its roots in the inventive mind of James Naismith, a Canadian physical education teacher who, in addition to creating the sport, also thought up basketball tactical systems that have evolved over the years.
In 1891, Naismith conceived this sport as an activity to be practiced indoors during the harsh winter in Massachusetts, in the United States. The idea was to create a game that was dynamic, challenging and required physical and mental skills from the participants.
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Basketball arrived in Brazil at the beginning of the 20th century, thanks to the visionary work of Augusto Shaw. Shaw, an educator and sports enthusiast, was responsible for introducing basketball’s tactical systems to the country while teaching at Mackenzie College in São Paulo. The sport’s first tournament in Brazil was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1912.
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Since then, basketball has become deeply rooted in Brazilian sports culture, producing a rich history full of great moments and memorable idols. Names like Hortência, Oscar Schmidt, Magic Paula, Amaury Pasos and many others have become sporting legends, inspiring generations and putting Brazil on the world basketball map.
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So how do basketball tactical systems work?
First, let’s introduce a few concepts to you, dear reader!
What are the basic fundamentals of basketball?
The main objective of basketball is to score more points than the opposing team. To achieve this goal, teams engage in two fundamental aspects of the game: offense and defense.
On offense, the team seeks to penetrate the opposing defense and score points, whether through long-range shots, shots close to the basket or free throws. On defense, the goal is to prevent the opposing team from scoring, using various strategies to intercept passes, block shots and recover possession.
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Basketball matches are divided into four quarters, each usually lasting 10 or 12 minutes, depending on the level of competition. In the event of a tie at the end of regulation time, overtime is played until there is a winner.
Scores in basketball vary according to distance and how the point is scored. A shot converted inside the restricted area (called the “painted area” or “box”) is worth two points, while shots converted from outside this area are worth three points. In addition, free throws are awarded one point for each shot converted.
Basketball tactical systems: offensive systems
Basketball, being a team sport, bases its attack on three essential principles:
Efficient ball possession- Efficient ball possession
Offensive progress- Offensive progress
Effective completion- Effective completion
With this in mind, the need for well-designed basketball tactical systems, such as the examples below, becomes obvious:
System 5 Open
This system is considered the most basic in basketball and is often used as an introduction to the sport due to its “positionless attack” nature.
It consists of five players distributed around the perimeter of the court. After the pass, the player who receives it must briefly enter the painted area and then move to the opposite side from where the initial pass took place;
System 4-1
Similar to the previous system, but with defined positions, this system requires the player positioned inside the painted area to be skilled at playing with his back to the basket and to be active in making blocks for his teammates.
In this system, four players are positioned on the perimeter, while one player is inside the painted area, alternating between positions in the low post and the high post. Usually a pivot, this player must follow the movement of the ball and act as a link between the two sides of the court.
2-1-2 system
This system is more complex, as players start to play specific roles. It is particularly effective for teams with two skilled playmakers who like to control the game, as they are the focal point of this style of play.
System 3 Open and 2 Inside
Returning to the combinations of players inside and outside the painted area, this system involves a lot of movement on the perimeter, and is not so common in today’s standards of play due to its complexity.
With three players positioned on the perimeter, this system requires constant movement from them, while players 4 and 5 act as active blockers for their teammates.
System 1-31 in Motion
This formation is less used in the NBA, but is common in FIBA and NCAA competitions due to its more collaborative nature.
In this system, players 1 and 5 need to work in sync, making it ideal for players who have mastered the pick-and-roll technique. The whole attack can start from this move, whether it’s to find player 4 free near the basket or to make players 2 and 3 available for shots;
Now that you know about basketball tactical systems when we talk about offense, let’s list defensive basketball tactical systems.
Basketball tactical systems: defensive systems
Defensive basketball tactical systems encompass the act of defending. This involves marking, anticipating opponents’ technical gestures and helping to mark other players.
Individual appointment
The oldest defensive basketball tactical systems. Each player is assigned to mark an opponent and must remain between them and the basket. The main objective is to follow the opponent’s movements and prevent them from scoring.
Zone defense
One of the most complex defensive strategies, but effective when well trained. The players are not marked individually, but are responsible for occupying specific spaces on the court. This gives them a numerical advantage in the backcourt, facilitating rebounds and making infiltrations more difficult.
Mixed Defense
A combination of individual marking and zone defense. Some players mark specific opponents, while others occupy specific spaces on the court. This confuses the opposing team’s rhythm of play.
A common mixed defensive technique is the diamond formation, in which four players occupy the area in a 2-2 formation.
Defensive pressure
Used at critical moments in the game, such as in the final minutes when the score is unfavorable. Defensive pressure creates a numerical advantage and forces the opponent to make quick decisions, increasing the chance of mistakes and recovering possession of the ball. It is possible to apply both individual marking and zone defense.
Boxe One
In this defensive formation, the players position themselves in a structure with four defenders in a zone, forming a 2-2 square. The main objective is to mark the key player individually.
Diamond One
Similar to Boxing One, but the four defensive players are positioned in a 1-2-1 diamond structure. This provides a strategic defensive position to prevent points from opponents. It is used when a player other than the star has a good shot, requiring specific marking.
Triangle Two
In this defensive formation, similar to Box One and Diamond One, the defenders mark individually in a 1-2 formation, forming a defensive triangle. The main objective is to prevent the two players marked individually from scoring and to limit the shots of the others.
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