BuzzerBeater Forums

Thank you! So the manual and Ob1's message are saying it wrong. Havent tested box realy yet but remember reading this same thing from forums. But didnt believe in myself anymore as manual said it otherwise.

Luckily i still have few minutes to change my tactics for todays game back to inside box, as i first set it, but changed it to outside box based on the first replies :)

Its been well known for some time that the game manual is incorrect. Everyone who has said so here is absolutely right in that. I think its years since Nachtmahr pointed this out and its never been corrected.

Yeah, kind a misleading explanation on the manual. But, as said up here, Nachtmahr was likely the first to really study the Box with multiple games.

Since then, I tested by my own and I also took a deep look into the play-by-play in all the games in which I faced a Box and I totally agree with him.

One of the problem might be the selection of the "+1". Usually I'd say is the player with the highest OD+ID+SB which frequently belongs to a big men if you don't have a really good SF with both defenses really strong. It's likely easier to play the Outside Box for that reason in my opinion. Even though, to be effective, also the other elements of the Box have to be skilled. Not easy, but I've always been intrigued by this defensive setup

How are you positive who is selected as the fifth player in a box? Does it show in the play by play? My understanding is that if you play an inside box you will give up a lot of perimeter shots correct me if I am mistaken. Thanks.

Through play by play usually you can see a player defending most of the shots of a specific opponent, meanwhile all the others will defend different players.

It could not be that easy understand the pattern because of 2 things (in my opinion):
1) With substitution you may see something different according to different lineups
2) If the best scorer on the other team has a lot of PA, he won't necessarily shoot the ball too much. If the +1 is working properly, the best scorer may definitely consider passing the ball a better option that shooting over the +1 defender and the Box. In some games I saw the best scorer taking somewhere around 6-7 shots, and to me the explanation is the one above.


Honestly, it's hard to reply regarding perimeter shots. Unfortunately my experience about Boxes isn't enormous and, most of everything, it's hard to shuffle lineups in order to test everything in a good way.
If you're going to play a Box with a "standard" lineup, likely a big men or a SF will be the +1 (because of the sum of ID+SB+OD, which seems to be, without being 100% sure in all cases, the criteria) leaving 2 guards and 2 out of the 2 wings+C forming the Box. With a lineup like that, if you're facing a good offensive flow, you may see a lot of perimeter shots because of mismatches you may have on the perimeter.
Is that due to the Box himself or due to the lack of OD in maybe 2 of your elements of the Box (ex. 2 big men)?
Hard to tell. I'd really like to play a Box with 5 SF with a pretty good balance between OD and ID. I do believe it could work in a pretty good way in terms of limiting "easy" shots. But I'm speculating, cause unfortunately I hadn't the chance to run tests like that

Last edited by GM-samusaran (ITA-Staff) at 10/3/2018 10:57:48 AM

I had a stud of a two way defensive sf in my former team so I never really noticed the fifth player. If i wanted to stop a perimeter threat i would still play an outside box and not the other way around. To be honest and fair this defense is not really a go to defense. Its rarely used by top managers. I would still go for a defensive switch assignment or run a 3-2 even a 1-3-1 if i was really desperate to stop a perimeter threat. They Mods should really clarify it a bit more for all of our benefit. Or maybe highlight it in the play play as a double team that would make it easier i think.

That's true, more clarification would be good.

Talking about the +1, I'm otherwise fully convinced about what said before regarding inside and outside box, no particular doubts about that.

It's definitely not a go to defence, but it's hard to tell whether this is true because is less efficient regardless of players (as some offensive set, such as the isolations) or because of the poor interpretation of this strategy.
Exactly as the 3-2, absolutely not better than a m2m (I'm not talking about ratings) with unbalanced outside defenders or without proper big men

This is how it works.

Inside Box and One - 4 players stand near the painted area/free-throw area, and the best defender among the PG/SG/SF, locks down the best perimeter shooter of the opposing team. Best use against Look Inside/Low Post. Teams that rely heavily on their Cutters/Slashers (Driving), Post up players (Inside Shot), and Jump shooters (Jump Shot).

Outside Box and One - 4 players stand near arc/3pt. line, and the better defender between PF and C will protect the shaded area. Best use against Motion/Run and Gun. Teams that rely heavily on their outside shooters with PF as a stretch 4.