Question: is it illegal to play zone in the nba

Answer: No, Zone defenses are common in international, college, and youth competition. In the National Basketball Association, zone defenses were prohibited until the 2001--2002 season, and most teams do not use them as a primary defensive strategy. The NBA has a defensive three-second violation rule, which makes it more difficult for teams to play zone, since such defenses usually position a player in the middle of the key to stop penetration. The Dallas Mavericks under coach Rick Carlisle are an example of an NBA team that have regularly used zone defenses.