<p>asketball looks simple until you know what you’re watching. The five positions (point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and centre) carry different jobs that fit together.</p> <p>Learn those roles and the game reads cleaner. Suddenly it will all make sense and you will understand why a coach picks a lineup, why a player thrives in a certain spot, how a team bends a matchup to its advantage.</p> <p>As you read this guide to the different positions on the basketball court, keep in mind that today’s NBA is flexible. Players slide across roles, lineups change by the minute, and skills matter more than labels.</p> <p>This guide breaks down each position, how responsibilities are evolving, and where Australian players fit in. Understanding these positions can significantly improve your grasp of our <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba">NBA tips</a> and the <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/basketball-us/nba">latest NBA odds</a>, providing a deeper insight into game dynamics and <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/punter-iq/guide/how-to-bet-on-the-nba">how to bet on NBA games</a>.</p> <h2>What Are the Five Positions in Basketball?</h2> <p>Teams use five core positions, numbered 1 to 5: point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward, and centre. Together they run offence, protect the rim, and control pace.</p> <h3>Point Guard: The Floor General</h3> <p>The point guard (1) is the organiser and first decision-maker. They bring the ball up, call the set, and get teammates into their spots. Good ones see the next pass before the defence reacts, and they set the tempo so the game plays on their terms.</p> <p>Point guards live at the top of the floor. They attack downhill off ball screens, collapse the paint, and kick to shooters.</p> <p>When the defence goes under, they punish with pull-ups. When the defence switches, they hunt the weak link or feed the mismatch inside. Off the ball, modern ones relocate to the arc and space the floor so the lane stays open.</p> <p>Defensively, they set the tone. Pressure the ball, blow up handoffs, and steer drivers into help. Communication matters. The point guard calls coverages, points teammates where to go, and finishes possessions with a clean outlet so the break starts on time.</p> <p><strong>Key responsibilities include:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Run the offence and control tempo</li> <li>Create advantages out of pick-and-roll</li> <li>Deliver shooters and bigs into high-value shots</li> <li>Keep the opposing guard out of rhythm<br /> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <h3>Shooting Guard: The Scorer</h3> <p>The shooting guard (2) is the perimeter finisher. They score off movement, hit jumpers under pressure, and create when the set breaks down.</p> <p>Footwork is the separator here; curl, fade, sprint to the corner, square in the air, and shoot on balance.</p> <p>In modern spacing, the 2 guards the arc and the nail. They read close-outs, attack the top shoulder, pull up in mid-range, or drive all the way if the lane opens.</p> <p>They spend possessions without the ball, running defenders through screens, then explode into daylight for clean looks. When the point guard sits, many 2s slide into secondary handling and keep the structure intact.</p> <p>Defensively, they often take the best perimeter scorer. That means fighting through screens, contesting without fouling, and helping at the elbows to clog driving lanes.</p> <p><strong>Key responsibilities include:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Generate points from three and mid-range</li> <li>Move without the ball and punish close-outs</li> <li>Share handling when needed</li> <li>Guard high-usage perimeter threats<br /> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <h3>Small Forward: The All-Rounder</h3> <p>The small forward (3) ties groups together. They switch across matchups, rebound in traffic, and create when the clock gets low. Offensively they can play on the wing or the elbow. Hit spot-ups, attack close-outs, run second-side pick-and-roll, and cut behind ball-watching defenders.</p> <p>Size and agility make this spot a matchup problem. Too small and they score over the top. Too big and they drive past. Coaches use the 3 to smooth lineups: speed groups that fly in transition or heavier units that grind half-court possessions.</p> <p>On defence the 3 plugs gaps. They tag rollers, stunt at drivers, recover to shooters, and finish with a contested board. Versatility is the value. They let teams switch actions without breaking shape.</p> <p><strong>Key responsibilities include:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Score from multiple spots and attack second-side</li> <li>Rebound against bigger bodies</li> <li>Guard across positions and switch actions</li> <li>Create late in possessions when sets stall<br /> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <h3>Power Forward: The Inside–Outside Threat</h3> <p>The power forward (4) blends power with touch. Traditional 4s lived on the block. Modern 4s still screen and post, but they also space to the arc, run dribble-handoffs, and punish switches with duck-ins. That inside–outside mix is what stretches a defence thin.</p> <p>On offence they set angles in pick-and-roll, short-roll into the lane, and make the extra pass to the corner. If the defence helps off them, they shoot.</p> <p>If a smaller defender switches, they seal and score. They are often the best screeners in the lineup, which frees ball-handlers and opens driving lanes.</p> <p>Defensively they bang inside, but they also have to move. Show on screens, recover to shooters, and keep drivers in front long enough for help to arrive. The best 4s change shots at the rim, then sprint the floor to create early seals in transition.</p> <p><strong>Key responsibilities include:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Finish in the paint and space to the arc</li> <li>Set solid screens and read short-rolls</li> <li>Control the glass on both ends</li> <li>Guard bigs and survive switches on smaller players<br /> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <h3>Centre: The Big Anchor</h3> <p>The centre (5) anchors the paint. Think rim protection, rebounds, and efficient finishing at close range. This position often features <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nba/nba-news/tallest-nba-players">some of the tallest NBA players</a>, who use their height to dominate the paint.</p> <p>Offensively it is rolls, seals, post seals after switches, and quick decisions on the short roll. A good 5 turns two-point shots into high-percentage looks and creates second chances with put-backs.</p> <p>Spacing has changed the job. Many centres now trail into pick-and-pop threes or handle at the elbow, hitting cutters when defenders ball-watch. Screening angles matter. A well-set screen is a free throw for a shooter and a layup for a cutter.</p> <p>On defence the 5 is the last line. Meet drivers outside the charge circle, contest vertical, and clean the glass. Communication is constant. Call screens, direct guards over or under, and organise late-clock switches so nothing comes easy at the rim.</p> <p><strong>Key responsibilities include:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Protect the rim and finish efficiently</li> <li>Dominate defensive and offensive boards</li> <li>Set physical, legal screens to free teammates</li> <li>Orchestrate back-line coverage and late switches</li> </ul> <h2>How Positions Change in Modern NBA</h2> <p>The league keeps moving toward positionless basketball, meaning skills stretch across roles, and coaches pick lineups by task rather than title.</p> <p>In positionless basketball:</p> <ul> <li>Guards rebound, post smaller defenders, and switch on wings.</li> <li>Forwards handle the ball, run second-side actions, and space the floor.</li> <li>Centres step out to pop, defend in space, and pass from the elbow or short roll.<br /> &nbsp;</li> </ul> <p>Sure - we still use labels as they help frame responsibilities. But matchups, pace, and game state decide who does what on a given possession.</p> <h2>Notable Australian NBA Players by Position</h2> <p>Australia’s guards have set the tone for a decade. Patty Mills became the model for movement shooting and leadership, lifting second units and closing lineups with the same calm.</p> <p>Dante Exum added size and slashing to the backcourt, handling bigger assignments and attacking gaps off the dribble. Josh Giddey leads the new wave, a tall playmaker who rebounds, pushes the break, and creates shots without rushing the game.</p> <p>On the wing, Joe Ingles showed how spacing and feel can knit an offence together. He reads the floor, makes the extra pass, and hits timely threes, which lets coaches run more complex sets.</p> <p>Josh Green brings pace and defence, turning stops into easy points and finishing in traffic. Dyson Daniels profiles as a switchable stopper whose offence keeps growing, the kind of wing who raises a team’s defensive ceiling straight away.</p> <p>Up front, Ben Simmons operates as a point forward, using size and vision to create mismatches and trigger fast breaks. Aron Baynes gave teams a reliable interior presence, screening with force, protecting the paint, and owning the glass.</p> <p>Jock Landale fits today’s five: mobile enough to guard in space, strong at the rim, and comfortable making quick reads on the short roll.</p> <h2>Frequently Asked Questions</h2> <h3>What does a point guard do, and why is decision-making so important?</h3> <p>They run the offence, set tempo, and choose when to push or slow. They handle the ball most, get teammates organised, and read coverage quickly so the right shot appears at the right time.</p> <h3>What sets a shooting guard apart?</h3> <p>They drive perimeter scoring. Movement, footwork, and tough shot-making define the role. Many also handle in stretches and take hard perimeter assignments on defence.</p> <h3>How does the small forward’s versatility help a team?</h3> <p>They bridge groups. Switch across positions, rebound, and create when the set stalls. That flexibility lets coaches toggle between fast lineups and half-court control without heavy substitutions.</p> <h3>What distinguishes a power forward, and what do they contribute?</h3> <p>They screen, finish, rebound, and now space. The mix of power and mobility bends matchups and opens lanes for guards and wings.</p> <h3>How does a centre anchor defence, and what is their offensive value?</h3> <p>They protect the rim, clean the glass, and finish efficiently. Many also pop to space, pass on the short roll, and set angles that free scorers.</p> <h3>Do positions still affect scoring chances in today’s NBA?</h3> <p>Yes, but less strictly. Guards take more perimeter shots, bigs finish inside, and wings fill the gaps. Schemes blur the lines, so skills and matchups matter more than titles.</p>