In basketball, “ISO” refers to “Isolation” or “Isolation Play,” which is a strategy used to create a one-on-one scoring opportunity. This typically involves isolating a player, usually a team’s best scorer, against an opposing defender in a situation where the offensive player has space to operate without interference from other defenders.
In an isolation play, the ball is passed to the player who is being isolated, and the defense is forced to play one-on-one. The player with the ball then uses their skills, such as dribbling, footwork, and finishing ability, to try to break down the defender and score, often through a drive to the basket or a jump shot.
Isolation plays are most commonly seen in the NBA with players who have elite ball-handling and scoring abilities, such as James Harden, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.
