off-the-ball

Not possessing it

Off-the-ball describes movement or positioning in team sports when a player doesn't have possession.

Good off-the-ball movement creates passing options and opens space: She's always making clever off-the-ball runs.

The term appears most in soccer and basketball analysis, distinguishing what players do without the ball from their actions with it.

tactical

pressing

Requiring immediate attention

markingIndicating with symbols
trackingMonitoring location over time
closingFinal stage of something

covering · screening · shadowing · zonal · man-marking · interception · compactness · shape · block · transition

movement

run

Move swiftly on foot

positioningArranging in specific locations
spaceUnoccupied area or interval
timingArt of choosing moments

decoy · drift · rotation · channel · blindside · overlap · pulling · checking · ghosting · peeling

basketball

screen

Display or barrier

pickPointed breaking tool
cuttingDividing via sharp edge
backdoorHidden bypass mechanism

flare · curl · V-cut · L-cut · spacing · give-and-go · pick-and-roll · weak-side · denial · closeout

Opposites

ball possession status

off-the-ballon the ball

Alert and competent

dribbling · in control · passing · shooting

direct play involvement

off-the-balldribbling

Ball-handling with repeated touches

passing · shooting

directness of involvement in play

off-the-ballin the thick of it

Fully engaged amid activity

playmaking · orchestrating

Family

off, the, ball, balls, balled, balling

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