Killing the clock

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Killing the clock (alternatively time wasting, milking the clock, or garbage time) is a term used in timed sports such as Australian rules football, soccer, American football or basketball to indicate a strategy by a leading team to stall until time runs out when the score is close, thus preventing the opposing team from tying or taking the lead towards the end of the game. This is usually done by playing conservatively, passing to each other, not attempting to attack and not risking the loss of ball possession.

The strategy can be detrimental to the game, so efforts are taken to prevent a team overusing it.

In basketball, a shot clock is implemented so that a field goal has to be attempted within a time frame (24 seconds in the NBA and international basketball). Killing the clock is still possible by using up all the allowed time before attempting any shot, therefore reducing the number of possessions left (and chances for the opponent to score) in the game. To avoid it, a trailing team may opt to foul intentionally (especially at the college level). This lets the opponents have free throws but with the clock stopped.

In soccer, a referee can call a violation if the team is obviously killing the clock; in matches where a single game ball is used, a common tactic is to kick the ball into the stands, as the clock does not stop while the ball is being retrieved.

The Arena Football League, the most prominent of several leagues in indoor American football, and its official minor league, af2, stop the clock in the last minute of the fourth quarter if the offensive team has the lead and fails to advance the ball past the line of scrimmage.

See also: Stalling (gaming)