AUTHOR=Feu Sebastián , García-Ceberino Juan Manuel , López-Sierra Pablo , Ibáñez Sergio José 
  
TITLE=Game load dynamics in basketball: influence of playing position and match progression
  
JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology
  
VOLUME=Volume 17 - 2026
  
YEAR=2026
  
URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2026.1713000
  
DOI=10.3389/fphys.2026.1713000
  
ISSN=1664-042X
  
ABSTRACT=ObjectivesThis study explored the variability of internal and external load in professional basketball as a function of playing position and match quarter.MethodsFourteen ACB League players were monitored across three official games using ultra-wideband tracking and inertial measurement units (113 observations). Linear mixed-effects models assessed the influence of match progression and positional roles on kinematic, neuromuscular, and physiological load variables.ResultsExternal load indicators, specifically total distance covered (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.172), neuromuscular load (p < 0.001; ηp2 = 0.178), and high-intensity actions (p = 0.038; ηp2 = 0.030), declined progressively from the first to later quarters, confirming that the opening quarter imposes the highest physical demands. Guards performed more high-intensity actions per minute than centers (p = 0.045; ηp2 = 0.473). High inter-individual variability across several variables further supported the need for individualized monitoring.ConclusionsThese findings emphasize the importance of considering both match progression and positional roles when designing training programs. Understanding how load fluctuates across quarters could help coaches optimize periodization, adjust substitution strategies, and develop conditioning plans that had better reflect the repeated high-intensity efforts required in professional basketball.