---
title: "Who played in an NBA game (box-score derived availability)"
method: GET
path: "/v1/nba/games/{id}/availability"
tags: ["nba"]
---

# Who played in an NBA game (box-score derived availability)

`GET /v1/nba/games/{id}/availability`

## Request

- Base URL: `https://api.bigballsdata.com`
- URL: `https://api.bigballsdata.com/v1/nba/games/{id}/availability`
- Auth: one of:
  - API key in header `x-api-key`
  - HTTP bearer

Home/away player arrays with `min_played` and a derived `played`
boolean, from post-game box scores. Self-teaching: every response's
`meta` block carries these same semantics so the payload explains
itself.

- `data_type: post_game_participation`: this is "who played", a
  strong historical availability signal for modeling. It is NOT a
  pre-tip lineup (for true pre-tip lineups, 2025-26 onward, use
  /v1/nba/games/{id}/lineups).
- Semantics: arrays contain ONLY players who logged minutes. A
  player who is absent did not play: DNP (coach decision),
  inactive, or injured, and this endpoint cannot distinguish those
  reasons. Absence never appears as `played: false`.
- Coverage: seasons 2019-20 through 2025-26 (box-score era). Games
  before 2019-10-22, preseason and All-Star games are not covered.
- For true pre-tip availability on current and upcoming games,
  cross-reference GET /v1/injuries?sport=nba (league-wide active
  injury reports) or GET /v1/players/{id}/injury. Historical
  pre-tip injury reports do not exist at our source.
- `starter` is true/false only for games with lineup coverage
  (2025-26 onward), null for earlier games; historical starter data
  does not exist at our source and we will not fabricate it.

`id` accepts a canonical match UUID or a 10-digit numeric game id
(bridged via the games list's `match_id`). A real game outside
coverage returns 200 with empty arrays and
`meta.availability_available: false`; 404 only when the id resolves
to nothing.

## Path parameters

- `id` string, required

## Response `200`

ok

- object
  - `data` object
    - `game` object
      - `match_id` string, uuid, nullable
      - `game_id` string, nullable: 10-digit numeric id when bridged
      - `game_date` string, date, nullable
      - `season_year` integer, nullable: Season start year (2022 = 2022-23)
      - `postseason` boolean, nullable
      - `home` object
        - `team_id` string, uuid, nullable
        - `name` string, nullable
      - `away` object
        - `team_id` string, uuid, nullable
        - `name` string, nullable
    - `home` object[]
      - `player_id` string, uuid
      - `name` string, nullable
      - `min_played` integer, nullable: Whole minutes played
      - `played` boolean: min_played > 0. Always true in practice; zero-minute players have no box-score row and are absent
      - `starter` boolean, nullable: Only set for games with lineup coverage (2025-26 onward)
    - `away` object[]
      - `player_id` string, uuid
      - `name` string, nullable
      - `min_played` integer, nullable
      - `played` boolean
      - `starter` boolean, nullable
  - `meta` object
    - `availability_available` boolean
    - `coverage` string: Real season range: 2019-20 through 2025-26 (box-score era)
    - `data_type` 'post_game_participation': Always post_game_participation, never a pre-tip lineup
    - `semantics` string: Plain-language contract: arrays hold only players who logged minutes; absence = DNP/inactive/injured, indistinguishable here
    - `for_true_availability` string: Where to get pre-tip availability for current/upcoming games (/v1/injuries?sport=nba, /v1/players/{id}/injury)
    - `starter_coverage` string: starter flags exist 2025-26 onward only; null for historical games
    - `players_unassigned` integer
    - `reason` string: Present only on empty responses, explains why

## Other responses

- `400`: id is neither a match UUID nor a 10-digit numeric game id
- `404`: game not found

---

[API](https://skmtc.dev/bigballsdata/apis/big-ball-sports-api.md) · [All operations](https://skmtc.dev/bigballsdata/apis/big-ball-sports-api/llms.txt) · [OpenAPI document](https://skmtc.dev/bigballsdata/apis/big-ball-sports-api/revisions/31fb54ac414e?raw)