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Possessions
The possessions section in the markings response contains one object for each team possession in the game. A team possession starts when one team gets the ball and ends when they lose the ball or the period ends.
Overview
While a chance ends when the clock stops or a shot is taken, a possession does not end if the offense retains possession. A missed shot, offensive rebound, non-free-throw foul, inbound, and turnover can all be part of one possession even though they span multiple chances.
Possession counting stats are aggregated across all chances in the possession. Context fields such as possession_start_type, is_after_timeout, and start score come from the first chance in the possession. possession_outcome and possession_end_shot_clock come from the last chance.
Sample Response
json
{
"markings": {
"possessions": [
{
"defense_players": [
1630180,
1630529,
1630530,
1642847,
1642852
],
"defensive_team_id_nba": 1610612740,
"end_game_clock": 708.0,
"end_he_frame": 806,
"end_wall_clock": "2025-12-23T01:10:47.889+00:00",
"fg_dreb": 0,
"fg_oreb": 0,
"fga": 1,
"fga_pts": 2,
"fgm": 1,
"fta": 0,
"ftm": 0,
"game_id_nba": "0022500404",
"in_garbage_time": false,
"is_after_timeout": true,
"offense_players": [
1629023,
1642843,
1642948,
203076,
1630230
],
"offensive_team_id_nba": 1610612742,
"period": 1,
"points": 2,
"possession_end_shot_clock": 13.0,
"possession_id_ctg": "possession_640fb5737252cbe98b4f4a70dcee9d8f",
"possession_outcome": "fg2m",
"possession_start_type": "jump_ball",
"start_game_clock": 720.0,
"start_he_frame": 118,
"start_score_away": 0,
"start_score_def": 0,
"start_score_home": 0,
"start_score_off": 0,
"start_wall_clock": "2025-12-23T01:10:36.423+00:00",
"total_paint_touches": 0,
"tov": 0
}
]
}
}Fields
Identifiers
game_id_nba
Type: string
NBA game ID.
possession_id_ctg
Type: string
CTG-generated unique possession ID.
offensive_team_id_nba
Type: integer
NBA team ID of the offensive team.
defensive_team_id_nba
Type: integer
NBA team ID of the defensive team.
Players
offense_players
Type: array[integer]
NBA player IDs for players who appeared on offense in any chance within the possession. This can contain more than five players if substitutions or multiple chances occur within the possession.
defense_players
Type: array[integer]
NBA player IDs for players who appeared on defense in any chance within the possession. This can contain more than five players if substitutions or multiple chances occur within the possession.
Timing
period
Type: integer
Period in which the possession occurred. Overtime is period 5, double overtime is period 6, and so on.
start_he_frame
Type: integer
Hawk-Eye frame when the possession began.
end_he_frame
Type: integer
Hawk-Eye frame when the possession ended.
start_wall_clock
Type: string
UTC timestamp when the possession began.
end_wall_clock
Type: string
UTC timestamp when the possession ended.
start_game_clock
Type: float
Game clock when the possession began.
end_game_clock
Type: float
Game clock when the possession ended.
possession_end_shot_clock
Type: float | null
Shot clock at the end of the last chance in the possession. This is null if the shot clock is unavailable at the end of the possession.
Context
possession_start_type
Type: string
How the possession began, taken from the chance_start_type of the first chance in the possession. See the chances documentation for possible values.
possession_outcome
Type: string
How the possession ended, taken from the chance_outcome of the last chance in the possession. See the chances documentation for possible values.
is_after_timeout
Type: boolean
true if the first chance of the possession immediately follows a timeout.
in_garbage_time
Type: boolean
true if the first chance of the possession occurred during garbage time. See the chances documentation for the definition of garbage time.
Score
start_score_home
Type: integer
Score of the home team at the start of the possession.
start_score_away
Type: integer
Score of the away team at the start of the possession.
start_score_off
Type: integer
Score of the offensive team at the start of the possession.
start_score_def
Type: integer
Score of the defensive team at the start of the possession.
Possession Totals
points
Type: integer
Total points scored by the offensive team during the possession, including field goals and free throws.
fgm
Type: integer
Total field goals made across all chances in the possession.
fga
Type: integer
Total field goal attempts across all chances in the possession.
fga_pts
Type: integer
Total points scored on field goal attempts across all chances in the possession. Free throws are not included.
ftm
Type: integer
Total free throws made across all chances in the possession.
fta
Type: integer
Total free throw attempts across all chances in the possession.
tov
Type: integer
Total turnovers across all chances in the possession.
fg_dreb
Type: integer
Total defensive rebounds on field goal attempts across all chances in the possession.
fg_oreb
Type: integer
Total offensive rebounds on field goal attempts across all chances in the possession.
total_paint_touches
Type: integer
Total number of possession touches that had a paint touch.