NBA Data
Before writing queries, consult references/api-reference.md for endpoints, ID conventions, and data shapes.
Setup
Before first use, check if the CLI is available:
which sports-skills || pip install sports-skills
If pip install fails with a Python version error, the package requires Python 3.10+. Find a compatible Python:
python3 --version
No API keys required.
Quick Start
Prefer the CLI — it avoids Python import path issues:
sports-skills nba get_scoreboard
sports-skills nba get_standings --season=2025
sports-skills nba get_teams
CRITICAL: Before Any Query
CRITICAL: Before calling any data endpoint, verify:
- Season year is derived from the system prompt's
currentDate — never hardcoded.
- If only a team name is provided, call
get_teams to resolve the team ID before using team-specific commands.
Choosing the Season
Derive the current year from the system prompt's date (e.g., currentDate: 2026-02-18 → current year is 2026).
- If the user specifies a season, use it as-is.
- If the user says "current", "this season", or doesn't specify: The NBA season runs October–June. If the current month is October–December, the active season year matches the current year. If January–June, the active season started the previous calendar year (use that year as the season).
Commands
| Command |
Description |
get_scoreboard |
Live/recent NBA scores |
get_standings |
Standings by conference |
get_teams |
All 30 NBA teams |
get_team_roster |
Full roster for a team |
get_team_schedule |
Schedule for a specific team |
get_game_summary |
Detailed box score and scoring plays |
get_leaders |
NBA statistical leaders |
get_news |
NBA news articles |
get_play_by_play |
Full play-by-play for a game |
get_win_probability |
Win probability chart data |
get_schedule |
Schedule for a specific date or season |
get_injuries |
Injury reports across all teams |
get_transactions |
Recent transactions |
get_futures |
Futures/odds markets |
get_depth_chart |
Depth chart for a team |
get_team_stats |
Team statistical profile |
get_player_stats |
Player statistical profile |
See references/api-reference.md for full parameter lists and return shapes.
Examples
Example 1: Today's scores
User says: "What are today's NBA scores?"
Actions:
- Call
get_scoreboard()
Result: All live and recent NBA games with scores and status
Example 2: Conference standings
User says: "Show me the Western Conference standings"
Actions:
- Derive season year from
currentDate
- Call
get_standings(season=<derived_year>)
- Filter results for Western Conference
Result: Western Conference standings table with W-L, PCT, GB per team
Example 3: Team roster
User says: "Who's on the Lakers roster?"
Actions:
- Call
get_team_roster(team_id="13")
Result: Full Lakers roster with name, position, jersey number, height, weight
Example 4: Game box score
User says: "Show me the full box score for last night's Celtics game"
Actions:
- Call
get_scoreboard(date="<yesterday>") to find the event_id
- Call
get_game_summary(event_id=<id>) for full box score
Result: Complete box score with per-player stats and scoring plays
Example 5: Injury report
User says: "Who's injured on the Lakers?"
Actions:
- Call
get_injuries()
- Filter results for Los Angeles Lakers (team_id=13)
Result: Lakers injury list with player name, position, status, and injury type
Example 6: Player statistics
User says: "Show me LeBron's stats this season"
Actions:
- Derive season year from
currentDate
- Call
get_player_stats(player_id="1966", season_year=<derived_year>)
Result: Season stats by category with value, rank, and per-game averages
Commands that DO NOT exist — never call these
get_oddsget_betting_oddssearch_teamsget_teams instead.get_box_scoreget_game_summary instead.get_player_ratingsget_player_stats instead.
If a command is not listed in the Commands table above, it does not exist.
Error Handling
When a command fails, do not surface raw errors to the user. Instead:
- Catch silently and try alternatives
- If team name given instead of ID, use
get_teams to find the ID first
- Only report failure with a clean message after exhausting alternatives
Troubleshooting
Error: sports-skills command not found
Cause: Package not installed
Solution: Run pip install sports-skills
Error: Team not found by ID
Cause: Wrong or outdated ESPN team ID used
Solution: Call get_teams to get the current list of all 30 NBA teams with their IDs
Error: No data returned for a future game
Cause: ESPN only returns data for completed or in-progress games
Solution: Use get_schedule to see upcoming game details; get_scoreboard only covers active/recent games
Error: Offseason — scoreboard returns 0 events
Cause: No games scheduled during the offseason (July–September)
Solution: Use get_standings or get_news instead; use get_schedule to find when the season resumes
