Live Games on NBAPlayDB: Real-Time Clips and Mixtapes
Browse live NBA game clips as they happen. Learn how live data works, how live and standard mixtapes differ, and the best workflow for creating highlight reels.
NBAPlayDB lets you watch NBA plays as they happen. The Live page shows real-time play-by-play clips from games currently in progress.
How the Live Page Works
When NBA games are live, the Live page displays all active games with scores, periods, and play counts. Select a game to see its play-by-play feed. Just like the search page, there are many filters available to narrow down videos while a game is live — easily find your target clips and start building highlight reels.
The page auto-refreshes periodically so you always see the latest plays without reloading.
The Live page only shows data when NBA games are in progress.
Live Data vs Standard Data
Live play data comes directly from the NBA's real-time feed. This means:
- Play descriptions may be updated or corrected after the fact
- Scores and stats can change as the NBA reviews plays
- Some video clips may be replaced or become unavailable
After a game ends, the corrected and verified data is added to the search page — this is what is referred to as standard data. Once a game's data is finalized and moved to the search page, it is removed from the Live page.
Live data may contain errors. For final, verified play data, use the search page after games end.
Live Mixtapes vs Standard Mixtapes
Each mixtape has a type — either live or standard. A mixtape can only contain clips of the same type. Live clips and standard clips cannot be combined in the same mixtape.
- Standard mixtapes contain plays from the search page (verified data)
- Live mixtapes contain plays from the live page (real-time data)
On the mixtapes page, live mixtapes are marked with a Live badge so they can be told apart at a glance.
If combining live and standard clips in the same mixtape is a feature you need, please fill out the feedback form and reach out.
Recommended Workflow
If the game is still in progress:
Use the Live page to browse real-time play-by-play clips. Add the plays you want to a live mixtape and download your highlight reel from there.
If the game has already finished:
Once a game is finalized, its data is added to the search page and removed from the Live page. Use the search page to browse verified plays and create a standard mixtape.
Getting Started
Head to the Live page next time NBA games are on. Select a game, browse the plays, and start building your first live mixtape.