> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.thesports.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.thesports.com/basketball/faq.md).

# FAQ

#### **How to identify the preseason, regular season, and playoffs?**

The **Match (recent)** API endpoint provides a `kind` field that indicates the type of match.

Note:

* `2` (Playoffs): A postseason tournament played after the regular season. For example, the NBA has a regular season followed by playoffs.
* `6` (Play-in tournament): Additional match or matches used to determine the remaining qualifying team or teams. For example, if a competition has three qualifying spots and two have already been determined, the remaining spot may be decided by an additional match between two teams.

***

#### **Why does a basketball match enter the in-progress state early?**

Basketball matches often include pre-game activities, so the actual tip-off may not occur at the scheduled time. To account for this, TheSports changes the match status to `2` (first quarter) approximately 10 to 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.


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