Shot Clock gives you one list question a day and 100 seconds to answer it. The question is always something with a long, checkable answer - everyone who played under a given coach, everyone who faced a franchise in the playoffs, a draft class, a jersey number, the men who played alongside a particular star. Press start, then type players and hit enter. Every correct name adds five seconds to the clock, so a hot run genuinely extends the round; a wrong guess costs nothing at all beyond the seconds it took to type, which means guessing freely is a valid strategy rather than a punished one. A surname on its own is accepted whenever only one answer on today's list has it, and the full name always works. Naming a player you already have is a no-op, not a miss. Name half the list before the clock runs out and the day is a win - and when it ends, every name you missed is revealed.
Shot Clock is airball.gg's timed NBA list quiz. Every question is computed directly from our player database rather than written by hand, so the list is consistent by construction - a hand-written 'players with 20,000 points' would drift as the seasons run, and this one cannot. Questions are drawn from career totals, major awards and career feats, and each is only used on a day when its answer set lands in a playable range: big enough that clearing it is a real achievement, small enough that a good run makes a dent. Questions do not repeat within 90 days. Everyone in the world gets the same question each day.
Do I have to type the full name?
No. A surname is accepted whenever exactly one answer on today's list has it - so 'Olajuwon' is enough. If two players on the list share a surname, that surname is rejected rather than guessing which one you meant, and you can type the full name instead.
What happens if I guess wrong?
Nothing, beyond the seconds it took to type. There is no penalty and no life lost. The clock is the only currency in this game.
Can the clock go above 100 seconds?
Yes, up to a cap. Every correct answer adds five seconds, so a strong run genuinely buys itself more time - but the clock will not run away indefinitely.
How do I win?
Name half the list. That is deliberately generous: naming 25 of 50 NBA players against a clock is already a real result, and it keeps the daily sweep achievable alongside the other daily games.
Where do the questions come from?
Every question is computed from our own player database at generation time - who played alongside whom, who played under which coach, who faced which franchise in the playoffs, draft classes, jersey numbers and career milestones. Nothing is typed by hand, which is why the list is consistent rather than merely long. It is drawn from the players the site considers recognisable, so a genuine answer can sit outside it - name one and it is still accepted, as a deep cut. A question is only used on a day when its answer set falls inside a playable range, so you never get a list of eight names or a list of three hundred.
Does everyone get the same question?
Yes. Shot Clock is a daily game: every player in the world gets the same question on the same day, so scores are directly comparable and the puzzle is worth talking about. Questions do not repeat within 90 days.
What happens when the clock runs out?
The round ends and every name you missed is revealed underneath the ones you found, ordered from the most recognisable down. Most people learn more from that list than from the round itself - it is the part where you find out which obvious name you walked straight past.
Is there a way to practise?
Not yet - Shot Clock is one scored round a day, like the rest of the daily games. Your result banks points toward your player and counts toward the daily sweep.
Player stats, rosters, and career data reflect the most recently completed NBA season until the new season is underway.
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airball.gg is an unofficial fan project, not affiliated with, endorsed by, or licensed by the NBA, the NBPA, or any of their teams. Player names and statistics are historical public record, used for informational and entertainment purposes only. Simulated games, results, and stat lines are fictional.