Statistics Glossary

Efficiency

Pace Possessions per game; how fast a team plays. Possessions aren't in the box score, so they're estimated as FGA − OffReb + TO + 0.475×FTA (the standard estimator). Each game's possession count is the average of the two teams' estimates (both teams have roughly the same number of possessions in a game), and pace is the season total of those estimates divided by games played. Higher is better Offensive Efficiency Points scored per 100 possessions. 100 × season points scored ÷ season possessions. Possessions aren't in the box score, so they're estimated as FGA − OffReb + TO + 0.475×FTA (the standard estimator). Dividing by possessions instead of games removes tempo: a fast team piles up points by playing more possessions, not necessarily by using them well. Higher is better Defensive Efficiency Points allowed per 100 possessions. 100 × season points allowed ÷ opponents' season possessions. Possessions aren't in the box score, so they're estimated as FGA − OffReb + TO + 0.475×FTA (the standard estimator). Per-possession accounting keeps a slow, stingy-looking defense and a fast, leaky-looking one on the same scale. Lower is better

Four Factors

Effective Field Goal Percentage Field-goal shooting that credits a 3-pointer as 1.5 made shots. (FGM + 0.5×3PM) ÷ FGA. A made three is worth 1.5 times a made two, so it counts as 1.5 makes; plain FG% undervalues teams that shoot a lot of threes. Higher is better Opponent Effective Field Goal Percentage Opponent eFG%; a defense's shot-quality suppression. (opponent FGM + 0.5×opponent 3PM) ÷ opponent FGA — effective field goal percentage computed on what opponents shot against this team. Lower is better Turnover Rate Share of possessions that end in a turnover. Season turnovers ÷ season possessions. Possessions aren't in the box score, so they're estimated as FGA − OffReb + TO + 0.475×FTA (the standard estimator). Lower is better Opponent Turnover Rate Share of opponent possessions a defense forces into turnovers. Opponents' season turnovers ÷ opponents' season possessions. Possessions aren't in the box score, so they're estimated as FGA − OffReb + TO + 0.475×FTA (the standard estimator). Higher is better Offensive Rebound Percentage Share of available offensive rebounds a team grabs. Own offensive rebounds ÷ (own offensive rebounds + opponents' defensive rebounds). The denominator is every rebound that was available on the team's own missed shots, so the stat isn't inflated just by missing more often. Higher is better Defensive Rebound Percentage Share of available defensive rebounds a team grabs. Own defensive rebounds ÷ (own defensive rebounds + opponents' offensive rebounds) — the share of opponent misses this team ends up securing. Higher is better Free Throw Rate Free throws made per field-goal attempt; how often a team gets to the line. FTM ÷ FGA. Made free throws (not attempts) over field-goal attempts, so it blends getting to the line with converting once there — the Four Factors variant. Higher is better Opponent Free Throw Rate Opponent free throws made per FGA; fouling tendency of a defense. Opponent FTM ÷ opponent FGA — how many free-throw points a defense gives up relative to the shots it forces opponents to take from the field. Lower is better

Shooting

True Shooting Percentage Scoring efficiency across 2s, 3s, and free throws combined. Points ÷ (2 × (FGA + 0.475×FTA)). The denominator estimates true scoring attempts: 0.475×FTA converts free-throw trips into the shot attempts they replaced. Unlike FG% or eFG%, it rewards drawing fouls. Higher is better Field Goal Percentage Higher is better Three-Point Percentage Higher is better Free Throw Percentage Higher is better Three-Point Attempt Rate Share of field-goal attempts taken from three. 3PA ÷ FGA. A shot-selection stat, not an accuracy stat — it says nothing about whether the threes go in. Higher is better

Rebounding

Total Rebound Percentage Share of all available rebounds a team grabs. (own offensive + defensive rebounds) ÷ all rebounds by both teams. A pace-proof alternative to rebounds per game. Higher is better Rebounds Per Game Higher is better Offensive Rebounds Per Game Higher is better Defensive Rebounds Per Game Higher is better

Playmaking

Assists Per Game Higher is better Assist-to-Turnover Ratio Assists divided by turnovers. Higher is better Assisted Field Goal Percentage Share of made field goals that were assisted. AST ÷ FGM. High values suggest ball movement and catch-and-shoot offense; low values suggest isolation scoring and shot creation off the dribble. Higher is better

Defense

Steal Rate Steals per opponent possession. Season steals ÷ opponents' season possessions. Possessions aren't in the box score, so they're estimated as FGA − OffReb + TO + 0.475×FTA (the standard estimator). Higher is better Block Percentage Share of opponent 2-point attempts blocked. BLK ÷ (opponent FGA − opponent 3PA). Only 2-point attempts are counted in the denominator because threes are almost never blocked. Higher is better Personal Fouls Per Game Lower is better