Reading basketball stats can be a bit tricky at first, but once you understand the basics, it becomes much easier to interpret a player’s performance in a game. Here’s a breakdown of the most common stats you’ll encounter:
Basic Stats
1. Points (PTS): The total number of points a player scores during the game. Points can come from field goals (2 or 3 points) or free throws (1 point).
2. Field Goals Made (FGM) and Field Goals Attempted (FGA): These stats show how many field goals (baskets) a player made and how many they attempted. This helps determine a player’s shooting efficiency.
– Field Goal Percentage (FG%) is calculated as (FGM/FGA) × 100. A higher percentage is better.
3. Three-Point Field Goals Made (3PM) and Three-Point Field Goals Attempted (3PA): These stats show the number of three-pointers a player made and attempted. The percentage is calculated the same way as FG%, but for three-point shots.
– Three-Point Percentage (3P%) = (3PM/3PA) × 100.
4. Free Throws Made (FTM) and Free Throws Attempted (FTA): These stats show how many free throws a player made and how many they attempted.
– Free Throw Percentage (FT%) = (FTM/FTA) × 100.
5. Rebounds (REB): The total number of rebounds a player collects during the game. Rebounds are categorized into:
– Offensive Rebounds (OREB): Rebounds collected on the offensive end.
– Defensive Rebounds (DREB): Rebounds collected on the defensive end.
– Total Rebounds (TREB): The sum of both offensive and defensive rebounds.
6. Assists (AST): The total number of times a player passes the ball to a teammate who then scores a field goal.
7. Steals (STL): The number of times a player takes the ball away from an opponent.
8. Blocks (BLK): The number of times a player deflects or stops an opponent’s field goal attempt.
9. Turnovers (TO): The number of times a player loses possession of the ball to the opposing team.
10. Personal Fouls (PF): The total number of fouls a player commits during the game.
Advanced Stats
1. Plus/Minus (+/-): This shows the point differential when a player is on the court. If a player’s team scores more points than the opposing team while they’re on the floor, their plus/minus will be positive, and vice versa. A high plus/minus indicates a player contributes positively to the team’s performance.
2. Minutes Played (MIN): The total number of minutes a player spends on the court during the game.
3. Player Efficiency Rating (PER): A per-minute rating that summarizes a player’s statistical accomplishments in one number. It takes into account all areas of a player’s performance, including scoring, passing, rebounding, and defense.
4. Usage Rate (USG%): This stat indicates the percentage of team plays a player is involved in while on the court, helping to show how much a player is contributing to the offense.
5. True Shooting Percentage (TS%): This stat adjusts shooting efficiency to account for both field goals and free throws, providing a more accurate picture of shooting efficiency than just FG%.
6. Assist-to-Turnover Ratio (AST/TO): A ratio of how many assists a player gets compared to how many turnovers they commit. A higher ratio is better, as it shows a player is creating opportunities without giving up the ball.
7. Defensive Rating (DRtg): This is a metric used to estimate a player’s defensive performance, representing the number of points allowed per 100 possessions when the player is on the floor.
8. Offensive Rating (ORtg): A statistic that estimates how many points a player produces per 100 possessions when on the court.
How to Read Them in Context
– Efficiency: Field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, and free throw percentage help gauge how efficiently a player is scoring. A high percentage is always a good sign.
– Contribution: Stats like points, assists, rebounds, and steals help determine how much a player is contributing across multiple areas.
– Defensive Impact: Stats like steals, blocks, and defensive rating give insight into how well a player defends. A good defender can impact the game in many ways beyond scoring.
– Balance: A player who scores a lot but also gets a good number of assists and rebounds is more valuable than a player who only scores but doesn’t contribute in other areas.
Once you understand the basics of these statistics, you can get a clearer picture of how a player is performing and how they fit into the team’s strategy.
