An interactive guide to shooting efficiency
A made three counts as one basket, but puts three points on the board. Build two shooting lines and see what FG%, eFG% and true shooting reveal.
Step into the labAll examples are hypothetical. No live player data.
01 / Build the comparison
Pick a lesson, then edit the numbers. Results update as you type.
Both profiles make half their field goals. Profile B gets more points from the same number of attempts because more of its makes are threes.
Use whole numbers from 0 to 9,999. Makes cannot exceed attempts. 2P means twos only; 3P means threes only.
Hypothetical line
Enter a valid shooting line.
Share of field-goal attempts. Symbolic zones, not shot locations.
Free throws: —
—
Hypothetical line
Enter a valid shooting line.
Share of field-goal attempts. Symbolic zones, not shot locations.
Free throws: —
—
* TS% uses the conventional 0.44 free-throw adjustment. This is an approximation of shooting opportunities, not an exact possession count. See how it works below.
Read the difference
eFG% gives extra weight to made threes. It leaves free throws out.
In Profile B, change 3-point makes from 6 to 5. What happens to FG% and eFG%?
Inputs stay in this tab while you explore. Create a comparison link to keep them; reopening that link restores its saved state.
02 / Understand the numbers
Scoring totals tell you how much. Shooting percentages help explain how efficiently.
100 × FGM ÷ FGA
One made two and one made three each count as a made field goal. Free throws are separate.
FGM = 2PM + 3PM
FGA = 2PA + 3PA
100 × (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA
The extra half-credit for each made three accounts for its additional point. Free throws still sit outside this measure.
Equivalent to field-goal points ÷ (2 × FGA), expressed as a percentage.
100 × PTS ÷ [2 × (FGA + 0.44 × FTA)]
True shooting combines points from twos, threes and free throws with an estimated number of shooting opportunities.
PTS = 2 × 2PM + 3 × 3PM + FTM
Free throws do not all come from the same kind of play. Two-shot trips, three-shot fouls, and-ones and technical free throws do not map neatly to one attempt each.
The conventional 0.44 factor estimates their contribution to shooting opportunities. It does not reconstruct those plays, count exact possessions or include turnovers. A tiny sample can produce an unusual TS%, including a result above 100%.
Suppose a player makes 4 of 8 twos, 6 of 12 threes and 4 of 5 free throws.
These are invented teaching numbers. Percentages are rounded only for display.
03 / Keep the context
Two profiles can have the same percentages and very different point totals. Check attempts and minutes before comparing scoring roles.
One make can transform a single-game percentage. A longer stretch gives more context, but the quality of shots and opposition still matters.
Passing, turnovers, rebounding and defense are outside this lab. None of these shooting percentages is a complete player ranking.