How to Read NBA Stats: TS%, eFG%, Usage, PER, Plus-Minus and More

whynba publishes box scores, game logs, shot charts, splits and advanced metrics for every NBA game we hold. This guide explains what each number means, how it is calculated and how to compare players fairly.

Find the number you need: jump to box score basics, shooting efficiency, combining game percentages, advanced metrics or splits and game logs.

Put the definitions to work: browse NBA league leaders or compare NBA players side by side. Check the season, games played and whether each figure is a total or a per-game average before comparing.

Box score basics

MIN

Minutes played, shown as minutes:seconds in box scores and as a per-game average elsewhere.

PTS, REB, AST, STL, BLK, TO

Points, rebounds (offensive plus defensive), assists, steals, blocks and turnovers.

FG, 3P, FT

Field goals, three-pointers and free throws, written made-attempted (for example 14-27). A three-pointer is also a field goal.

+/−

Plus-minus: the team’s point differential while the player was on the court. It depends heavily on teammates and opponents, so read it over many games.

Double-double / triple-double

At least 10 in two (or three) of points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks in one game.

Shooting efficiency

FG%

Field goals made ÷ field goals attempted. It counts a three the same as a two.

eFG% (effective field goal percentage)

(FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA. It gives a made three 1.5 times the weight of a made two, because it is worth 1.5 times the points.

TS% (true shooting percentage)

PTS ÷ (2 × (FGA + 0.44 × FTA)). It measures shooting efficiency across twos, threes and free throws; it does not include assists or turnovers.

Multiply the shooting ratios above by 100 to express them as percentages.

Illustration only, not player data: two players each make 5 of 10 shots (50% FG%). If Player A makes five twos, his eFG% is 50%. If Player B makes three twos and two threes, his eFG% is (5 + 0.5 × 2) ÷ 10 × 100 = 60%, reflecting 12 points from the field instead of 10. eFG% excludes free throws; TS% includes them.

Try the interactive shooting efficiency lab: build two hypothetical shooting lines and change the twos, threes and free throws to see how FG%, eFG% and TS% respond. The lab explains the calculations and the limits of comparing players by shooting percentages alone.

Combining games: use the totals

Illustration only, not player data: for a combined FG%, add the makes and attempts first. Do not take a simple average of the game percentages. In this hypothetical two-game sample, 1-for-2 is 50% and 9-for-10 is 90%. Together, that is 10-for-12, or 83.3% when rounded to one decimal place, rather than 70%. The game with more attempts carries more weight.

Advanced metrics

USG% (usage rate)

The share of team possessions a player finishes with a shot, free throws or a turnover while on the court. Stars usually sit between 28% and 35%.

PER (player efficiency rating)

A per-minute summary of positive and negative box-score contributions, scaled so that the league average is 15.

ORtg / DRtg

Points produced (offensive rating) or allowed (defensive rating) per 100 possessions. For teams, net rating is ORtg minus DRtg. Check how the provider defines player ratings before comparing them across sites. An individual offensive-rating model can credit assists and offensive rebounds as well as scoring; it is not simply a player’s points per 100 possessions.

Pace

Possessions per 48 minutes. Compare per-game numbers across fast and slow teams with care.

Pace summarizes possessions per 48 minutes. To understand the clock within a possession, try the interactive shot-clock reset explorer: compare seven hypothetical rebound, out-of-bounds, foul and kicked-ball situations to see a reset to 24 seconds, 14 seconds or no reset. The examples assume more than 24 seconds remain in the period and fouls lead to a throw-in, with no free throws.

Game flow and clutch

Lead changes, times tied, largest lead, longest run

Computed from the full scoring log of a game. We only show them when the log adds up exactly to the final score.

Clutch

The last five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime with the score within five points before the play (the NBA definition). Clutch scoring counts the points scored in those moments.

Shot charts and zones

Each dot is one field-goal attempt: a filled circle for a make, an x for a miss. Zones follow the NBA’s basic areas: restricted area (within 4 feet of the rim), in the paint outside the restricted area, mid-range, corner three and above-the-break three. We only publish a game chart when its attempts, makes and threes match the stored whynba box score, and a season chart when its totals match (or come within three attempts of) the stored whynba season field goals. These are provider consistency checks, not comparisons with official NBA totals.

Splits and game logs

A game log lists every game with the player’s line. Splits average those games by situation: home or road, wins or losses, starter or bench, month, opponent and postseason. Small samples swing a lot; check the GP column before drawing conclusions.

Betting lines

Moneyline

American odds: −200 means you risk 200 to win 100; +165 means 100 wins 165.

Implied probability

The win chance the odds suggest, with the bookmaker’s margin removed so both sides add up to 100%.

Spread and total

The spread is the handicap the favorite must cover; the total is the combined points line for over/under.

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Where the numbers come from

Coverage includes game data, box scores, shot locations, lines and season statistics. Historical postseason results come from reviewed public sources.

For box scores, shot charts and season statistics, check which season and competition the figures cover. Keep regular-season and playoff samples separate, and compare the same type of measure: totals with totals, per-game averages with per-game averages. If a page provides a source or update time, use it to check how current the figures are; a missing value should not be treated as zero.

Reader update, October 7, 2026: added a worked example for combining shooting percentages across games.