What is a general definition of statistics for basketball
Statistics comprises different categories of numerical data that could be utilized to display the overall performance of an individual player or several players on a team.
In addition to that, statistics could potentially display a player or team’s total numbers from one or more specific games or even the average numbers over multiple games.
Furthermore, statistics could be possibly declared with several kinds of abbreviations, which are typically represented as letters in addition to other symbols that initially have a relation to a distinct word or phrase.
It should also be noted that the vast majority of statistics are typically documented by an official scorer, especially within organized basketball games.
What are examples of the most common types of basketball statistics
The common types of basketball statistics include categories such as points, field goals, free throws, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, and turnovers among others.
Moreover, the statistical categories of minutes, points, field goals, three-pointers, free throws, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals, turnovers, and personal fouls are commonly listed within the box score, which is a document that displays the most notable aspects of player and team performance within one particular game.
Assists
Assists, usually abbreviated as AST, shows the total number of assists that a player or team achieved within a single game or within multiple games over the course of one or more seasons.
Generally speaking, if an individual player gets credited with an assist, it means that player executed the last pass to a teammate who immediately scored points near the basket or near the perimeter areas of the court.
Also, in terms of basketball positions, the point guard would generally lead the team in assists or at least be one of the top three players on the team for total assists.
Assist to turnover
Assist to turnover, commonly shown as AST/TO, displays a ratio between a player or team’s assist numbers compared to that same player or team’s turnover numbers within a single game or within multiple games over at least one season.
As a simple example of the assist to turnover ratio, let’s say that an individual player has 10 assists and 5 turnovers. As a result, that player’s assist to turnover ratio could be displayed as 10 to 5, 10:5, or 10/5.
However, a player or team’s assist to turnover ratio would most likely be displayed as a positive real number, particularly as a whole number or as a decimal number.
So, for the previous example, if the player had 10 assists and 5 turnovers, then that player’s assist to turnover ratio could be simply declared as 2. This means that for every 2 assists, the player would make 1 turnover, which is also a ratio of 2 to 1, 2:1, or 2/1.
Likewise, if the player had 15 assists and 10 turnovers, the assist to turnover ratio could be shown as 1.5. This means for every 1.5 (or one and a half) assists, the player made one turnover.
Additionally, as a side note, good basketball teams should generally strive for a 2 to 1 assist to turnover ratio if possible. Moreover, a player in the position of point guard should also consider at least a 2 to 1 ratio as well.
Nevertheless, if a point guard could achieve an assist to turnover ratio of at least a 3 to 1 ratio or higher, then that would essentially be elite status for that particular basketball position.
Blocks
Blocks, typically abbreviated as BLK, showcases the total number of blocked shots that a player or team achieved within one or more games over the course of one or more seasons.
Blocked shots occur when a defensive player is able to use one or both hands to nullify an offensive player’s shot attempt, usually while the basketball is in mid-flight on an upward trajectory, typically towards the rim.
A blocked shot could also happen even if an offensive player is not necessarily able to release the ball so that it achieves mid-air flight status.
As long as the defender is able to get at least one hand on the basketball to ultimately negate the shot attempt, then it is very likely that the defensive player would be credited with a block, assuming there is not a defensive foul, especially a shooting foul, prior to or during the blocking action.
It is also worth mentioning that blocks are usually achieved by post players such as power forwards and centers.
Nevertheless, it is still possible for non-post players such as the point guard, shooting guard, or small forward to block shots of opposing players on one or more occasions.
Field goal
The field goal statistical category generally consists of various sub-categories such as field goals made, field goals attempted, and field goal percentage.
Moreover, the field goal category could be potentially broken down into additional sub-categories such as two-point field goals made, two-point field goals attempted, two-point field goal percentage, three-point field goals made, three-point field goals attempted, and three-point field goal percentage as well.
Field goals made, which could be abbreviated as FGM, shows the number of two-point and/or three-point shots that a player or team made within a single game or within multiple games of a particular season. It is also possible to show an average number of made field goals from at least two games as well.
Field goals attempted, which could be declared as FGA, shows the number of two-point and/or three-point shots that a player or team attempted within a single game or within several games of a certain season. Additionally, statistics could possibly show an average number of attempts over the course of two or more games as well.
Field goal percentage, typically shown as FG%, shows the number of field goals that a player or team made in relation to the total number of attempts within one or more games. Additionally, field goal percentage could be displayed as an average number of makes versus average number of attempts over multiple games.
Free throw
The free throw statistical category is similar to the field goal category in that it typically comprises several sub-categories, which usually include free throws made, free throws attempted, and free throw percentage.
Free throws made, which could be represented as FTM, consists of the number of free throws that a player or team made within one or more games. Free throws made could also be shown as an average number over two or more games.
Free throws attempted, typically denoted as FTA, comprises the number of free throws that a player or team attempted within one or more games. Free throws attempted could also be possibly displayed as an average number over two or more games.
Free throw percentage, commonly indicated as FT%, displays the number of free throws that a player or team made divided by the total number of free throw attempts within one or more games. Free throw percentage could also be displayed as an average number over two or more games.
Games Played
Games played, generally abbreviated as GP, tracks the total amount of games that were played by an individual player or by a team within one or multiple seasons.
Games Started
Games started, typically denoted as GS, displays the total amount of games that a player was selected as a member of the team’s starting lineup within one or several seasons.
In other words, if a ‘Games Started’ category has a value of 1 or more within at least one season, then that particular player immediately played at the beginning of the game as opposed to being a bench player that would have an opportunity to play at a later time within a game.
Minutes
Minutes, usually displayed as MIN, typically tracks the total amount of minutes that a player received within one or more games.
Minutes for a particular player could also be represented as an average number for two or more games.
For example, let’s say that a player received a total of 104 minutes over four games. This means that player received an average number of 26 minutes per game.
Additionally, as a side note, if a player receives that number of minutes, it is generally a good indicator that player is a member of the team’s starting lineup.
However, if that player is not starting, then it is usually a sign of a sixth man role on the team.
Personal Fouls
Personal fouls, commonly indicated as PF, also not to be confused with the abbreviation for power forward, tracks the total number of personal fouls that one or more players committed within at least one game.
It is also possible to display the average number of personal fouls that one or more players commit per game, assuming one player or multiple players have participated in more than one game.
Points
Points, typically abbreviated as PTS, shows the total number of points that a player or team scored within at least one game.
It is also feasible to display the average number of points per game for a player or team, which is generally represented as PPG.
For example, if a player has a total of 60 points over the course of 4 games, then that player would be averaging 15 points per game.
Likewise, if a team has a total of 800 points over the course of 10 games, then that team would be averaging 80 points per game.
Moreover, as a side note, if a team is averaging 80 points per game or more, then that could be an indicator of a fast-paced offensive system, which includes transition offense, and more specifically a secondary break and/or numbered fast break.
Rebounds
Rebounds, frequently shown as REB, shows the total number of rebounds that a player or team collected during one or more games.
Moreover, rebounds can be further broken down into the sub-categories of offensive rebounds, designated as OREB, and defensive rebounds, signified as DREB.
In addition to that, an average number of rebounds could be displayed for a player or for the entire team over at least two games.
Also, as a side note, power forwards and centers will usually lead the team in rebounds, primarily due to their height and arm length in terms of wingspan.
Steals
Steals, often exhibited as STL, reveals the total number of steals that a player or team achieved within one or more games.
Furthermore, steals could be displayed as an average number per game for singular players or for the team as a whole.
In terms of steals leaders on a team, that would typically be given to perimeter players such as the point guard, shooting guard, or small forward, as well as the hybrid position known as the combo guard.
These particular types of players could potentially use their speed and quickness to poke the ball away from offensive players or jump into passing lanes to intercept the ball as it moves from one offensive player to another.
Turnovers
Turnovers, generally marked as TOV, indicates the total number of turnovers that a player or team received in one or more games.
In addition to that, turnovers could be specified as an average number for a player or team over at least two games.
Related : Official NBA Stats – NBA.com