Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world, and it’s only natural that fans of the game would be interested in learning how to calculate basketball stats. As a fan, you can use this knowledge to track the performance of your favorite players and teams, as well as to further your understanding of the game. In this article, we’ll go over the basics of calculating basketball stats and provide you with a few helpful tips for tracking stats.
What Are Basketball Stats?
Basketball stats are simply the numbers that are used to measure and analyze a player’s performance in the game. These stats are used to determine the value of a player and their contributions to the team’s success. Generally, the stats used to measure and analyze a player’s performance fall into four main categories: offensive, defensive, rebounding, and shooting.
Offensive Stats
Offensive stats are used to measure a player’s ability to score points, create assists, and create turnovers. The most commonly used offensive stats are points per game (PPG), assists per game (APG), and turnovers per game (TPG).
Points per game is simply the number of points a player scores in a game. A player’s PPG can be calculated by dividing their total points scored by the number of games they’ve played.
Assists per game is the number of assists a player has in a game. An assist is when a player passes the ball to another player who then scores a basket. Assists can be calculated by dividing the total number of assists by the number of games they’ve played.
Turnovers per game is the number of times a player loses possession of the ball due to a turnover. Turnovers can be calculated by dividing the total number of turnovers by the number of games they’ve played.
Defensive Stats
Defensive stats are used to measure a player’s ability to defend. Common defensive stats include blocks per game (BPG) and steals per game (SPG).
Blocks per game is the number of shots a player blocks in a game. Blocks can be calculated by dividing the total number of blocks by the number of games they’ve played.
Steals per game is the number of times a player steals the ball from an opposing player. Steals can be calculated by dividing the total number of steals by the number of games they’ve played.
Rebounding Stats
Rebounding stats are used to measure a player’s ability to grab rebounds. Common rebounding stats include rebounds per game (RPG) and offensive rebounds per game (ORPG).
Rebounds per game is the number of rebounds a player grabs in a game. Rebounds can be calculated by dividing the total number of rebounds by the number of games they’ve played.
Offensive rebounds per game is the number of times a player grabs an offensive rebound in a game. Offensive rebounds are when a player grabs a rebound on the offensive end of the court. Offensive rebounds can be calculated by dividing the total number of offensive rebounds by the number of games they’ve played.
Shooting Stats
Shooting stats are used to measure a player’s accuracy when shooting the ball. Common shooting stats include field goal percentage (FG%) and three-point percentage (3P%).
Field goal percentage is the percentage of shots a player makes when shooting the ball. Field goal percentage can be calculated by dividing the total number of made shots by the total number of attempted shots.
Three-point percentage is the percentage of three-point shots a player makes. Three-point percentage can be calculated by dividing the total number of made three-point shots by the total number of attempted three-point shots.
Tips for Tracking Stats
When tracking stats, it’s important to keep track of every statistic for each individual player. This will allow you to accurately compare the performance of one player to another. Additionally, you should make sure to keep track of each player’s stats for the entire season, as this will give you a better understanding of a player’s performance over the course of a season. Finally, you should make sure to compare a player’s stats to their career averages, as this will give you a better understanding of a player’s overall performance.
Conclusion
Calculating basketball stats can be a great way to track the performance of your favorite players and teams. By understanding the basics of how to calculate basketball stats, as well as following a few helpful tips for tracking stats, you can get a better understanding of the game and become a more informed fan.