Stat Legend
Glossary
Scorer's-table glossary for basketball analytics terms, formulas, and warehouse shorthand
Basketball Analytics Glossary
This glossary is the scorer's-table shorthand sheet for nbadb: the terms, formulas, and abbreviations that show up across fact tables, aggregates, and analytics views.
Use it when you recognize the stat family but not the exact interpretation: whether a metric is a percentage, a possession-based rate, a box-score abbreviation, or a tracking shorthand that only makes sense once you know its analytical lane.
Percentages and rates are usually stored as decimals (0.0-1.0) unless the source metric is traditionally expressed another way. Always pair the metric with the table grain: the same stat name means something different on a player-game row than on a season aggregate. Use this page for meaning; use the generated inventory pages for exact table-by-table field presence.
Quick routes by stat family
Use these as jump points when the name is familiar enough to recognize but not safe enough to trust.
Shooting efficiency and shot value
Start with Shooting Efficiency for TS%,
eFG%, FG%, FG3%, FT%, and free-throw-rate style fields.
Impact and usage metrics
Go to Player Impact Metrics for PIE,
USG%, AST%, AST/TO, and AST Ratio.
Rebounding, turnovers, and possession control
Use Rebounding and turnover metrics for
OREB%, DREB%, REB%, and turnover-rate context.
Pace, ratings, and team quality signals
Open Pace and efficiency ratings for pace, offensive rating, defensive rating, and net rating.
Four Factors and Synergy shorthand
Read Dean Oliver's Four Factors and Synergy and possession-type shorthand when the question is about team-winning drivers or possession classifications.
Box score, hustle, tracking, and win probability
Jump to Box score basics, Hustle and tracking shorthand, or Win probability shorthand for the fastest operational definitions.
Before you trust the stat name
Find the stat family
| Family | Common terms | Typical places you will see them |
|---|---|---|
| Shooting efficiency | TS%, eFG%, FG%, FG3%, FT%, FTA Rate | player-game facts, four-factors tables, season aggregates |
| Impact and usage | PIE, USG%, AST%, AST/TO, AST Ratio | advanced player-game tables and season rollups |
| Possession control | OREB%, DREB%, REB%, TOV% | advanced and four-factors style analysis |
| Pace and ratings | Pace, ORTG, DRTG, Net Rating | advanced player-game metrics, team pace rollups, analytics views |
| Tracking and synergy | PPP, Score%, touches, speed, defended FG | tracking, defense, and synergy tables |
Shooting Efficiency
Read this family first
This is the right lane when the stat is about shot value, shot conversion, or how often trips to the line show up relative to attempts.
TS% (True Shooting Percentage)
The broadest single shooting-efficiency metric, accounting for 2-pointers, 3-pointers, and free throws.
Formula: TS% = PTS / (2 * TSA) where TSA = FGA + 0.44 * FTA
Columns: ts_pct in fact_player_game_advanced; season averages such as avg_ts_pct in player aggregates
Range: Typically 0.45-0.70 for qualified players
eFG% (Effective Field Goal Percentage)
Adjusts field goal percentage to account for the extra value of three-pointers.
Formula: eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 * FG3M) / FGA
Columns: efg_pct in fact_player_game_advanced; four-factors variants in fact_box_score_four_factors
FG% (Field Goal Percentage)
Basic shooting percentage. Does not account for shot value.
Formula: FG% = FGM / FGA
Columns: fg_pct in fact_player_game_traditional and fact_team_game
FG3% (Three-Point Percentage)
Percentage of three-point shots made.
Formula: FG3% = FG3M / FG3A
Columns: fg3_pct in fact_player_game_traditional and fact_team_game
FT% (Free Throw Percentage)
Percentage of free throws made.
Formula: FT% = FTM / FTA
Columns: ft_pct in fact_player_game_traditional and fact_team_game
FTA Rate (Free Throw Attempt Rate)
Measures how often a player gets to the line relative to field goal attempts.
Formula: FTA Rate = FTA / FGA
Columns: fta_rate in fact_player_game_advanced; team-style free-throw-rate context also appears in fact_box_score_four_factors
Player Impact Metrics
Read this family first
This is the lane for player influence metrics: how much offense a player uses, creates, or shapes while on the floor.
PIE (Player Impact Estimate)
NBA.com's proprietary all-in-one metric estimating a player's contribution relative to the game.
Formula:
PIE = (PTS + FGM + FTM - FGA - FTA + DREB + 0.5*OREB + AST + STL + 0.5*BLK - PF - TOV)
/ (GmPTS + GmFGM + GmFTM - GmFGA - GmFTA + GmDREB + 0.5*GmOREB + GmAST + GmSTL + 0.5*GmBLK - GmPF - GmTOV)where Gm indicates combined game totals.
Column: pie in fact_player_game_advanced
USG% (Usage Percentage)
Estimates the percentage of team plays a player uses while on the floor.
Formula:
USG% = 100 * ((FGA + 0.44 * FTA + TOV) * (Tm MP / 5))
/ (MP * (Tm FGA + 0.44 * Tm FTA + Tm TOV))Column: usg_pct in fact_player_game_advanced
AST% (Assist Percentage)
Percentage of teammate field goals a player assisted on while on the floor.
Formula: AST% = 100 * AST / (((MP / (Tm MP / 5)) * Tm FGM) - FGM)
Column: ast_pct in fact_player_game_advanced
AST/TO (Assist-to-Turnover Ratio)
Simple ratio of assists to turnovers. Higher is better.
Formula: AST/TO = AST / TOV
Column: ast_to in fact_player_game_advanced
AST Ratio (Assist Ratio)
Assists per 100 possessions used by the player.
Formula: AST Ratio = 100 * AST / (FGA + 0.44 * FTA + AST + TOV)
Column: ast_ratio in fact_player_game_advanced
Rebounding and turnover metrics
Read this family first
These metrics tell you who ended possessions, extended possessions, or gave them away.
OREB% (Offensive Rebound Percentage)
Estimated percentage of available offensive rebounds a player grabbed while on the floor.
Formula: OREB% = 100 * (OREB * (Tm MP / 5)) / (MP * (Tm OREB + Opp DREB))
Column: oreb_pct in fact_player_game_advanced
DREB% (Defensive Rebound Percentage)
Estimated percentage of available defensive rebounds a player grabbed while on the floor.
Formula: DREB% = 100 * (DREB * (Tm MP / 5)) / (MP * (Tm DREB + Opp OREB))
Column: dreb_pct in fact_player_game_advanced
REB% (Total Rebound Percentage)
Estimated percentage of available rebounds a player grabbed.
Column: reb_pct in fact_player_game_advanced
TOV% (Turnover Percentage)
Estimated turnovers per 100 plays used.
Formula: TOV% = 100 * TOV / (FGA + 0.44 * FTA + TOV)
Where you will usually see it: team turnover-rate fields such as tm_tov_pct in fact_box_score_four_factors; not every current player-game advanced surface exposes a standalone tov_pct column
Pace and efficiency ratings
Read this family first
Open this section when the metric is about possessions, per-100-possession scoring, or overall team quality signals.
Pace
Estimated possessions per 48 minutes for a team context.
Formula:
PACE = 48 * ((Tm Poss + Opp Poss) / (2 * (Tm MP / 5)))Columns: pace in fact_player_game_advanced; season pace rollups such as avg_pace in agg_team_pace_and_efficiency
ORTG (Offensive Rating)
Points scored per 100 possessions.
Columns: off_rating in fact_player_game_advanced; rollups such as avg_off_rating or avg_ortg in season aggregates
DRTG (Defensive Rating)
Points allowed per 100 possessions. Lower is better.
Columns: def_rating in fact_player_game_advanced; rollups such as avg_def_rating or avg_drtg in season aggregates
Net Rating
Difference between offensive and defensive rating. Positive means outscoring opponents.
Formula: Net Rating = ORTG - DRTG
Columns: net_rating in fact_player_game_advanced; season rollups such as avg_net_rating
Dean Oliver's Four Factors
The four factors most strongly associated with winning. In nbadb they are surfaced in fact_box_score_four_factors.
| Factor | Importance | Column | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| eFG% | 40% | efg_pct | Shooting efficiency |
| TOV% | 25% | tm_tov_pct | Ball security |
| OREB% | 20% | oreb_pct | Second-chance creation |
| FTA Rate | 15% | fta_rate | Getting to the line |
Synergy and possession-type shorthand
Read this family first
This is the lane for possession classification: not just what happened, but what kind of action produced it.
Synergy-classified possessions appear in fact_synergy.
| Term | Meaning | Column |
|---|---|---|
| PPP | Points per possession | ppp |
| Score% | Percentage of possessions that result in a score | score_pct |
| Play type | Possession family such as isolation, post-up, or transition | play_type |
Common play types include Isolation, PnR Ball Handler, PnR Roll Man, Post Up, Spot Up, Transition, Handoff, Cut, Off Screen, Putback, and Misc.
Box score basics
Read this family first
Use this section when the column is ordinary scoreboard shorthand rather than an advanced formula.
| Abbreviation | Full name | Column |
|---|---|---|
| PTS | Points | pts |
| REB | Total rebounds | reb |
| AST | Assists | ast |
| STL | Steals | stl |
| BLK | Blocks | blk |
| TOV | Turnovers | tov |
| PF | Personal fouls | pf |
| MIN | Minutes played | min |
| FGM/FGA | Field goals made/attempted | fgm, fga |
| FG3M/FG3A | Three-point field goals made/attempted | fg3m, fg3a |
| FTM/FTA | Free throws made/attempted | ftm, fta |
| OREB/DREB | Offensive/defensive rebounds | oreb, dreb |
| +/- | Plus/minus | plus_minus |
Hustle and tracking shorthand
Read this family first
This is the operational lane for event-count and movement/context metrics that are usually easier to recognize by feed family than by formula.
Hustle metrics
Common in fact_player_game_hustle:
| Metric | Column | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Contested Shots | contested_shots | Total contested shots |
| Deflections | deflections | Balls deflected |
| Charges Drawn | charges_drawn | Offensive fouls drawn |
| Loose Balls Recovered | loose_balls_recovered | Loose balls secured |
| Screen Assists | screen_assists | Screens that directly produced teammate scores |
| Screen Assist Points | screen_ast_pts | Points created from screen assists |
| Box Outs | box_outs | Box outs recorded |
Tracking shorthand
Common in fact_player_game_tracking:
| Metric | Column | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Speed | spd | Average speed in miles per hour |
| Distance | dist | Distance traveled in miles |
| Touches | tchs | Times the player touched the ball |
| Passes | passes | Total passes made |
| Defended FG% | dfg_pct | Opponent field-goal percentage on defended shots |
| Time of Possession | time_of_poss | Possession time credited to the player |
Win probability shorthand
Read this family first
Use this section when the field is about game state and odds at a specific event rather than a final score summary.
Common in fact_win_probability:
| Metric | Column | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Home Win% | home_pct | Home team win probability at the event |
| Visitor Win% | visitor_pct | Visitor team win probability at the event |
| Home Margin | home_score_margin | Home team's lead/deficit at that event |
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