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Effective field goal percentage

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Statistic in basketball

In basketball, effective field goal percentage (abbreviated eFG%) is a statistic that adjusts field goal percentage to account for the fact that three-point field goals count for three points, while all other field goals only count for two points. Its goal is to show what field goal percentage a two-point shooter would have to shoot at to match the output of a player who also shoots three-pointers.

It is calculated by: e F G % = F G + ( 0.5 ∗ 3 P ) F G A {\displaystyle eFG\%={\frac {FG+(0.5*3P)}{FGA}}}

where:

  • FG = field goals made
  • 3P = 3-point field goals made
  • FGA = field goal attempts

A common criticism of this formula is that shooters with very high percentage success rates, which favor 3 point shots, would arrive at an eFG\% above 100%.


It can also be calculated by: e F G % = P P G − F T 2 F G A {\displaystyle eFG\%={\frac {\frac {PPG-FT}{2}}{FGA}}}

where:

  • PPG = points per game
  • FT = the free throws made
  • FGA = field goal attempts

The advantage of this second formula is that it highlights the aforementioned logic behind the statistic, where it is pretended that a player only shot two-point shots (hence the division of non-free-throw points by 2).


An additional formula that seems to be more in use by the statistics actually displayed on websites (but less cited by said websites) is:

e F G % = 2 F G + ( 1.5 ∗ 3 F G ) F G A {\displaystyle eFG\%={\frac {2FG+(1.5*3FG)}{FGA}}}

where:

  • 2FG = 2-point field goals made
  • 3FG = 3-point field goals made
  • FGA = field goal attempts

All three equations yield the same result.

See also

References

  1. "Basketball Reference Glossary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  2. "Effective Field Goal Percentage". The Coaching Toolbox. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  3. "Basketball Reference Glossary". Basketball-reference.com. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  4. "Captain Calculator". Captain Calculator. Retrieved September 20, 2023.
  5. "Effective Field Goal Percentage". The Coaching Toolbox. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
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