How to Read a Basketball Box Score

In basketball, a box score is a detailed summary of the results from a game. A basketball box score features a detailed breakdown of team and player statistics, such as minutes played, total points, field goal percentage, three-point shot percentage, rebounds, free throw percentage, assists, steals, and blocked shots. Statisticians sit courtside during the game to gather these statistics, which they then compile into a box score that is immediately made available to the public.

A basketball box score summarizes the team and player analytics of a game in an easy-to-read table format. The box score lists every player on the roster and their respective stats, along with data from the team’s overall performance. To understand a basketball box score, you will need to know how to identify and understand the abbreviations and meaning behind each statistic, such as:

• MIN (minutes): Minutes refers to the total amount of minutes a player plays in the game. Statisticians round this number up or down in 30-second increments. For example, statisticians will mark a player who plays 33:24 as having played 33 minutes. Statisticians mark players who do not participate in a game as "DNP" or “Did Not Play.”
• FGM (field goals made): Fields goals made refers to the combined total number of two-point and three-point baskets scored by a player or team. FGM does not refer to the total number of points scored, but rather the number of field goals successfully made, regardless of the point value. For example, if a player makes a two-point shot followed by a three-point shot, they have made two field goals.
• FGA (Field goals attempted): A field goal attempt refers to any attempted shot at scoring during regulation, outside of free throws. If a defender makes illegal contact with a player’s arm in the act of shooting and the referee calls a shooting foul, the shot will not count towards that player’s FGA.
• FG% (Field goal percentage): The field goal percentage refers to the field goal attempts made by a player or team and gives direct insight into how well a player or team performed in a game. To calculate field goal percentages, divide field goals made by field goals attempted.
• 3PM (3-point field goals made): The total number of three-point field goals made by a player or team.
• 3PA (3-point field goals attempted): The total number of three-point field goals attempted by a player or team.
• 3P% (3-point field goal percentage): The percentage of three-point field goal attempts made by a player or team. To calculate three-point field goal percentage, divide three-point field goals made by three-point field goals attempted.
• FTM (Free throws made): FTM refers to the total number of free throws made by a player or team. Referees award free throws for personal, flagrant, and technical fouls. Each free throw made is worth one point.
• FTA (Free throws attempted): The total number of free throws attempted by a player or team.
• FT% (Free throw percentage): Free throw percentage refers to the number of free throw attempts made by a player or team. To calculate free throw percentage, divide free throws made by the number of free throws attempted.
• REB (Rebounds): The total number of offensive and defensive rebounds collected by a player or team. A rebound occurs when a player recovers the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw attempt.
• OREB (Offensive rebounds): The total number of rebounds collected by a player or team while playing offense.
• DREB (Defensive rebounds): The total number of rebounds collected by a player or team while playing defense. Not all box scores include a column for DREBs, but you can still calculate this statistic by subtracting the number of offensive rebounds from the total rebounds.
• AST (Assists): The total number of assists made by a player or team. An assist only occurs when a pass leads directly to a teammate's scored basket. If a player is simply the last player to possess the ball before their teammate score, they will not receive an assist.
• STL (Steals): STL refers to the total number of steals made by a player or team. A steal occurs when a defensive player takes the ball away from an offensive player by either intercepting a pass or stealing the offensive player's dribble.
• BLK (Blocks): The total number of blocked field goals made by a defensive player or team. A blocked shot occurs when an offensive player shoots a legitimate field goal attempt and a defensive player tips or deflects the ball. Even if the defensive player's team does not recover the deflected ball, it still counts as a blocked shot. NBA box scores also include a stat called "BLKA" (Blocks Against), which is an offensive player or team’s total number of attempted field goals that get blocked by a defender.
• TOV (Turnovers): The total number of turnovers made by a player or team. A turnover occurs when an offensive player loses possession of the ball to the defense before the offensive player attempts a shot. Some actions that result in a turnover by an offensive player include: having the ball stolen while dribbling or throwing a bad pass, stepping out of bounds, throwing the ball out of bounds, committing an offensive foul, committing a traveling violation, committing a double-dribble violation, committing a shot clock violation, committing a backcourt violation, and committing a three or five-second violation.
• PF (Personal fouls): The total number of personal fouls committed by a player or team. A personal foul occurs when a player makes illegal personal contact with an opponent. Flagrant fouls and technical fouls are also marked as a line item at the bottom of the box score.
• +/- (Plus/minus): The total point differential for the time that a specific player is on the court. This statistic measures a player's impact on the game. To calculate +/-, subtract the difference between a player’s team's total points and their opponent's total points when that player is in the game. For example, if a player's team outscored their opponents by eight points when the player is on the court, the player will receive a +8 point differential. If a player's team is outscored by five points when that player is on the court, the player will receive a -5 point differential.
• PTS (Points scored): The total number of points scored by a player or team.

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