If you want to understand modern basketball or upgrade your NBA betting prowess, marrying your fandom and intuition with statistical analysis is the best way to play.
While points, rebounds, and assists still matter, today’s NBA stats go much deeper. Teams, analysts, and fans now use advanced numbers to evaluate efficiency, measure defensive impact, and identify strengths that traditional box scores often miss.
Understanding NBA stats makes watching games more enjoyable and helps explain why certain teams consistently win or cover even when they don’t lead the league in scoring.
This NBA Stats Guide covers the four major areas every fan should understand: basic player stats, NBA team stats, plus/minus, and advanced metrics. By the end, your NBA knowledge will stretch as far as a Steph Curry three.
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NBA Basic Player Stats: What the Numbers Mean
Every NBA box score starts with basic player statistics. These are the numbers most fans see every night, and they remain the foundation of basketball analysis.
Points Per Game (PPG)
Points per game measure how many points a player scores on average each game. It is the most visible stat in basketball and often shapes public perception of players.
However, scoring volume alone does not tell the full story. A player averaging 28 points on poor shooting efficiency may be less valuable than a player averaging 24 points while shooting efficiently and limiting mistakes.
Rebounds Per Game (RPG)
Rebounds are divided into two categories:
- Offensive rebounds (OREB)
- Defensive rebounds (DREB)
Offensive rebounds create extra possessions and second-chance scoring opportunities. Defensive rebounds end an opponent’s possession and prevent additional scoring attempts.
A player who consistently generates offensive rebounds can have a major impact even if they are not a primary scorer.
Assists Per Game (APG)
Assists measure playmaking and ball movement. Players with high assist totals help create scoring opportunities for teammates and often drive offensive efficiency.
Strong assist numbers typically indicate good decision-making and offensive organization.
Steals Per Game (SPG)
Steals occur when a defender takes possession away from the opposing team.
Steals, as an individual stat, don’t affect player efficiency; however, multiple players with a good average can affect a team’s defense. Also, teams that force turnovers frequently generate easy points.
Blocks Per Game (BPG)
Blocks measure shot protection. While not every good defender accumulates blocks, shot-blockers can dramatically alter an opponent’s offensive strategy.
Turnovers (TOV)
Turnovers are one of the most important negative statistics in basketball.
Every turnover ends a possession without a shot attempt and often leads to easy scoring opportunities for the opponent. Teams that protect the basketball generally perform better over the long term.
Field Goal Percentage (FG%)
Field goal percentage measures shooting accuracy.
A player who makes 50 out of 100 shots has a 50% field goal percentage.
While useful, FG% does not account for shot difficulty or the extra value of three-pointers. That limitation is why more advanced shooting metrics have become increasingly popular.
These player stats help explain individual performance, but basketball is ultimately a team sport. To understand overall team quality, we need to look at NBA team stats.
NBA Team Stats: Offensive Rating, Defensive Rating, and Pace
Modern NBA analysis relies heavily on team-level metrics. Three of the most important are Offensive Rating, Defensive Rating, and Pace.
Offensive Rating (ORtg)
Offensive Rating measures how many points a team scores per 100 possessions.
This is one of the most accurate measures of offensive efficiency because it removes the influence of game speed. A team that scores efficiently on every possession will have a strong Offensive Rating regardless of tempo.
For example, the two squads in the 2026 NBA Finals – the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs – were both top five in offensive rating.
Defensive Rating (DRtg)
Defensive Rating measures how many points a team allows per 100 possessions.
Unlike Offensive Rating, lower numbers are better.
A team with a low Defensive Rating consistently prevents efficient scoring opportunities and forces opponents into difficult shots.
Net Rating
Net Rating combines offense and defense into a single number.
The calculation is simple:
Net Rating = Offensive Rating minus Defensive Rating
A positive Net Rating shows a team is more efficient on offense and strong on defense. A negative Net Rating suggests the opposite.
Many analysts consider Net Rating one of the strongest indicators of overall team strength, particularly when evaluating small sample sizes.
Again, both 2026 finalists, the Knicks and Spurs, are top-five in net rating.
Pace
Pace measures possessions per 48 minutes.
Teams with a high pace push the ball quickly, generate more possessions, and often create higher-scoring games. Teams with a low pace prefer slower, more controlled basketball.
Pace is particularly useful when evaluating whether a listed betting total goes over or under the listed number. For example, the Utah Jazz and Miami Heat were first and second, respectively, in Pace during the 2025-26 season, and both finished the season in the top five in terms of going over the total.
Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%)
Effective Field Goal Percentage improves on traditional FG%.
Unlike regular field goal percentage, eFG% recognizes that three-pointers are worth more than two-point baskets.
What Does Plus/Minus Mean in NBA Stats?
Plus/minus is an individual statistic that tracks how a player’s team performs while they are on the court. If a player finishes a game with a +8 plus/minus, it means their team outscored the opponent by eight points during the minutes they played.
It essentially helps answer the question of how much an individual player contributes to team success while playing.
For example, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City finished tops in the NBA for regular-season plus/minus and ultimately won his second NBA MVP.
However, a player on a dominant team could accumulate strong plus/minus numbers even if they are not one of the team’s most important contributors. Similarly, a talented player on a struggling team can post negative plus/minus numbers despite performing well individually.
Box Plus/Minus (BPM)
Box Plus/Minus attempts to estimate a player’s overall contribution using box score statistics while reducing some of the team-related bias found in traditional plus/minus.
Developed and maintained by Basketball Reference, BPM is one of the most widely cited advanced player metrics.
Rather than focusing solely on team scoring margins, BPM estimates how much value a player contributes compared to an average NBA player.
For bettors, plus/minus data can reveal lineup strengths and weaknesses. If a team consistently performs better when a particular player is on the floor, injuries or lineup changes involving that player can significantly impact game outcomes and can influence live betting tremendously.
Advanced NBA Stats: PER and True Shooting Percentage Explained
Advanced metrics try to capture a player’s performance more accurately than traditional stats.
Two of the most commonly referenced advanced NBA stats are PER and True Shooting Percentage.
PER (Player Efficiency Rating)
Player Efficiency Rating, commonly known as PER, attempts to summarize a player’s overall production in a single number on a per-minute basis. A vital snapshot of their overall performance.
The league average is always set at 15.
A player above 15 is performing above league average. Higher numbers indicate greater statistical productivity.
For example, superstar Victor Wembanyama has a PER of 29.9 in the 2025-26 season. There’s a reason the young Spurs have become a contender so quickly.
True Shooting Percentage (TS%)
True Shooting Percentage measures overall scoring efficiency.
Unlike field goal percentage, TS% accounts for:
- Two-point shots
- Three-point shots
- Free throws
This creates a more complete picture of how efficiently a player converts scoring opportunities.
A player with a high TS% is typically generating points efficiently, regardless of how those points are scored.
For NBA prop betting, TS% can identify efficient scorers who may receive less attention than players with higher raw scoring totals.
How to Compare Two NBA Teams Using Stats
Sometimes, on a random NBA evening, it’s hard to figure out which Bovada NBA odds you want to choose in a matchup. Learning NBA stats comparison techniques can help you evaluate teams more effectively.
Here is a simple five-step process.
Step 1: Start With Net Rating
Net Rating provides the quickest snapshot of overall team quality and is the perfect place to start.
Teams with stronger Net Ratings generally perform better over time than teams with weaker ratings.
Step 2: Compare Pace
Pace helps determine the likely game speed and scoring.
If one team plays significantly faster than the other, tempo may influence NBA totals.
Step 3: Compare eFG% and Opponent eFG%
Look at how efficiently each team shoots and how effectively they limit opponent efficiency.
Teams that excel in both areas often have a more balanced offense, defense, and bench.
Step 4: Check Recent Plus/Minus by Lineup
Injuries and rotation changes can dramatically alter team performance.
Recent lineup plus/minus data often reveals changes that season-long statistics have not fully captured.
Step 5: Consider Home and Away Splits
Home court advantage is real in all sports. It just depends on how drastic the splits average out.
Check the home/away splits of the two competing teams to see if there’s a glaring point differential. Also, check the NBA schedule to see if they’re playing a back-to-back game, and their stats in that scenario.
With an 82-game regular season before playoffs, fatigue and
home energy vs. the road will be a deciding factor often.
Following these five steps creates a practical framework for comparing teams before a game. If you’re interested in applying these concepts directly to wagering decisions, take your NBA stats knowledge further with our NBA betting stats guide, then get your Master’s degree in sharp betting with our how to bet on NBA games guide.
NBA Stats: Frequently Asked Questions
What is PER in NBA stats?
PER stands for Player Efficiency Rating, a per-minute statistic that summarizes a player’s statistical production in a single number. The league average is set at 15 each season, so players above 15 are performing above average.
What does plus/minus mean in NBA stats?
Plus/minus measures the positive or negative team impact of a player on the court. A player with a +8 plus/minus means their team outscored the opponent by eight points during the minutes they played.
What NBA stats should I look at before betting?
Start with Net Rating, Pace, and eFG%. These metrics provide a strong overview of team quality, scoring environment, and shooting efficiency. Then, examine recent lineup plus/minus numbers to account for injuries and rotation changes.
How do I compare two NBA teams using stats?
Start with Net Rating to evaluate the team’s overall strength. Compare Pace to understand the expected scoring environment, then examine eFG% and recent lineup plus/minus data for additional context. Section 6 provides a complete five-step framework.
What are the most important NBA team stats?
Offensive Rating, Defensive Rating, Net Rating, and Pace are generally considered the most important NBA team stats. Together, they provide a clearer picture of team quality than points scored or win-loss record alone.
What Are NBA Stats?
NBA stats are the official performance measurements used to track player and team performance throughout every game and season.
The main categories include basic player stats such as points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks. You’ve been using those for decades.
But now there are also team stats such as Offensive Rating, Defensive Rating, and Pace; along with advanced player metrics such as PER, True Shooting Percentage, and Net Rating.
These numbers help fans understand performance beyond the final score while providing deeper insight into how teams win games.
Official NBA statistics are tracked and published throughout the season, creating one of the most comprehensive statistical databases in pro sports.
Now that you understand the numbers behind the ballers, the next step is applying that knowledge to Bovada NBA odds. We have an NBA betting stats guide to bridge the gap from analysis to odds and assets.
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