SHOTS AROUND THE COURT BREAKDOWN

For this month’s Thunder StatLab, we’re going to learn how to calculate effective field goal percentage (eFG%), which will show how effective a player is on the floor when they are taking shots from anywhere on the court. This is similar to field goal percentage (field goals made field goals attempted) which doesn’t consider the location of the shot taken. The eFG% compliments the field goal percentage by taking location of the field goal (either 2-pointer or 3-pointer) into the equation. The eFG% helps show the difference between a seasoned 3-point shooter and a player who takes most of their shots within the 2-point range.

Effective field goal percentage gives weight to 3-pointers made since those shots, made from a longer distance, are worth 50% more than a 2-pointer. By including the weight of 3-pointers, the eFG% gives a more complete picture of a team or player’s shooting effectiveness since it includes all shots taken and the value of the shot made. Below is the expression involved in calculating eFG%.

2pt FGM = number of 2-point field goals made (2pts FGM + (1.5 3pts FGM)) 3pt FGM = number of 3-point field goals made FGA FGA: total number of field goals shot (includes both misses and makes)

In its 2018 home opener against the New York Knicks, the Oklahoma City Thunder team combined for an eFG% of 49.4%.

PLAYER FIELD GOAL 2 PT FGM 3 PT FGM eFG% ATTEMPTS 3 pt A 12 7 0 58.30% B 7 3 0 42.90% C 5 5 0 100%

D 20 5 3 47.50% 2 pt E 23 3 6 52.20% arc

Is it better to take more shots and miss or take less shots and make them? Why or why not? *Any shots taken within the arc are worth two points, and shots taken outside of the arc are worth three points.

okcthunder.com/statlab 1 SHOTS AROUND THE COURT LET’S PRACTICE Below is a shot chart for an individual player during a game. Using the shot chart diagram, substitute the totals into the expression Complete the chart with the made and missed shots below: and simplify.

MADE SHOTS MISSED SHOTS (2pts FGM + (1.5 3pts FGM)) FGA

( + (1.5 ))

FIELD GOALS 2pt FGM 3 pt FGM ATTEMPTED ( + ) 1 2 3 4 5 = 6 7

8 Did you get 0.75? If so, great job! If not, let’s go back and check our 9 work. Do you remember how we change a decimal to a percentage? We need to take our decimal (0.75) and multiply it by 100, then add the 10 percentage symbol, like so: 11 12 0.75 • 100 = 75.0% 13 This player has an eFG of 75.0%, eFG is important to tell the whole story 14 of a player’s ability to effectively shoot from different locations on the court. The team with the higher eFG% is more likely to win. TOTAL

okcthunder.com/statlab 2 SHOTS AROUND THE COURT

Fill out the charts for Player A and B. Calculate the eFG% then compare your results for both players. NOTE: Don’t forget to change your decimal to its percentage.

(2pts FGM + (1.5 3pts FGM)) FGA PLAYER A

FIELD GOALS 2pt FGM 3 pt FGM ATTEMPTED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 TOTAL

okcthunder.com/statlab 3 SHOTS AROUND THE COURT

Fill out the charts for Player A and B. Calculate the eFG% then compare your results for both players. NOTE: Don’t forget to change your decimal to its percentage.

(2pts FGM + (1.5 3pts FGM)) FGA PLAYER B

FIELD GOALS 2pt FGM 3 pt FGM ATTEMPTED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Which player had the highest effective field goal percentage (eFG%)? 15 16 17 18 TOTAL

okcthunder.com/statlab 4