Complex Basketball Statistics: The Terms to Know on the Fly.

The world of basketball statistics can be incredibly confusing. Especially when complex phrases like BPI, USG%, PER, and eFG% are used constantly in their abbreviated forms. We are here to give you a breakdown of the statistics to know.

Complex Team Statistics:

First, we are going to talk about some terms that are almost exclusively used in reference to an entire team. If it’s not an exclusive term, it’s used incredibly sparsely when referring to a single player.

Basketball Power Index (BPI):

Firstly, is BPI, probably the most commonly used out of the bunch. ESPN states that BPI “measures a team’s true strength going forward” with the actual statistical definition being “expected point margin per 70 possessions vs an average opponent on a neutral court.”

Now we can use the Northern Iowa Panthers as a reference, with a BPI of 3.7. Northern Iowa also has an average of 67 possessions per game in 2024. Meaning, should they get 67 possessions, against an “average opponent”, they should lead that opposing team by 3.54 points or a 3-point field a goal and half a free throw.

OFF & DEF:

Next are OFF and DEF, which both actually relate back to BPI and are both much easier to understand once you know BPI. ESPN states:

BPI OFF + BPI DEF = BPI, OFF “measures a team’s offensive strength compared (to) an average offense on a scale of points per 70 possessions”, DEF “measures a team’s defensive strength compared (to) an average defense on a scale of points per 70 possessions”.

Specifically, because we know that these two stats add up to our BPI, this makes defining them much easier. If a team simultaneously had a DEF of 13.1 and an OFF of 1, we would expect this team to have a lead of 13.1 + 1 points in 70 possessions. The same is true should we flip the values around.

Remaning Stregnth of Schecdule Rank (REM SOS RK):

Out of all the team stats REM SOS RK is the most volatile out of the bunch with just a single week passing leading to the ranking being completely jumbled up. While this is a mostly self-explanatory statistics it has a couple distinctions that can change how you view it.

ESPN states that REM SOS RK is “rank among all D1 teams based on how a typical top 25 team would do against each team’s future schedule. SOS accounts for the game location, day’s rest, travel distance, and high altitude in addition to opponent strength.”

*Bold italics indactes places of notice

Looking at the team with hardest schedule left, Alabama, the ranking makes perfect sense with #5 Tennessee, #3 Florida, and #1 Auburn being Alabama’s next three games truly gives Alabama that number one spot. However, when looking at teams that are similarly ranked in every way and have similar schedules; It’s important to keep these other factors in mind like game location, day’s rest, etc. They could likely be the difference between a few placements within this ranking.

Complex Player Statstics:

Finally, much like team statistics. there are also statistics that exclusively refer to a single player and are hardly ever used to in reference to a team.

Effective Field Goal Precentage (eFG%):

First, we have eFG%. Sports Reference states what eFG% is, “This statistic adjusts for the fact that a 3-point field goal is worth one more point than a 2-point field goal.” Basically, this stat favors 3-point field goals with more weight than 2-point field goals when looking at the percentage of made FGM.

Using the calculation of (2pt FGM + 1.5*3pt FGM) /FGA, if a player has zero 2pt baskets and fifty 3pt baskets and a total of 100 field goal attempts that player will actually have a 75% eFG% rather than what someone would think initially, 50%. You actually will get a 50% eFG% if you swap the 2pt baskets and 3pt baskets around.

True Shooting Precentage (TS%):

Next, we have TS%. Sports Reference states what TS% is, “A measure of shooting efficiency that takes into account 2-point field goals, 3-point field goals, and free throws.” This stat aims to take a better look at a player’s shooting percentage by compiling all the 3P%, 2P%, and FT% all under one stat for something more easily readable.

Player Effiencey Rating (PER):

Penultimately, we have PER. Sports Reference defines PER to be, “A measure of per-minute production standardized such that the league average is 15.” We can also see a similar description given by its creator.

John Hollinger –

“The PER sums up all a player’s positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments, and returns a per-minute rating of a player’s performance.”

If you follow the link to Basketball Reference, you can see an incredibly complex formula created for use with NBA players. What you need to know is this: it’s an incredibly important stat to keep in mind when arguing about two players who play on similarly skilled team. PER should be the end-all-be-all to the entire conversation.

ORB, DRB, TRB, AST, STL, BLK, and USG Precentages:

Last, but not least, we have the wide array of percentage-based stats in reference to stats that have nothing to do with shooting the ball. These stats all defined by Sports Reference with roughly the same wording, “An estimate of the percentage of _________ while they were on the floor.” These stats are here to take a more complex spin on the stats you already know. For example, you might know the ORB of a specific player, but you might want to know how often he/she gets an ORB if they have the chance to. This is what these numbers are for.

USG% is easily the most under used out of the bunch. It also is not used outside of its percentage form. This is defined as “An estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while they were on the floor”. Again, a bit of unknown stat. It complies field goal attempts, free throw attempts, turnovers, and minutes played and compares it against the teams’ stats in each of those categories. Then, it becomes one practical stat for a player’s offensive prowess and “playmaking abilities”. Unlike PER, this isn’t nearly as great of a tool to generalize a player

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-The FastBreakStats Blog