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Shooting efficiency in basketball is measured by several interconnected statistics. A basketball shooting calculator lets you work out field goal percentage (FG%), three-point percentage (3P%), two-point percentage (2P%), effective field goal percentage (eFG%), and True Shooting percentage (TS%) from a single set of game stats.
Each metric answers a different question about shooting value. FG% counts all field goals equally. eFG% weights three-pointers higher because they are worth more. TS% accounts for free throws too, making it the most comprehensive single shooting efficiency metric available. Advanced analytics platforms like Basketball Reference define all of these metrics consistently.
Shooting Metric Formulas
| Metric | Formula | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| FG% | FGM / FGA | Raw field goal accuracy |
| 2P% | (FGM-3PM) / (FGA-3PA) | Inside/mid-range accuracy |
| 3P% | 3PM / 3PA | Three-point accuracy |
| FT% | FTM / FTA | Free throw accuracy |
| eFG% | (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) / FGA | FG% adjusted for 3-point value |
| TS% | PTS / (2 × (FGA + 0.44 × FTA)) | Scoring efficiency (all shots) |
Given that three-pointers are worth 50% more than two-pointers, a player shooting 35% from three (eFG = 0.525 equivalent) is more efficient than one shooting 50% on two-point shots (eFG = 0.50). With that in mind, eFG% is the minimum level of analysis needed to fairly compare shooting styles.
Why True Shooting Percentage Matters
True Shooting percentage (TS%) builds up a complete picture by including free throws in the efficiency calculation. The 0.44 factor for free throw attempts accounts for the fact that many free throw trips come in pairs (one trip = 1.88 shot equivalents on average, per research from PLOS ONE basketball research). A player who gets to the free throw line frequently and shoots 80% from there is more efficient than their FG% alone suggests.
On top of that, TS% above 58% is generally considered efficient for an NBA scorer. All-time great single-season TS% performances exceed 65%. As a result, TS% is the best single number to narrow down shooting efficiency when comparing players across different shot diets.
Use our Free Throw Calculator for detailed FT% analysis, and the Points Per Game Calculator to work out scoring volume alongside efficiency. The NBA stats leaders page provides real-time eFG% and TS% rankings for current players.
How Shot Selection Affects These Metrics
A player who scores 20 points on 12/20 FG (60% FG%, 4 threes, no free throws) has: eFG = (12 + 0.5×4)/20 = 70%. That is an elite efficiency. That said, many volume scorers sacrifice efficiency for shot creation. To carry out fair evaluation, always consider both volume (total points) and efficiency (TS% or eFG%) together. A 15 PPG average at 60% TS% is more valuable than 20 PPG at 50% TS% in most team contexts.