Calculate Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) to evaluate basketball shooting accuracy adjusted for 3-pointers with the free eFG Calculator. Computes Points Per Shot (PPS), 2P vs 3P shot mix breakdown, eFG% lift over traditional FG%, and True Shooting Percentage (TS%) with NBA benchmark tier diagnostics.
Elite Historic Efficiency • +12.6% Lift over 50.4% Traditional FG%
Points generated per FGA
3P bonus above FG%
Includes FT scoring
Equal 2-point layup rate
% points from 3s
Sample size
For over half a century, traditional Field Goal Percentage (\(\text{FG}\% = \frac{\text{FGM}}{\text{FGA}}\)) served as the standard measure of basketball shooting accuracy. However, following the introduction of the 3-point line in the 1979-80 NBA season, traditional FG% became mathematically obsolete and severely misleading.
Traditional FG% treats a 3-point basket identical to a 2-point layup, ignoring that a 3-pointer is worth \(50\%\) more points. Consider two basketball players:
Shoots \(5\text{-of-}10\) on 2-point jumpers (\(\mathbf{50.0\%\text{ FG\%}}\)). Total points scored = 10 Points (\(1.00\text{ Point Per Shot}\)).
Shoots \(4\text{-of-}10\) on 3-point jumpers (\(\mathbf{40.0\%\text{ FG\%}}\)). Total points scored = 12 Points (\(1.20\text{ Points Per Shot}\)).
Traditional box scores make Player A look like the superior shooter (\(50\%\) vs \(40\%\)). But in reality, Player B generated \(20\%\) more points on the exact same number of shot possessions! Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) fixes this mathematical distortion by crediting the additional 0.5 point value of made 3-pointers.
How to evaluate any basketball player or team's Effective Field Goal Percentage across professional and college basketball:
| eFG% Range | Efficiency Tier | Points Per Shot (PPS) | Player Archetype Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≥ 62.0% | Elite Historic | ≥ 1.24 PPS | Stephen Curry (MVP), Kyle Korver, Rim-Dominant Bigs (Gobert, Jokić) |
| 56.0% – 61.9% | High-Level All-Star | 1.12 – 1.23 PPS | Elite perimeter wings, efficient high-volume primary options (Tatum, Durant) |
| 52.0% – 55.9% | NBA League Average | 1.04 – 1.11 PPS | Standard NBA rotation starters (~54.5% league average) |
| 48.0% – 51.9% | Below Average | 0.96 – 1.03 PPS | Mid-range heavy isolation scorers with low 3-point volume |
| < 48.0% | Inefficient | < 0.96 PPS | Struggling perimeter shooters, highly contested low-percentage shot diets |
Choose between Standard Mode (FGM, 3PM, FGA) or Detailed Mode (2PM, 2PA, 3PM, 3PA) based on your available box score data.
Input total Field Goals Made, 3-Pointers Made, and total Attempts. The tool automatically separates 2-point vs 3-point volume.
Include Free Throws Made (FTM) and Attempts (FTA) to unlock comprehensive True Shooting Percentage (TS%) diagnostics.
Review your eFG%, Points Per Shot (PPS), 2P shot equivalent, 3P attempt rate, and comparative visual progress charts in real time.
Why does multiplying eFG% by 2 give the exact Points Per Shot (PPS)?
This simple relationship reveals that an athlete with a \(55.0\%\text{ eFG\%}\) generates \(1.10\text{ points per field goal attempt}\), while an athlete with a \(60.0\%\text{ eFG\%}\) generates \(1.20\text{ points per attempt}\).
Measures raw shot accuracy without shot-value adjustments (\(\text{FGM}/\text{FGA}\)). Ignores 3-point bonuses and free throws.
Measures pure live-ball field goal scoring efficiency by weighting 3-pointers at \(1.5\times\). Best for analyzing live-ball shot diets.
Measures comprehensive scoring efficiency across 2-pointers, 3-pointers, and free throws combined. Best for overall player scoring impact.
In his seminal analytics book Basketball on Paper, statistician Dean Oliver identified the Four Factors that determine basketball victories:
Supports Standard box scores (FGM/3PM/FGA) and Detailed shot distribution (2P vs 3P splits).
Instantly computes exact points generated per field goal attempt with shot-value equivalence.
Quantifies the exact percentage boost that 3-point shooting provides over traditional FG%.
Optional free throw inputs calculate full True Shooting Percentage side-by-side.
Clean stacked visualizer comparing traditional FG%, Effective FG%, and True Shooting %.
One-click presets for Stephen Curry, Kyle Korver, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Klay Thompson.
The analytical rise of eFG% transformed NBA offensive architecture over the past decade:
A contested 18-foot long 2-pointer made at a \(41\%\) clip yields \(0.82\text{ Points Per Shot}\) (\(41.0\%\text{ eFG\%}\)). Stepping back two feet behind the 3-point line and shooting just \(35\%\) yields \(1.05\text{ Points Per Shot}\) (\(52.5\%\text{ eFG\%}\)). Modern NBA offenses completely phased out long 2s in favor of corner 3s and paint layups to maximize team-wide eFG%.
How can a player who never shoots 3-pointers lead the league in eFG%?
Elite rim-protecting centers (such as Rudy Gobert, Mitchell Robinson, or Deandre Jordan) take nearly \(90\%\) of their shots within 3 feet of the basket (dunks and lobs), converting at an astonishing \(68\%\text{ to }72\%\) from the floor. Because their base 2-point percentage is so high, their eFG% equals \(68\%-72\%\), mathematically matching an elite guard shooting \(46\%\) on 3-pointers!
Shooters with high 3-point volume are artificially penalized in traditional FG%. This tool exposes their true scoring value by rewarding the extra point.
Calculates exact Points Per Shot to separate high-volume chuckers from lethal, floor-spacing snipers.
Provides 2-point shot equivalence so coaches can directly compare perimeter guards with interior big men.
Court dimensions create a massive spatial efficiency discrepancy in perimeter shooting:
Shot context heavily dictates expected Effective Field Goal Percentage:
Stationary shooters stepping into rhythm passes from playmakers average an elite \(59.4\%\text{ eFG\%}\) across the NBA, serving as the foundation of modern high-octane perimeter offenses.
Step-backs and pull-up jumpers against primary perimeter defenders yield a much lower \(49.8\%\text{ eFG\%}\), reserved strictly for elite isolation stars (such as Luka Dončić or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander).
Tracking how 3-point volume and analytics revolutionized league-wide scoring efficiency over the last 40 years:
An athlete’s value in the eFG Calculator extends far beyond their individual box score. In modern basketball, elite perimeter shooters create off-ball gravitational pull that fundamentally alters how opposing defensive units position themselves across the floor.
When a player demonstrates an eFG% above \(60.0\%\) from beyond the arc, help defenders are prohibited from sagging into the paint to protect against rim drives. This structural spacing yields three distinct offensive advantages:
Perimeter gravity draws shot-blockers and wing defenders away from the basket, increasing primary ball-handlers' layup conversion rates by \(6\%\text{ to }10\%\).
Off-ball screening actions featuring a high-eFG% shooter frequently cause defensive miscommunications, creating open 4-on-3 power play advantages in the half court.
Corner snipers freeze weak-side rim rotations, directly translating into higher-efficiency paint touches and alley-oop lobs for interior big men.
In crunch-time situations—defined by the NBA as the final five minutes of a game with a score margin within five points—game pace slows down, transition fastbreaks disappear, and defenses switch all perimeter actions. As a result, league-wide eFG% plummets from \(54.5\%\) down to \(48.2\%\).
Includes transition layups, defensive miscommunication corner 3s, and early-shot-clock fastbreak opportunities against retreating defenses.
Characterized by heavy half-court defensive switching, physical hand contests, and high-degree-of-difficulty contested pull-ups at the end of the shot clock.
Using the eFG Calculator to isolate a player's fourth-quarter or playoff shooting profile reveals true postseason resilience: athletes who maintain an eFG% above \(55.0\%\) under heavy defensive contests represent genuine championship closers.
Just as Effective Field Goal Percentage is the ultimate offensive indicator, Opponent eFG% is the most reliable metric for evaluating team and individual defensive performance.
Historically, fans and casual observers over-emphasized box-score defensive stats like steals and blocked shots. However, modern analytics proves that chasing steals frequently pulls defenders out of team positioning, giving up wide-open corner 3s and paint layups with an expected eFG% exceeding \(65.0\%\).
Whether you are a high school athlete looking to improve your college recruiting stock or a coach designing an offensive system, the eFG Calculator provides clear mathematical thresholds to guide in-game shot selection:
If you shoot \(33.4\%\) or higher on 3-pointers, your eFG% is \(50.1\%\) (\(1.00\text{ Points Per Shot}\)). This immediately matches the scoring output of shooting \(50.0\%\) on 2-point mid-range jumpers, giving you the green light to shoot open perimeter triples.
Short paint floaters (\(6\text{ to }12\text{ feet}\)) commonly convert at \(38\%\text{ to }42\%\) (\(0.76\text{ to }0.84\text{ PPS}\)). Use the calculator to compare whether kicking the ball out to a \(38\%\) corner 3-point teammate (\(1.14\text{ PPS}\)) increases team possession value.
Record your made and attempted 2s and 3s during training scrimmages. Plug the numbers into the eFG Calculator to measure whether your shot diet is generating an efficient \(1.10+\text{ Points Per Shot}\).
High eFG% offenses maintain a healthy balance of paint attacks (\(65\%+\text{ conversion}\)) and 3-point spacing. The calculator's detailed mode allows coaches to monitor the optimal \(3\text{PAr}\) (Three-Point Attempt Rate) for their roster.
Comprehensive answers to common questions about Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%), Points Per Shot, and shooting efficiency metrics.
