Box Score

In basketball, a box score is a detailed summary of the results from a game. A basketball box score features a detailed breakdown of team and player statistics, such as minutes played, total points, field goal percentage, three-point shot percentage, rebounds, free throw percentage, assists, steals, and blocked shots. Statisticians sit courtside during the game to gather these statistics, which they then compile into a box score that is immediately made available to the public.

A basketball box score summarizes the team and player analytics of a game in an easy-to-read table format. The box score lists every player on the roster and their respective stats, along with data from the team’s overall performance. To understand a basketball box score, you will need to know how to identify and understand the abbreviations and meaning behind each statistic, such as the following.

MIN (Minutes)

In a complete box score, the minutes-played column can be right next to each player’s name or it can be the last column to the right. The minutes calculation is rounded out to 30 seconds either way. So if a player played 23:12, that is recorded as 23. If a player played 22:48, that is recorded as 23. A player who plays less than 30 seconds gets a 0 or 0+. Players who do not play typically get a “DNP” designation.

FGM-A (Field Goals Made and Attempted)

This includes all shots made and legitimately attempted from the floor, both two-point shots and three-point shots. A shot missed when a shooting foul occurs does not count as an attempt. Made shots include those awarded to the shooter because of defensive basket interference. Individual and team field goal percentages are derived from these totals.

3PA-M (Three-Point Shots Made and Attempted)

These numbers include three-point shots made and attempted, under the same guidelines as two-point shots. Individual and team three-point field goal percentages are derived from these totals. These makes and attempts are also included in the overall field goal made/attempts category. They are part of the overall field goal percentage.

FTM-A (Free Throws Made and Attempted)

These are all the shots made and attempted at the free throw line, either for personal fouls or technical fouls. Individual and team free throw percentages are derived from these totals.

OREB (Offensive Rebounds), DREB (Defensive Rebounds)

Players get a rebound for gaining control of a missed field goal or free throw attempt. Offensive rebounds are those gained while on offense. These can be clean rebounds or controlled tips at the basket. Defensive rebounds are gathered or controlled at the defensive end. Some box scores will include a separate column for offensive rebounds, but not for defensive rebounds. In that case, subtract the offensive rebounds from the total rebounds to get the number of defensive rebounds.

REB (Rebounds)

These are the total rebounds credited at both ends of the court. In some cases “team rebounds” may be awarded when no one individual controls the missed shot.

AST (Assists)

Players earn an assist for making a pass that leads directly to a teammate’s made basket. Merely being the last teammate to possess the ball before the shooter scores does not qualify you for an assist.

STL (Steals)

Players get a steal for taking away an opponent’s dribble or intercepting a pass to give their team possession of the basketball.

BLK or BS (Blocked Shots)

A blocked shot occurs when an offensive player shoots a legitimate field goal attempt and a defensive player tips or deflects the ball. Even if the defensive player’s team does not recover the deflected ball, it still counts as a blocked shot. NBA box scores also include a stat called “BLKA” (Blocks Against), which is an offensive player or team’s total number of attempted field goals that get blocked by a defender.

TO (Turnover)

A turnover occurs when an offensive player loses possession of the ball to the defense before the offensive player attempts a shot. Some actions that result in a turnover by an offensive player include: having the ball stolen while dribbling or throwing a bad pass, stepping out of bounds, throwing the ball out of bounds, committing an offensive foul, committing a traveling violation, committing a double-dribble violation, committing a shot clock violation, committing a backcourt violation, and committing a three or five-second violation.

PF (Personal Fouls)

A personal foul is a physical foul committed on the court. On some levels, a technical foul – usually assessed for unsportsmanlike conduct of some kind – also counts as a personal foul for the offender. Technical fouls are usually delineated as a line item at the bottom of the box score. Flagrant fouls are severe personal fouls that draw extra punishment. These count as personal fouls, but are also registered as a line item under the box score.

+/- (Plus-Minus)

This statistic measures a player’s impact on the game. To calculate +/-, subtract the difference between a player’s team’s total points and their opponent’s total points when that player is in the game. For example, if a player’s team outscored their opponents by eight points when the player is on the court, the player will receive a +8 point differential. If a player’s team is outscored by five points when that player is on the court, the player will receive a -5 point differential.

PTS (Points scored)

‘Points scored’ is the total number of points scored by a player or team.