Possessions
FGA − offensive rebounds + turnovers + 0.44 × FTA. It estimates offensive trips and lets teams from different-paced games be compared fairly.
NHA · HOW WE MEASURE THE GAME
Methodology
NHA uses official BasketLive box scores as the primary source for cumulative team and player statistics. Play-by-play is retained for sequence and timing analysis. Every import is checked against the final score; if the event reconstruction does not validate, we do not use it to publish shooting or possession-layer results.
Offensive Rating (ORTG)
Points scored per 100 estimated possessions. It measures scoring efficiency rather than total points.
Defensive Rating (DRTG)
Points allowed per 100 opponent possessions. Lower is better; it measures defensive efficiency after allowing for tempo.
Net Rating (NET)
ORTG minus DRTG: the efficiency margin per 100 possessions.
Pace
Average estimated possessions per team per game: (team possessions + opponent possessions) ÷ (2 × games). It describes tempo, not quality.
Effective Field Goal % (eFG%)
(FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA × 100. A made three receives its correct extra value over a made two.
True Shooting % (TS%)
Points ÷ [2 × (FGA + 0.44 × FTA)] × 100. It combines twos, threes and free throws in one scoring-efficiency measure.
Turnover % (TOV%)
Turnovers ÷ (FGA + 0.44 × FTA + turnovers) × 100. It estimates how often an offensive possession ends in a turnover; lower is better.
Offensive Rebound % (ORB%)
Offensive rebounds ÷ (offensive rebounds + opponent defensive rebounds) × 100. It estimates the share of available misses recovered.
Free-Throw Rate (FTr)
FTA ÷ FGA × 100. It shows how often a team reaches the line relative to its field-goal volume.
PTS / REB / AST / TOV per 100
Individual box-score totals scaled to team possessions. They compare volume independently of pace but must be read with role and minutes.
AST/TO
Assists divided by turnovers. A ball-management indicator, always interpreted alongside usage and role.
Rebound % (REB%)
Estimated share of available rebounds a player collected while on court, using minutes and team/opponent rebound totals.
Shot timing
Built from official play-by-play. Early, middle and late-clock results will be published only when possession detection has been validated.
How to read the data
No single metric tells the whole story. NHA uses the numbers to frame questions: how a team creates shots, protects the ball, wins rebounds and converts possessions. Sample size, opponent quality, role and game context always matter.