eFG% Calculator — Effective Field Goal
Calculate effective field goal percentage (eFG%) and true shooting percentage. Accounts for the extra value of three-point shots in basketball shooting
eFG% Calculator — Effective Field Goal
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Formula: eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 x 3PM) / FGA x 100
Worked example — eFG%: 58.3% (Excellent) | TS%: 60.7% | Points: 24 | The three-point shooting boosted eFG% by 13.9 points
Formula
eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 x 3PM) / FGA x 100
Where FGM = Field Goals Made, 3PM = Three-Pointers Made, FGA = Field Goals Attempted. The 0.5 multiplier accounts for the 50% additional value of a three-point make over a two-point make.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Guard with High Three-Point Volume
Problem:A shooting guard makes 8 field goals on 18 attempts, with 5 of those makes being three-pointers. He also made 3 of 4 free throws. Calculate his eFG% and TS%.
Solution:FG% = 8 / 18 = 44.4% eFG% = (8 + 0.5 x 5) / 18 = 10.5 / 18 = 58.3% Total Points = (3 x 2) + (5 x 3) + 3 = 6 + 15 + 3 = 24 TS% = 24 / (2 x (18 + 0.44 x 4)) = 24 / (2 x 19.76) = 24 / 39.52 = 60.7% eFG% bonus from threes: 58.3 - 44.4 = 13.9 percentage points
Result:eFG%: 58.3% (Excellent) | TS%: 60.7% | Points: 24 | The three-point shooting boosted eFG% by 13.9 points
Example 2: Center with Interior Scoring
Problem:A center makes 7 field goals on 10 attempts with 0 three-pointers. He also converted 6 of 8 free throws. Calculate his eFG% and TS%.
Solution:FG% = 7 / 10 = 70.0% eFG% = (7 + 0.5 x 0) / 10 = 7 / 10 = 70.0% Total Points = (7 x 2) + 6 = 20 TS% = 20 / (2 x (10 + 0.44 x 8)) = 20 / (2 x 13.52) = 20 / 27.04 = 74.0% No eFG% bonus since no three-pointers were attempted
Result:eFG%: 70.0% (Elite) | TS%: 74.0% | Points: 20 | Pure interior efficiency
Frequently Asked Questions
What is effective field goal percentage and why does it matter?
Effective field goal percentage (eFG%) is an advanced basketball statistic that adjusts the traditional field goal percentage to account for the extra value of three-point shots. The formula is eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 x 3PM) / FGA. The 0.5 multiplier on three-pointers reflects the fact that a made three-pointer is worth 50% more points than a made two-pointer (3 vs 2 points). Standard FG% treats all made baskets equally, which unfairly penalizes players who take more three-pointers. For example, a player who goes 4-for-10 on all three-pointers scores 12 points (40% FG) while a player who goes 6-for-10 on all two-pointers scores only 12 points (60% FG). Their eFG% values are both exactly 60% — (4 + 0.5 x 4) / 10 and (6 + 0.5 x 0) / 10 — correctly rating the two performances as equally efficient even though their raw FG% differ by 20 points.
How does eFG% differ from true shooting percentage?
While eFG% accounts for the added value of three-pointers over two-pointers, true shooting percentage (TS%) goes further by incorporating free throws into the efficiency calculation. The TS% formula is Total Points / (2 x (FGA + 0.44 x FTA)). The 0.44 coefficient on free throw attempts approximates the number of possessions used by free throws, since and-one situations, technical free throws, and three-shot fouls use possessions differently. TS% is considered the most comprehensive single measure of scoring efficiency because it captures value from all three scoring methods. A player who draws many fouls and converts free throws at a high rate will have a higher TS% relative to their eFG%. James Harden, for example, historically showed large gaps between his eFG% and TS% due to his prolific free throw generation.
What is considered a good eFG% in the NBA?
In the NBA, the league average eFG% typically hovers around 52-54%. An eFG% above 55% is considered above average, while anything above 60% is elite. For context, elite big men who primarily score on dunks and layups near the basket often post eFG% values above 65%, while perimeter players who take more difficult shots usually fall in the 50-58% range. The highest single-season eFG% values in NBA history have been posted by rim-running centers like DeAndre Jordan (70.3% in 2016-17) and Rudy Gobert. When evaluating players, it is important to consider shot volume alongside efficiency, as a player taking 20 shots per game at 55% eFG% is significantly more valuable offensively than one taking 5 shots at 60% eFG%. Team-wide eFG% correlates strongly with offensive rating and winning percentage.
How do three-point shots impact eFG% calculation?
Three-point shots have a magnified impact on eFG% because the formula adds half the value of each made three-pointer to the numerator. This means that making a three-pointer boosts eFG% more than making a two-pointer from the same number of attempts. Consider this practical illustration: if a player takes 10 shots and makes 4, their base FG% is 40%. If all 4 makes were two-pointers, eFG% = 4/10 = 40%. If 2 of those makes were three-pointers, eFG% = (4 + 0.5 x 2) / 10 = 50%. If all 4 makes were three-pointers, eFG% = (4 + 0.5 x 4) / 10 = 60%. This mathematical property reflects the real-world impact: a team that shoots 35% from three generates 1.05 points per three-point attempt, equivalent to shooting 52.5% on two-pointers. This is why modern basketball analytics heavily favor three-point shooting.
How can players and coaches use eFG% to improve strategy?
Coaches and players can use eFG% to make data-driven decisions about shot selection, lineup construction, and game planning. On offense, comparing eFG% by shot zone helps identify where a player is most efficient. If a player has 60% eFG% at the rim but only 42% on mid-range shots, the coaching staff should design plays that get them closer to the basket or behind the three-point line. For lineup analysis, grouping players with high eFG% together often creates better offensive spacing and efficiency. Defensively, tracking opponent eFG% by play type reveals which defensive coverages are working. Modern NBA analytics departments track eFG% in hundreds of specific situations including pick-and-roll, isolation, transition, post-up, and catch-and-shoot to optimize both offensive and defensive schemes throughout the season.
How does eFG% translate into points per field goal attempt?
Exactly and simply: points from the field equal 2 x eFG%. Points scored on field goals are 2 x FGM + 3PM, which factors to 2 x (FGM + 0.5 x 3PM), and that bracket is the eFG% numerator. So a 55 percent eFG is 1.10 points per shot, and 60 percent is 1.20. That linear relationship is why eFG% slots straight into possession-based analysis, while raw FG% has no clean points-per-shot interpretation once threes are in the mix.
At what three-point percentage does a three beat a two?
Compare expected points per attempt. A three-point attempt yields 3 x 3P%, a two-point attempt 2 x 2P%. They break even when 3P% equals two thirds of 2P%, so a 33.3 percent three-point shooter matches a 50 percent two-point shooter at 1.00 points per shot. In eFG terms a pure three-point diet converts at 1.5 x 3P%, meaning 36 percent from deep is a 54 percent eFG. That arithmetic, not fashion, is what pushed offenses away from long twos.
Where does eFG% sit among Dean Oliver's Four Factors?
Oliver's framework reduces winning to four things a team controls: shooting, measured by eFG%; ball security, measured by turnover percentage; rebounding, measured by offensive rebound percentage; and getting to the line, measured by free throw rate. Shooting is conventionally weighted heaviest of the four, around 40 percent of the explanatory load. Each factor has an offensive and a defensive version, so a coach reads eight numbers to describe how a game was won or lost.
How is opponent eFG% used to evaluate a defense?
Run the same formula on what the opposition shoots against you: their made field goals plus half their made threes, divided by their attempts. Because defenses have far more influence over shot quality than over whether an open shot drops, opponent eFG% is usually broken out by location — rim, mid-range, above the break, corner three. A defense that concedes a low overall figure while surrendering corner threes is often riding shooting variance rather than a sound scheme.
Does eFG% say anything about shot difficulty or who created the shot?
No. The formula sees only makes, threes and attempts, so a roll man finishing lobs and a guard creating contested pull-ups off the dribble are scored on the same scale even though one is generating his own shot and the other is being handed one. Check assisted rate and shot location beside the percentage: a high eFG that is almost entirely assisted at the rim depends on the playmakers around him and rarely survives a change of team or role.
References
Reviewed for accuracy by Sher, Sports Science & Nutrition Specialist · Editorial policy
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