In basketball, efficiency measures how much value a player produces relative to the opportunities they use. Instead of just looking at total points, efficiency asks: “How many shots or possessions did it take to get those points?”
High efficiency means a player scores a lot of points while wasting very few shots.
The Three Pillars of Efficiency
To understand efficiency, you have to look at three specific areas of the game:
1. Scoring Efficiency (Taking Smart Shots)
This measures how many points a player produces per shot attempt. A player who scores 20 points on 10 shots is far more efficient than a player who scores 20 points on 25 shots.
- Key Stat: True Shooting Percentage (TS%). This combines two-pointers, three-pointers, and free throws into one number to show a player’s total scoring impact.
2. Playmaking Efficiency (Taking Care of the Ball)
Efficient playmakers create baskets for teammates without turning the ball over.
- Key Stat: Assist-to-Turnover Ratio. If a player has 10 assists but 8 turnovers, they are inefficient. If they have 10 assists and only 1 turnover, they are an efficiency goldmine.
3. Possession Efficiency (Winning the Numbers Game)
Basketball is a game of limited possessions. An efficient team maximizes every trip down the floor by:
- Limiting turnovers.
- Grabbing offensive rebounds (which creates “extra” possessions).
- Taking high-percentage shots (layups and open threes).
Why Efficiency Wins Games
Think of a basketball game like a budget. Each team gets roughly 100 “dollars” (possessions) to spend.
- An Inefficient Player spends $30 to buy 20 points.
- An Efficient Player spends $15 to buy 20 points.
The efficient player leaves their team with $15 extra to spend on more points, while the inefficient player puts the team in “debt.” This is why coaches often value a player who scores 15 points on high efficiency over a “volume shooter” who scores 25 points on poor shooting.
How to Spot an Efficient Player
You can identify efficient players by looking for these traits:
- Shot Selection: They rarely take “bad” shots (like contested, long two-pointers).
- Free Throw Accuracy: They capitalize on easy, uncontested points.
- Low Turnovers: They don’t give the ball away for free.
- High eFG%: They prioritize three-pointers and layups over mid-range jumpers.