What this calculator does
Plain field goal percentage treats a three-pointer and a layup identically, which is obviously wrong since one is worth 50% more. Effective field goal percentage fixes that by adding half a made three to the numerator.
Nine made from eighteen is 50% either way if none were threes. Make three of those nine from beyond the arc and eFG% rises to 58.3%, because those three shots produced nine points rather than six. It is the simplest correction that makes shooting percentages comparable between players who shoot from different places.
The formula
Field goals made plus half the three-pointers made, divided by field goal attempts. The half is because a three-pointer is worth 1.5 times a two-pointer, so crediting half an extra make per three scales the numerator correctly. Free throws are excluded entirely, which is what separates eFG% from true shooting percentage.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| eFG% | Effective field goal percentage, adjusting for three-pointers being worth more. |
| FG% | Plain field goal percentage, which treats all makes alike. |
| True shooting | A further refinement that also accounts for free throws. |
| 0.5 weighting | Half a make credited per three-pointer, since a three is worth 1.5 twos. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Field goals made | Total field goals made, including three-pointers. |
| 3-point field goals made | Three-pointers made, which are a subset of the field goals made above. |
| Field goal attempts | Field goal attempts, including three-point attempts. |
When to use it
Comparing an inside player with a shooter
A centre shooting 55% from close range and a guard shooting 42% from three can be similarly efficient, which plain FG% hides and eFG% reveals.
Evaluating a shooting night
A line of 9 for 18 reads very differently depending on how many were threes, and eFG% captures that in one number.
Team shot selection analysis
The rise of three-point-heavy offences is largely an eFG% argument: a 35% three-point shooter is as efficient as a 52.5% two-point shooter.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How much do three-pointers raise eFG%?
The same shooting line with more of the makes coming from three.
Questions
What is a good eFG%?
Around 52 to 54% is roughly league average in the modern NBA, above 56% is very good and above 60% is excellent. The figures have risen over time as three-point attempt rates have climbed, so comparing across eras needs care.
Why half a three-pointer?
Because a three is worth 1.5 times a two. Adding half an extra make per three scales the numerator so that a made three counts as 1.5 makes, which is exactly its point value relative to a two.
What is the difference between eFG% and true shooting?
True shooting also includes free throws, using points scored over an attempt figure that adds 0.44 times free throw attempts. eFG% ignores free throws entirely. True shooting is the more complete measure; eFG% isolates shooting from the field.
What three-point percentage equals a given two-point percentage?
Two thirds of it. A 33.3% three-point shooter is as efficient as a 50% two-point shooter, and a 40% three-point shooter matches a 60% two-point shooter. This relationship is the arithmetic behind modern shot selection.
For a measure that includes free throws, see the true shooting percentage calculator. For an all-round single-game figure, see the NBA game score calculator.