Basketball stats

The first public basketball game was on March 12, 1892 in a YMCA gymnasium. Approximately 200 spectators came to view this new and unheard of sport. As the sport grew in popularity, it was introduced into the 1904 Olympics, but it was not until 1936 when it was acknowledged as a medal event.

• There are 30 teams.

• Each team has 82 games a season.
• Not all teams play the same day of week.
• Some games are back-to-back, meaning there are two games two days in a row.
• No team ever has three games three days in a row.
• A field goal is when someone makes a basket.
• Attempts and makes are ways of evaluating shooting efficiency.
• Most field goals are two points. Those that are not are called three point shots. They are shot from a line that's far from the basket.
• An assist is when someone receives a sweet pass before they make a field goal
• A steal is when you take the ball from the opposing team.
• A block is when you block a shot from the opposing team.
• Turnover is when you lose the ball and the other team gets it.
• Personal fouls is when the ref says NOPE.
• Rebounds is when you grab the ball after a missed field goal. If you get it when you're on defense, it's a defensive rebound. If you get it when you're on offense, it's an offensive rebound.

Top 100 Point scorers, all time

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the first player to reach 34,000 total points, becoming the leading scorer in NBA history on Jan. 10, 1986 and finishing his career at 38,387. Only Karl Malone, ending his career as the league’s second-leading scorer with 36,928 points, and LeBron James have done so since. Notably, Kobe Bryant came close to the 34,000-point mark before ultimately ending his career as the NBA’s third-leading scorer with 33,643 points.

Points per Game (PPG)

Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games.

PPG and games played

Heatmap

Points per minute (PPM)

NBA Power Rankings

A visualization of John Schuhmann's NBA Power Rankings for each week of the 2021-22 Regular Season.