Effective Field Goal Percentage: Formula and Example

Effective field goal percentage (eFG%) measures shooting efficiency by counting the extra value of three-pointers. Enter field goals made, three-pointers made, and field goals attempted to calculate the percentage and see how the formula works.

Formula

The standard formula is:

eFG% = 100 × (FGM + 0.5 × 3PM) ÷ FGA

• FGM is field goals made, including both two-point and three-point shots, measured as a count.
• 3PM is three-point field goals made, measured as a count.
• FGA is field goals attempted, including missed and made two-point and three-point shots, measured as a count.

The factor 0.5 gives each made three-pointer an extra half-credit in addition to its inclusion in FGM. The calculator multiplies the resulting ratio by 100 to show a percentage. Counts have no physical units; the result is a percentage.

Worked Example

Using the calculator’s defaults—8 field goals made, 3 of them three-pointers, and 15 total attempts:

1. Add half the made three-pointers to field goals made: 8 + (0.5 × 3) = 9.5.
2. Divide by field goal attempts: 9.5 ÷ 15 = 0.633333…
3. Convert to a percentage: 0.633333… × 100 = 63.3% eFG to one decimal place.

For comparison, ordinary field goal percentage is 8 ÷ 15 × 100 = 53.3%. Both figures use the same makes and attempts, but eFG% accounts for the additional point a successful three-pointer scores compared with a two-pointer.

What Effective Field Goal Percentage Measures

Traditional field goal percentage is field goals made divided by field goals attempted. It treats every made field goal alike, even though a three-pointer is worth three points and a two-pointer is worth two. eFG% adjusts the traditional measure so that it better reflects this scoring difference.

For a simplified example, imagine two players each make 5 of 10 shots. If one makes five two-pointers, that player’s eFG% is 50%. If the other makes five three-pointers, the calculation is (5 + 0.5 × 5) ÷ 10 = 75%. Their ordinary field goal percentages are equal, but their scoring from those shots differs.

eFG% is a shooting-efficiency statistic, not a direct measure of points per game, total offensive value, or overall player quality. It does not include free throws, turnovers, assists, or the circumstances of each shot.

When to Use eFG%

Use eFG% when comparing the value of field-goal shooting across players, teams, or games—especially when their mix of two-point and three-point attempts differs. It is commonly used in basketball statistics and analysis as a way to compare shooting efficiency more fairly than ordinary field goal percentage alone.

• For a single player or team: Combine all field goals made, three-pointers made, and attempts over the same game or period.
• For comparisons: Use statistics covering the same league, competition, and time span where possible.
• For a season or multiple games: Add the underlying makes and attempts across the period, then calculate the rate. Do not simply average game-level percentages unless you specifically want an unweighted average of games.

For example, if one game has 2 attempts and another has 20, averaging the two game percentages gives each game equal weight. Calculating from combined totals weights each shot equally, which is generally the appropriate overall shooting rate.

How to Read the Result

An eFG% of 55% means the player’s made field goals, adjusted for three-point value, equal 55% of the value of making every attempt a two-point field goal. It is a rate, not the percentage of shots that literally went in; use ordinary field goal percentage for that question.

Because a made three-pointer contributes 1.5 to the formula’s numerator while counting as one attempt in the denominator, eFG% can exceed 100%. For instance, a player who makes only three-pointers can reach 150% if every attempt goes in. That does not mean the player made more shots than attempted; it reflects the formula’s adjustment for the extra point.

There is no universal “good” eFG% that applies to every context. It varies with playing level, era, role, shot selection, and competition. Compare like with like rather than treating one cutoff as a rule.

Common Errors and Limitations

• Using total points instead of three-pointers made: The formula needs 3PM, not total three-point points. If a box score reports three-pointers as makes-attempts, use the makes for 3PM and the full field-goal attempt count for FGA.
• Leaving out three-point makes from FGM: FGM includes all made field goals. The extra 0.5 is added for made threes; it does not replace their initial count.
• Using the wrong denominator: FGA includes all two-point and three-point attempts, but not free-throw attempts.
• Mixing time periods: Do not combine a season’s makes with a single game’s attempts. All input totals must describe the same player or team and period.
• Rounding too early: Keep full counts and calculate the ratio before rounding the displayed percentage.

eFG% excludes free throws, so it cannot capture every way a player scores. A complementary measure, true shooting percentage, incorporates free throws as well as field goals, using an estimate to account for free-throw possessions. These statistics answer different questions; eFG% focuses specifically on field-goal efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you calculate effective field goal percentage?
Use eFG% = 100 × (field goals made + 0.5 × three-pointers made) ÷ field-goal attempts. Make sure the three-pointers made are already included in total field goals made.

Why does the formula add half a three-pointer?
A three-pointer scores one point more than a two-pointer. Since a made three is already counted once in field goals made, adding another half makes its total contribution 1.5, reflecting 3 points relative to the 2-point baseline.

Can effective field goal percentage be over 100%?
Yes. A player making only three-pointers can exceed 100% because each made three receives the formula’s 1.5 credit per attempt. The percentage is adjusted efficiency, not a literal hit rate.

Is eFG% the same as field goal percentage?
No. Field goal percentage counts every made field goal equally. eFG% adds credit for three-pointers to reflect their higher scoring value.

Does eFG% include free throws?
No. It uses field goals made, three-pointers made, and field-goal attempts only. A statistic such as true shooting percentage includes free throws in its assessment of scoring efficiency.

Related

• Bike Gear Ratio Speed and Cadence Calculator
• Bicycle Gearing Ratio Calculator and Guide
• Bike Gear Calculator Comparison: Ratios, Speed and Cadence

in fgm | Field goals made | - | 8 | 0
in tpm | Three-pointers made | - | 3 | 0
in fga | Field goals attempted | - | 15 | 0
out efg | Effective field goal percentage | % | 100 * (fgm + 0.5 * tpm) / fga | 1
out fg | Field goal percentage | % | 100 * fgm / fga | 1