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In basketball, GP stands for 'Games Played' and is a statistic used to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated. This can include players who were in the starting lineup or reserve players who entered the game before full-time. GP is a useful metric for evaluating a player's performance and contribution to their team. It provides context to other statistical categories such as points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks per game.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is GP | Games played |
| GP definition | Total number of games in which a player has participated |
| Application | GP is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested |
| Examples of GP in sports | In association football, a player is counted as GP if they are in the starting 11 or if they are a reserve player who enters the game before full-time |
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What You'll Learn
GP meaning: Games played
In basketball, GP stands for 'Games Played'. This is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated in any capacity. This means that the player in question could have played the whole game or just a small part of it. GP is used in basketball to evaluate a player's performance.
The NBA posts statistics to its website, including a simple composite efficiency statistic, denoted as EFF. This is derived by the formula:
> ((Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) − ((Field Goals Attempted − Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Attempted − Free Throws Made) + Turnovers))
However, this formula is not highly regarded by the statistics community, and the alternative Player Efficiency Rating, developed by ESPN basketball statistician John Hollinger, is more widely used to compare the overall efficiency of players.
A player who makes double digits in a game in any two of the PTS, REB, AST, STL, and BLK statistics is said to make a double-double. Three statistics make a triple-double, and four statistics make a quadruple double.
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Statistics in basketball
In basketball, statistics are used to evaluate a player's or team's performance. Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports, including basketball, to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated. This is irrespective of the portion of the game contested and whether they started the game or came on as a substitute.
There are a variety of other statistics used in basketball to assess performance. For example, the NBA posts a simple composite efficiency statistic, denoted as EFF, which is derived from a formula that includes points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks, as well as field goals and free throws attempted and made, and turnovers. This provides a single numerical score for a player's performance. However, this formula is not widely regarded by statisticians, and an alternative Player Efficiency Rating, developed by ESPN's John Hollinger, is more commonly used.
Other statistical measures include pace, or possessions per game, which indicates whether a team plays "fast" or "slow". This is a more accurate measure of performance than points scored or allowed, as it accounts for differences in pace between teams. The percentage of possessions in which a player is awarded a free throw, or the rate of free-throw attempts per field-goal attempt, are also calculated. The number of times a player makes physical contact with an opponent pursuing a rebound, or the number of times a defensive player contests a shot, are also tracked.
Some statistics are denoted by abbreviations, such as PPG for points per game, APG for assists per game, and MPG for minutes per game. A player achieving double-digit numbers in two statistical categories is said to make a "double-double", and in three categories is a "triple-double". These cumulative statistics provide a broad overview of a player's performance.
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Efficiency ratings
In basketball, statistics are used to evaluate the performance of a player or team. One such statistic is the efficiency rating, which is denoted as EFF by the NBA. The EFF formula is:
> ( (Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks) − ( (Field Goals Attempted − Field Goals Made) + (Free Throws Attempted − Free Throws Made) + Turnovers))
The Euroleague and Eurocup use a slightly different formula for their Performance Index Rating (PIR):
> (Points + Rebounds + Assists + Steals + Blocks + Fouls Drawn) − (Missed Field Goals + Missed Free Throws + Turnovers + Shots Rejected + Fouls Committed)
The EFF formula is not highly regarded by statisticians, who prefer the Player Efficiency Rating developed by ESPN basketball statistician John Hollinger. This is because the EFF formula does not account for the pace of play, which can vary greatly between teams. A team might play at a slow pace, giving their opponents fewer possessions to score, and thus making it harder to evaluate their defensive performance using the EFF.
To address this, some ratings adjust for the number of possessions a team has, or the number of minutes a player has been on the court. For example, "per 40" means that a player's stats have been adjusted to pretend they played 40 minutes per game.
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Possession glossary
Possession is one of the most fundamental concepts in basketball. It is the period during which a team can dribble, pass, or shoot the ball. The team with possession is referred to as the offense, and they are trying to score, while the other team, the defense, aims to prevent them from doing so. The more successful a team is during their offensive and defensive possessions, the more likely they are to win the game.
There are various ways to understand possession in basketball, from intuitive explanations to statistical definitions and advanced metrics. One of the most important metrics in basketball analytics is Pace, which is based on possession calculations. Pace, or Possessions per Game, typically ranges from 60 to 75. Points per Possession (PPP) is another key metric, which calculates the points a team scores for each possession, regardless of their pace.
The NBA's official possession-counting statistic estimates possessions by looking at the box score. According to this formula, each possession ends with a shot, a free-throw attempt, or a turnover. However, this is not always the case, as a team can secure an offensive rebound after a missed shot, thus retaining possession. Therefore, to accurately count possessions, offensive rebounds are subtracted from field goal attempts.
To calculate the number of points a team takes in a game, the following formula is used: Points = (pts/possession) * (possessions). Each team is allocated the same number of possessions.
Possession is also an important factor in jump ball situations. Possession is awarded to the team whose offense is moving in the direction of the possession arrow. Additionally, in the final minute of a period or quarter, a team with possession may time their shot to ensure they regain possession and have another opportunity to score before time runs out.
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Fouls and violations
Basketball is a fast-paced sport with many rules designed to keep the game safe and fair. While contact between players often results in a foul, the game's fast pace also means that unintentional or incidental contact is common and is not considered a foul. Referees must judge whether contact between players is incidental or a foul.
Every foul is a violation, but not every violation is a foul. Basketball violations are not tracked to individual players like fouls are. Violations include carrying or palming (similar to a double dribble), traveling, kicking, and goaltending. A player must not touch the ball while it is on its way into the basket, and a defender must not stand in the key for more than three seconds without actively guarding an opponent. If a team has too many players on the court, a non-unsportsmanlike technical foul will be assessed.
Fouls can be non-shooting or offensive. Once a team reaches the first threshold of fouls, they enter the bonus. Any non-shooting foul they commit from that point on will result in a free-throw opportunity for the other team. In the NBA/WNBA, this is one free throw, while in non-professional leagues, this is two free throws. Offensive fouls never result in free throws, but instead in a turnover.
Examples of fouls include shouldering, holding, tripping, pushing, and striking. A technical foul can be called for a delay of game, coaches box violations, defensive 3-seconds, or having too many players on the court. Unsportsmanlike conduct, such as cursing an official, can also result in a technical foul.
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Frequently asked questions
GP stands for Games Played.
GP is a statistic used in basketball and other team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated.
GP is used in basketball to evaluate a player's performance.
