Field Goal

A field goal is any shot that a player takes, other than a free throw. A field goal can be made from a long distance and a field goal can be a slam dunk.

The field goal shots are the normal shots that players take during the game. The only shot that does not count as a field goal is the free throw shots that players are allowed to take after the referee has called a foul against the other team.

The term field goal is used because the playing area that basketball players use is called a court, and in the world of sports terminology it is also the “field of play”. Meaning it is the area where the game is being played.

Some people say that in old documentations concerning basketball the word field was used to describe the playing area, and that is why the term field goal is used today in reference to hoops shot during general play.

The field goal is scored according to the position the player was in when they took the shot. Some field goals are worth 2 points and some of them are worth 3 points each.

If the player is inside the or on the 3 point line when they make their shot then the field goal is worth a total of 2 points.

If the player is outside the 3 point line the field goal is worth 3 points.

The 3 point line is situated 22 feet from the center of the basketball rim in NBA and professional games. This line also extends 16’ 9” from the baseline.

In college basketball the 3 point line is an arc that is 20’ 9” from the center of the hoop.

In high school basketball the 3 point arc is positioned 19’ 9” from the center of the hoop.

The rule of thumb for measuring the field goal percentage is: the number of attempts a player makes in a game divided by the actual number of goals that scored points.

When you read field goal statistics you need to realize that a player who has a 68% field goal ratio sounds incredible, but the statistics do not generally tell you where those field goals were shot from. The more difficult shots are those attempted outside of the 3 point line.

If you really want to understand a players’ ability and their true field goal percentage then you need to find out where the majority of their shots are taken from.

When you move to the midsection of the court you will find that only 38% of NBA shots are taken from this area. Coaches find that the players that are capable of making goals from this portion of the court are extremely valuable to the team.

In the 3 point shooting section of the court the players take 34.8% of their field goal shots. These are valuable shots that increase the game points quickly.

Coaches look at field goal percentage ratios when they are considering how effective a player might be. 50% is considered to be a good percentage ratio for a player. At 50% that means the player has a 50/50 chance of sinking the ball in the goal each time they shoot. 50% is a good percentage ratio, but it is not actually a realistic ratio.

The field goal percentage of a player can tell the coach if the player is one that tries to make difficult shots, and sometimes will let a coach know which player is likely to have a team centered attitude, and which player is likely to play for their own glory and not for the team good.

Very few basketball players will consistently make half of the shots they take. This does occur, but it is not the truth of the majority of players. The truth is closer to a 47% range.

You also have to take into consideration the position that the player plays. Guards generally have the lowest field goal percentages, and centers and forwards have the highest percentages.

To understand the percentages and ratios according to a players’ statistics you must look at:

• FGA – field goal attempts;
• FGM – field goals made;
• 3FGM – 3 point field goals made;
• 3 FGA – 3 point field goals attempted;
• 2 FGM – 2 points field goals made;
• 2 FGM – 2 points field goals attempted.