Basketball Statistics Blog

Basketball Statistician's Digest: "Up To The Line" Concept & Possessions

At the NBA is employed a system by which every missed free throw results in either an individual rebound or a team rebound making that= individual rebounds + team rebounds= missed field goals + missed free throws, with the intention to match every missed shot with a rebound of some kind, providing a two=way check on the scoresheet to make sure that missed shots and rebounds are accurately accounted for.
On the contrary, with reference to this discussion, the eBA System prefers the use of the concept UP TO THE LINE.

In a previous message I stated: "... A typical formula to calculate the basketball possessions is:

Possessions=FGA Field Goals Attempted - OR Field Goals Attempted +TO Field Goals Attempted +0.4* Free Throws Attempted

In those traditional statistics systems, because two free throws do not always equal one possession (for example, in some situations one or three free throws may be awarded), they employs the multiplier 0,44 ( and sometimes 0,5 ) for free throws attempted, which is not always exact.

The eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System looking for exactness, register the real number of times the team reached the line for 2 or 3 free throws with the concept UP TO THE LINE, remarking between parenthesis the number of times the last throw was MADE.

With regard the rebounds, it is referred only to possessions, that's means the eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System doesn't register a rebound in the first of two or three, or second of three free throws as related above. ..."

Therefore, it is not possible to calculate absolutely the possessions using the box score data, because, in the midst of other argues studied in the eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System, possessions-ending free throws are not recognized in the box scores (read here this thread about the .44 factor and the eBA System), some quarters bring to an end with offensive rebounds without follow-up shots, and not all rebounds are credited in box scores (read here the thread about the 'Extra Possessions at the end of the Quarters').

The full analysis to answer your question is included in the module "Possessions Analysis" in the eBA ONLINE Clinics.

This topic is resumed in the eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System
at the eBA Encyclopedia > eBA System

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