Basketball Statistics Blog

Basketball Statistician's Digest: The Possession Evaluation (PE) Method

In a previous message from September 2008, we studied about the Possession Evaluation (PE).

This is a method of rating a team's performance in three areas of the game: offense, defense, and rebounding.

The formula was developed by Dean Smith and detailed in his book Basketball ~ Multiple Offense and Defense.

To read the previous message go to: The Possession Evaluation (PE) Method in this eBA Blog.

According to Dean Smith Total Possessions are calculated by counting the three events which end a possession:

• FG attempts. While the ball is in the air neither team controls it. A rebound of a missed shot (even an offensive-rebound) begins another possession.


• FT opportunities. This counts the entire series of FTA, not each FTA separately. This is referred at the eBA Basketball Statistics Analysis System as the "Up-to-the-Line" opportunities. When all the FT have been shot, the ball is given to the other team. With the only exceptions are technical fouls or intentional fouls, but these are relatively infrequent. Only 'stand-alone' opportunities are counted here: when a player goes to the line for the   double-bonus, or when a player is fouled on a missed shot (which means officially no FG attempt). FT attempts following a made basket are not counted, as they are really part of the same possession that produced the shot. The FG ended that particular possession.


• Turnovers.

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

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