Game Score Calculator (GmSc)
Enter a player's box-score statistics to calculate their Game Score (GmSc) for that game. Developed by basketball analyst John Hollinger, Game Score distills every major box-score category into a single number that summarises a player's total contribution. A score of 10 is considered an average NBA performance; 40 or above is historic. Results update instantly as you type.
Formula
Worked example
A player scores 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting with 6-of-7 free throws, 2 offensive and 6 defensive rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 2 personal fouls and 2 turnovers. Scoring: 22 + 0.4*8 - 0.7*16 - 0.4*(7-6) = 22 + 3.2 - 11.2 - 0.4 = 13.6. Rebounds: 0.7*2 + 0.3*6 = 1.4 + 1.8 = 3.2. Creation/defense: 1 + 0.7*5 + 0.7*1 = 1 + 3.5 + 0.7 = 5.2. Penalties: -(0.4*2 + 2) = -2.8. GmSc = 13.6 + 3.2 + 5.2 - 2.8 = 19.2 - a solid game.
What is Game Score (GmSc)?
Game Score is a single-number summary of a basketball player's statistical performance in one game. It was created by John Hollinger, the basketball analyst and author of "Pro Basketball Forecast," as a quick alternative to his more elaborate Player Efficiency Rating (PER). Unlike PER, which adjusts for pace and is designed for season-long evaluation, Game Score is meant to answer a simple question after any given night: how well did a player actually perform? It captures every major box-score category and penalises inefficient shooting, missed free throws, and turnovers while rewarding every positive contribution from scoring to shot-blocking.
How the Game Score formula works
The formula weights each statistic according to its approximate value relative to a possession: GmSc = Points + 0.4 x Field Goals Made - 0.7 x Field Goal Attempts - 0.4 x (Free Throw Attempts - Free Throws Made) + 0.7 x Offensive Rebounds + 0.3 x Defensive Rebounds + Steals + 0.7 x Assists + 0.7 x Blocks - 0.4 x Personal Fouls - Turnovers. Points and steals receive full credit. Field goals made receive an additional 0.4 bonus (on top of the points already counted) while each attempt costs 0.7, so a player must shoot better than roughly 70/140 = 50% on two-point shots just to break even on the shooting line alone. Offensive rebounds are worth 0.7 because they extend possessions; defensive rebounds are worth 0.3 because they are the expected outcome. Assists and blocks both carry 0.7. Turnovers carry a full -1, the steepest single-play penalty, because they give the opponent a live-ball possession with no prior shot taken.
What makes a good Game Score?
John Hollinger set 10 as the baseline for an average NBA performance. Most starting players in the NBA log Game Scores between 8 and 18 on a typical night. A Game Score of 20 or above represents a great performance and will often appear in a nightly highlight summary. Scores in the 30s occur maybe a handful of times per season league-wide, and anything above 40 is genuinely historic. The all-time single-game record belongs to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962, which produced a GmSc above 80. More modern examples in the 50-65 range include Kobe Bryant's 81-point game (GmSc approximately 66) and several 60-plus-point games by other star players. For college, international, or recreational basketball the absolute scale shifts, but the relative interpretation within a lineup holds.
Game Score versus other basketball metrics
Game Score is the simplest of the major composite basketball metrics. Player Efficiency Rating (PER) adjusts for team pace and league averages and is calibrated so that 15 is always the league mean, making cross-era comparisons easier. Box Plus-Minus (BPM) and Value over Replacement Player (VORP) go further and estimate how many points per 100 possessions a player contributes above a replacement-level player, making them more sophisticated for evaluating trade decisions. Game Score's advantage is speed and transparency: you can calculate it from a box score in under a minute, the formula components are self-explanatory, and it does not require knowing team pace or league averages. Its limitation is that it ignores on-ball defense (other than steals and blocks) and does not account for shot quality, usage rate, or lineup context. Use it as a quick nightly temperature check, then turn to BPM or on-off data for deeper player evaluation.
Game Score performance tiers
| GmSc range | Tier | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Below 0 | Below replacement | Shooting or turnover trouble wiped out positive contributions |
| 0 - 6.9 | Below average | Quiet night, limited impact across all categories |
| 7 - 12.9 | Average | A typical starter-level NBA game |
| 13 - 19.9 | Solid | Meaningful contributor, above the median starter |
| 20 - 26.9 | Great | Top-quartile performance for that night |
| 27 - 34.9 | Excellent | One of the best games league-wide on most nights |
| 35 and above | Historic | All-time-great single-game territory (Wilt, Kobe, LeBron level) |
Approximate benchmarks based on NBA regular-season data. Elite players average 15-20 per game across a full season.
Frequently asked questions
What is an average Game Score in the NBA?
John Hollinger calibrated the formula so that 10 represents a roughly average starting performance on any given night. Most starters cluster between 8 and 18. Reserve players typically log lower scores due to fewer minutes and opportunities.
What is the highest Game Score ever recorded?
Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game on March 2, 1962 produced the all-time record GmSc of approximately 85. Among modern players, Kobe Bryant's 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors in January 2006 produced a GmSc in the mid-60s. Scores above 40 in a single game occur only a handful of times per NBA season.
Why does Game Score penalise field goal attempts so heavily?
Each field goal attempt costs 0.7, but making one adds 0.4 (plus the points already counted separately). A player must shoot above roughly 47% on two-point shots just to break even on the FG/FGA lines alone. This reflects the fact that a missed shot ends the possession and gives the defence a rebound opportunity. The free-throw penalty works the same way: missing a free throw is subtracted as 0.4 per miss (FTA - FT).
Does Game Score work for college or international basketball?
The formula applies to any level of basketball, but the absolute thresholds differ. College games have fewer possessions, players log fewer minutes, and defenses are organised differently, so raw counts tend to be lower. Compare Game Scores within a league or season rather than across levels to get meaningful context.
How is Game Score different from Player Efficiency Rating (PER)?
Game Score evaluates a single game using raw box-score numbers. PER adjusts those numbers for team pace and calibrates them so the league average is always 15, enabling cross-era comparisons. PER is better for season-long evaluations; Game Score is faster and more transparent for single-night analysis.
Can Game Score be negative?
Yes. A player who shoots poorly, commits several fouls, and turns the ball over multiple times can finish with a negative GmSc, indicating their statistical contributions subtracted value from their team's expected output. Negative scores are rare for players who play significant minutes because bench and garbage-time play is limited, but they do occur.