How to Read an NBA Box Score
An NBA box score provides a statistical breakdown of what took place in a pro basketball game. There are two types of box scores--long and short.
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Instructions
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Understand the differences. In long boxes, each player is given a complete line detailing all his statistics, with team totals providing for each statistic. Long boxes are set up in list form. In short boxes, players are listed in paragraph form.
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Find a player's name. The first thing in both long and short box scores is the player's last name. His stats immediately follow.
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Read a long box. A player's name in long boxes is followed by his minutes played, field goals made and attempted, three-pointers made and attempted, free throws made and attempted, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, fouls and total points.
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Read a short box. Only field goals made and attempted, free throws made and attempted and total points follow a player's name.
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Understand this sample of short box line. If a player named Smith scored 20 points on eight of 13 field goals and three of four free throws, his line would look like this: Smith 8-13 3-4 20.
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Understand the listing of short box leaders. Unlike long boxes, only leaders in specific categories are listed in short boxes. For instance, if Smith grabbed a team-high eight of the Red team's 44 rebounds, the line would look like this: Rebounds-Red 44 (Smith 8). The same goes for the other categories.
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