What is a Field Goal in Basketball?
Field Goal in Basketball: While playing basketballs, the main target is to score more points than the opponent team, and it’s only possible by taking 2- or 3-point baskets during gameplay.
A field goal is a type of basket shot, which counts as 2 or 3 points when scored. It can be shot from any area on the court, but it must hit the rim and backboard and fall into the basket.
In this article, we’ll discuss every aspect of field goals, i.e., its types, calculation method, effective percentage, and also cover which type of shots are considered for field goals.
Don’t forget to also check our guide to the best basketballs shoes for wide feet
What are the Different Types of Field Goals?
The most common field goal shot is the jump shot taken from within five feet of the basket. The other field goals are bank shots, slam dunks, and Layups.
Bank Shots: In basketball, a bank shot is a type of field goal or foul shot in which, after bouncing off the backboard and the rim, the ball goes into the basket.
Slam Dunks: Slam dunks are the most famous shots in basketball and are also known as simple dunks. It’s a shot in which the player jumps closer to the hoop controlling the ball with one or both hands, and pushes the ball downwards into the rim.
Layups: A layup is an act of a basketball player in which the players dribble the ball close to the hoops and jump over to shoot at the basket with one hand without making contact with the rim.
A field goal made from further away is called a long-range field goal or 3-pointer. One-point shots such as free throws and penalty shots are not considered part of field goals.
You may also be interested to read about the Outdoor Basketballs
How to Calculate Field Goal Percentage?
The field goal percentage is a vital factor in keeping track of the scoring and efficiency of any basketball player.
To understand the field goal percentage (FG%), you have to understand the Field Goal Attempts (FGA) and Field Goals Made (FGM)
Field Goal Attempts (FGA): it is the term used to count the total number of attempts of field goals in the whole gameplay, including missed as well as the successful attempts
Field Goals Made (FGM): It’s a term used to calculate the number of actual field goals contributing to point scoring for the team; it does not count the missed field goals.
For the calculation of FG%, there is a simple formula. You have to divide the FGM by FGA, i.e., if the player makes 100 FGA in the whole season and out of there are 65 FGM, then the FG% is 70 for that player
Field Goal Percentage Formula:
FG% =
Note: if you are playing basketball during the playing you are feeling Plantar Fasciitis so you can get best Basketball Shoes for Plantar Fasciitis
What Is the Effective Percentage of Field Goal?
An Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) gives more accurate statistics than the FG% because it accounts for more value of three-point shots by 1.5 compared to the regular 2-point shots.
The eFG% is calculated with the help of the undermentioned formula.
Who are the Best Scorers From the Field in the NBA?
These days, the best players in the NBA make most of the field goals they attempt. The single-season record holder for the stat is Mitchel Robinson, who earned a .742 field goal percentage during the 2019-2020 season with the New York Knicks. Wilt Chamberlain is in second place with a .727 field goal percentage.
Historically, field goal percentage has been a bit of a lagging stat. Famous basketball players in history did not have many successful field goal attempts. Bill Russell and George Mikan only averaged slightly more than .400 when shooting from the field.
Is a field goal the same as a free throw?
No, the free throws are opportunities that outcome of any foul and can be scored from the free-throw line only. Moreover, free throws are counted as 1-point shots, while the field goals can be scored from any point in the court, and these are 2 or 3 points shots
You can also read about the Best Basketball Knee Pads
Conclusion: What is a Field Goal in Basketball?
I hope you have now gotten some thoughtful information about Field Goals, their types, and how the field goals percentage is calculated. If you have any basketball-related queries, head over to the homepage of this site or comment below. Our team members would love to help you in any case.