Calculate a basketball player's Game Score (GmSc) using John Hollinger's formula. Enter stats like points, field goals, free throws, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and turnovers to get a single performance rating that summarizes how well a player performed in a game.
Game Score (GmSc)
--
Performance Rating
--
Positive Contributions
--
Negative Contributions
--
Total Rebounds
--
Game Score is a metric created by basketball analyst John Hollinger to measure a player's overall performance in a single game. It is a simplified version of Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and distills multiple stats — scoring, rebounding, assists, steals, blocks, turnovers, and fouls — into one number.
The formula is: GmSc = PTS + 0.4×FG − 0.7×FGA − 0.4×(FTA − FT) + 0.7×ORB + 0.3×DRB + STL + 0.7×AST + 0.7×BLK − 0.4×PF − TOV. Each component has a weighted contribution that reflects its impact on the game.
A Game Score of 10 is considered an average NBA performance. Scores above 20 indicate an excellent game, while scores above 30 are exceptional and rare. Elite performances like those from Wilt Chamberlain or Michael Jordan can exceed 50.
Wilt Chamberlain holds the record with a Game Score of 78 during his legendary 100-point game on March 2, 1962. This remains the highest single-game performance ever recorded using the GmSc metric.
Points scored, field goals made, free throws made, offensive rebounds, defensive rebounds, steals, assists, and blocks all contribute positively to Game Score. Offensive rebounds (0.7×) and steals (1×) carry relatively high weights.
Field goal attempts, missed free throws, turnovers, and personal fouls reduce your Game Score. Turnovers are penalized at a full −1.0 per turnover, making ball security one of the most important factors for a high Game Score.
No, but they are related. Game Score is a simplified, per-game version of PER. PER adjusts for pace, team performance, and playing time over a season, making it more complex. Game Score is easier to calculate and interpret for a single game performance.
Yes, a Game Score can be negative. This happens when a player accumulates many missed shots, turnovers, and personal fouls while contributing very little on offense or defense. A very poor performance can result in a Game Score below zero.