GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
Can a free-throw attempt rate exceed 100 percent without a calculation error?
Yes. NBA Stats defines team FTA Rate as free-throw attempts divided by field-goal attempts, so the numerator can be larger than the denominator and the ratio can exceed 100 percent. Free-throw percentage uses a different denominator: made free throws divided by free-throw attempts. Do not read FTA Rate as the share of free throws that were made.
For Bettors and cappers interpreting basketball statistics · Updated
FTA Rate compares attempts across two shot types
The NBA Stats glossary gives team FTA Rate as free-throw attempts divided by field-goal attempts. Because these are separate attempt counts, a team can take more free throws than field-goal attempts in the selected sample. The resulting ratio can be greater than 1, or greater than 100 percent when shown as a percentage.
That value does not mean more than every possible field goal was converted. It describes the relationship between two attempt totals, not a make rate.
FT% measures makes among free-throw attempts
The glossary defines FT% as free throws made divided by free-throw attempts. Its numerator is a subset of its denominator, so the standard result ranges from zero to 100 percent when attempts are positive.
Read the label and denominator before comparing a rate with a percentage. FTA Rate and FT% both involve free throws, but they answer different questions and should not be substituted for one another.
A fictional team with more free throws than field-goal attempts
Hypothetical example: A team records 10 field-goal attempts, 12 free-throw attempts and 9 made free throws in a fictional report. Its FTA Rate is 12 divided by 10, or 1.20, which is 120%. Its FT% is 9 divided by 12, or 0.75, which is 75%. The 120% value is possible because FTA Rate compares free-throw attempts with field-goal attempts; FT% compares made free throws with free-throw attempts.
Related questions
Does a 120% FTA Rate mean the team made 120% of its free throws?
No. FTA Rate is free-throw attempts divided by field-goal attempts. Free throws made divided by free-throw attempts is FT%.
Can FT% be more than 100 percent?
Under the glossary formula, made free throws are divided by free-throw attempts, so the numerator cannot exceed the denominator. A displayed value above 100 percent would call for checking the data, labels and calculation.