GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
How is three-point attempt frequency different from three-point accuracy?
Attempt frequency describes shot mix; accuracy describes success within that set of attempts. The NBA glossary’s player/team mix measure is %FGA 3PT. It defines 3P% as 3PM divided by 3PA. The similarly named 3FG FREQ glossary entry is specifically an opponent-shot metric in the defensive dashboard.
For Bettors and cappers interpreting basketball statistics · Updated
3P% describes makes among three-point tries
3P% is 3PM divided by 3PA. Its denominator includes only three-point attempts, so it measures accuracy within the selected shot type. A player can have the same 3P% as another player while taking a different share of shots from three.
Keep the numerator and denominator visible when comparing the two: %FGA 3PT uses 3PA over total FGA; 3P% uses 3PM over 3PA.
Two fictional shot ledgers
Hypothetical player A: 2PM 6 of 14 and 3PM 3 of 6, for 20 total field-goal attempts. Three-point attempt share is 6/20 = 30%; 3P% is 3/6 = 50%. Hypothetical player B: 2PM 4 of 10 and 3PM 5 of 10, also 20 total attempts. Three-point attempt share is 10/20 = 50%; 3P% is 5/10 = 50%. Both have the same invented three-point accuracy, but B takes a larger share of attempts from three. These are synthetic counts, not player records.
Related questions
Can two players have equal 3P% but different three-point frequency?
Yes. 3P% uses made threes divided by three-point attempts. %FGA 3PT uses three-point attempts divided by all field-goal attempts, so the shot mix can differ while accuracy matches.