Understanding the Efficiency-Volume Tradeoff
One of basketball's fundamental tensions is between scoring volume and shooting efficiency. As a player takes more shots, defenders focus on them more intensely, they take more difficult looks, and fatigue accumulates. The result: most players see their efficiency decline as their usage rises. The rare players who maintain elite efficiency at 25+ PPG — like Michael Jordan, Nikola Jokic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — are the most valuable offensive players in history.
What Is eFG%?
Effective Field Goal Percentage (eFG%) adjusts traditional FG% to account for three-pointers being worth more than two-pointers. The formula is: eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 * 3PM) / FGA. A player shooting 40% from three has a higher true scoring efficiency than one shooting 45% exclusively from two. This metric levels the playing field between perimeter scorers and interior players.
The Four Quadrants
- Top-right (Elite): High volume, high efficiency. The ideal. Players like Giannis Antetokounmpo (30.4 PPG, 61.1 FG%) and Jokic live here.
- Top-left (Efficient Role Players): Low volume, high efficiency. Catch-and-shoot specialists and rim runners who take only good shots.
- Bottom-right (Volume Scorers): High volume, low efficiency. Players who are asked to create offense but at a cost. They take tough shots because their team needs them to.
- Bottom-left (Inefficient): Low volume, low efficiency. Players struggling with their shot selection or ability.
Historical Trends
The three-point revolution has shifted the efficiency landscape dramatically. Modern players can maintain higher eFG% at high volume because three-point shooting provides more efficient looks. In the 1990s, a 50% eFG was excellent for a high-volume scorer. Today, the best players routinely exceed 55% eFG while scoring 25+ PPG, thanks to spacing, analytics-driven shot selection, and the decline of mid-range attempts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good eFG% in the NBA?
League average eFG% is typically around 52-54%. Above 55% is good, above 58% is excellent, and above 60% is elite. Context matters though — a center finishing at the rim will naturally have a higher eFG% than a guard creating off the dribble.
Who has the best efficiency-volume combination in NBA history?
Michael Jordan (30.1 PPG, ~54% eFG), Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic are strong candidates. Among current players, SGA and Giannis sit in the top-right quadrant of the scatter plot.
Does the three-point era make efficiency comparisons unfair?
Somewhat. Players like Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar didn't have the three-point line for most of their careers, so their eFG% is essentially their FG%. Modern players benefit from the extra half-point credit for threes.
Why do some high-PPG players have low efficiency?
High-usage players face tougher defenses, take more contested shots, and often serve as their team's bail-out option at the end of shot clocks. Creating your own offense is inherently less efficient than finishing plays others create.