Game Score Calculator (Hollinger GmSc)

Turn a single basketball box score line into one number that measures a player's productivity, using John Hollinger's Game Score formula.

Quick Facts

Formula
Hollinger Game Score = 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
Scaled so ~10 is an average game and 40 is outstanding.

Your Results

Calculated
Game Score (GmSc)
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Single-game productivity
Rating
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How the game grades out

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Enter a box score line and press Calculate.

About the Game Score Calculator

Game Score (abbreviated GmSc) is a basketball metric created by ESPN analyst John Hollinger to summarize a player's productivity in a single game as one number. It rolls a full box score line — scoring, shooting efficiency, rebounding, playmaking, defense, and mistakes — into a single figure that is easy to compare across games and players. Hollinger deliberately calibrated the scale so that it feels familiar to a basketball fan: a Game Score around 10 is roughly an average performance, while 40 is an exceptional, standout night.

The Game Score formula

Game Score is computed directly from box score counting stats using fixed weights:

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

where PTS is points, FG and FGA are field goals made and attempted, FT and FTA are free throws made and attempted, ORB and DRB are offensive and defensive rebounds, STL is steals, AST is assists, BLK is blocks, PF is personal fouls, and TOV is turnovers. The weights reward efficient scoring and positive contributions while penalizing missed shots, fouls, and turnovers. Notice that points already count in full, so the +0.4·FG and −0.7·FGA terms act as an efficiency adjustment on top of raw scoring: a made two-pointer nets +2 (points) +0.4 (make) −0.7 (attempt) = +1.7, while a miss costs −0.7.

Why use one number?

  • It condenses a twelve-column box score into a single, sortable value, which is handy for ranking performances or scanning a season log.
  • Unlike raw points, it credits the non-scoring contributions — rebounds, assists, steals, blocks — that a scoreline alone hides.
  • It penalizes empty volume: a 30-point night on 30 shots with 6 turnovers can score lower than a quieter, efficient all-around game.

Reference Game Scores

  • Average NBA game: ≈ 10.
  • Strong, All-Star-level night: ≈ 20–25.
  • Elite, best-of-season performance: ≈ 30–40.
  • Kobe Bryant, 81 points (2006): Game Score ≈ 63.5.
  • Wilt Chamberlain, 100 points (1962): Game Score ≈ 64.7 — among the highest ever recorded.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good Game Score?
On Hollinger's scale, a Game Score of about 10 is an average NBA performance and 40 is an outstanding one. Scores of 20–25 reflect a strong All-Star-level night, while anything above 30 is elite. A Game Score below 5 indicates a quiet game, and a negative Game Score means a player's misses, fouls, and turnovers outweighed their positive contributions.
How is Game Score different from Player Efficiency Rating (PER)?
Game Score rates a single game, while PER is a pace-adjusted, per-minute measure averaged across a season and normalized so the league average is always 15. Hollinger designed Game Score as a quick, one-game snapshot that mirrors the scale of a scoring output, whereas PER is a more complex rate stat meant for season-long comparison.
Does Game Score account for minutes played or opponent strength?
No. Game Score is a raw counting metric — it sums weighted box score events without adjusting for how many minutes a player was on the floor, the pace of the game, or the quality of the opponent. A player logging 40 minutes has more opportunity to accumulate a high score than one playing 15, so compare with that context in mind.

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