Calculate Hollinger's Game Score for basketball. A comprehensive single-number metric that captures overall player performance.
Last updated: March 2026 | By Patchworkr Team
Hollinger Game Score
21.2
Excellent — star performance
| Game Score | Rating | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 40+ | Historic | All-time great performance (Kobe 81 pts) |
| 30–40 | Dominant | MVP-level game |
| 20–30 | Excellent | Star performance |
| 15–20 | Good | Solid starter game |
| 10–15 | Average | Typical starter output |
| <10 | Below Average | Bench/role player production |
💡 Pro Tip: Game Score rewards efficiency. An efficient 28-point game (15 GmSc) beats an inefficient 35-point game (20 GmSc). Always check assist-to-turnover ratio for complete context.
Game Score is a basketball performance metric created by ESPN analyst John Hollinger that condenses a player's entire stat line into a single number. Unlike traditional box score stats that require evaluating multiple categories separately, Game Score provides a holistic snapshot of how well a player performed in a given game by weighing positive contributions (points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks) against negative outcomes (missed shots, turnovers, fouls).
The formula assigns different weights to each statistical category based on their relative impact on winning. For example, made field goals add value while missed field goals subtract it, offensive rebounds are weighted more heavily than defensive rebounds (since they create extra possessions), and turnovers directly hurt the score. This nuanced approach makes Game Score more comprehensive than simple points-per-game averages.
Game Score is particularly useful for quickly comparing performances across different games or identifying standout individual performances. A Game Score of 40+ represents a historically great game, while scores around 10-15 indicate average starter-level production. The metric has become a standard tool in basketball analytics, featured prominently in media coverage and fantasy basketball analysis.
Calculate Game Score for a dominant performance:
Rating: Dominant — MVP-level performance
For starters, 15+ is solid, 20+ is excellent, and 30+ is dominant. Role players typically score 5-12. The all-time single-game record is 59.3 (Kobe Bryant, 81-point game in 2006).
Yes, scoring has the largest impact due to the 1.0 coefficient on points. However, efficient playmakers and rebounders can still achieve high scores through assists, rebounds, and defensive stats combined with low turnovers.
Yes, extremely poor performances (many missed shots, turnovers, fouls with few positive contributions) can result in negative Game Scores. This typically happens when players shoot very inefficiently on high volume.
Game Score evaluates single-game performance, while PER (Player Efficiency Rating) is a per-minute rate stat for season-long evaluation. Game Score is simpler and better for comparing individual games; PER adjusts for pace and minutes.
Only partially. It includes steals and blocks, but misses defensive rebounds, charges taken, and overall defensive positioning/impact. Advanced metrics like Defensive Box Plus/Minus (DBPM) provide fuller defensive evaluations.
Offensive rebounds create extra possessions for your team, making them more valuable than defensive rebounds (which simply prevent opponent possessions). The 0.7 vs 0.3 weighting reflects this possession-value difference.
Game Score is useful for quickly evaluating performances but doesn't match fantasy scoring systems. Most fantasy leagues use custom point values. Game Score is better for real basketball analysis than fantasy projections.
Kobe Bryant's 81-point game (2006) holds the record at 59.3 Game Score. Other notable performances: Wilt Chamberlain 100-point game (estimated 58-60), LeBron James 61 points (52.4), David Robinson 71 points (51.2).
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