Rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and turnovers

Beyond scoring, five counting stats describe how a team creates and protects possessions. Together they fill out the picture a single point total hides.

Rebounds

A rebound is grabbing a missed shot. They split in two:

• Offensive rebounds — your team missed and you got the ball back, earning a fresh chance to score.
• Defensive rebounds — you secured the opponent's miss, ending their possession.

Assists

An assist is a pass that leads directly to a teammate's basket. High assist totals usually signal good ball movement and an offense that is sharing the load rather than forcing shots.

Steals and blocks

• A steal takes the ball from the offense — a turnover you created.
• A block is deflecting a shot. Both are defensive plays that end an opponent's possession early.

Turnovers

A turnover is losing the ball without a shot attempt — a bad pass, a steal allowed, a violation. Each one is a possession thrown away.

Why these matter

Possessions are the currency of basketball. Offensive rebounds and forced turnovers add possessions; your own turnovers give them away. A team winning the possession battle can outscore an opponent even while shooting a worse percentage — which is exactly what the Four Factors will quantify.