Net rating is the difference between offensive rating and defensive rating, usually expressed per 100 possessions. Positive values mean a team or lineup has outscored opponents on a possession-adjusted basis; negative values mean the opposite.
Why possession adjustment matters
Raw points can be misleading because teams play at different tempos. A fast team may score more total points simply because it has more possessions. Ratings per 100 possessions create a common frame so that pace does not dominate the comparison.
Team net rating vs. lineup net rating
At the team level, a large sample of possessions can make net rating a strong descriptive measure of overall performance. At the lineup level, the same statistic becomes much noisier. Five-man groups may play limited minutes, face very different opponents, or appear mostly in specific game states.
The sample-size trap
A lineup that wins 25 possessions by a huge margin can post an eye-catching number without proving it is sustainable. Before drawing conclusions, check minutes, possessions, opponent quality and whether the group’s shooting percentages are unusually hot or cold.
What to pair with net rating
Break the number into its offensive and defensive components, then investigate the causes. Turnover rate, offensive rebounding, free-throw rate and shooting efficiency reveal where the advantage is coming from. Film then helps explain which actions or coverages are driving those possession-level results.
