Defensive Rating (DRtg)
Defensive rating (DRtg) is the number of points a team or player allows per 100 possessions. It is the mirror image of offensive rating, so a lower number is better - a strong defense gives up fewer points for every 100 possessions the opponent runs.
Also known as: defensive efficiency, points allowed per 100 possessions.
Formula
DRtg = (Points allowed / Possessions) x 100
At team level it uses opponent points and possessions; individual defensive rating blends team defense with a player's own defensive events.
Worked example
A team that gives up 104 points per 100 possessions has a defensive rating of 104. If its offensive rating is 112, its net rating is +8.
Benchmarks
| Tier | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Elite | under 105 |
| Good | 105 - 110 |
| Average | 110 - 114 |
| Below average | over 114 |
Ranges are approximate and drawn from public league-average data; exact figures move season to season and vary by source. Use them as a read, not a hard cutoff.
How coaches and scouts use it
- Scout an opponent's defense on a pace-neutral scale so a slow, grind-it-out team is not mistaken for a great one just because it allows few raw points.
- Compare defensive rating with and without a key rim protector on the floor to size up their real impact.
- Use it alongside opponent effective field goal percentage and turnover rate to see how a defense actually wins possessions.
Common mistakes
- Ranking defenses by points allowed per game - a slow team allows fewer points simply because there are fewer possessions, not because it defends well.
- Reading individual defensive rating as purely one player's doing; it carries a lot of the team's defensive result.
Defensive Rating (DRtg) is calculated automatically inside Scouting4U.
Build pace-adjusted defensive scouting reports in Scouting4URelated metrics
Offensive rating (ORtg) explained: points scored per 100 possessions, the formula, elite vs average benchmarks, and how scouts use it to rank offenses.
Points per possession (PPP) explained: the formula, how to read it, elite vs average benchmarks, and how coaches use it to judge offense and defense.
Effective field goal percentage (eFG%) explained: field goal percentage adjusted for the extra value of the three-pointer, with the formula and benchmarks.
Turnover percentage (TOV%) explained: turnovers as a share of possessions used, the formula, benchmarks, and how coaches read it on offense and defense.