Defensive Rating
How many points a team allows per 100 possessions. The lower the number, the better the defense.
Points per game feels like the obvious way to measure defense, but it lies. A team that plays fast gives opponents more possessions per game — more chances to score. Defensive Rating removes pace from the equation. It asks a purer question: when the opponent has the ball, how often do you stop them?
Benchmarks
- League average: ~116
- Good: below 114
- Elite: below 112
In 2025–26, Fenerbahçe led EuroLeague with a Defensive Rating of 111.3 — the only team to hold opponents below 112. Olympiacos followed at 111.7, while Real Madrid and Valencia Basket both posted 112.9. At the other end, Baskonia allowed 121.5 and Maccabi Tel Aviv 120.8.
Fenerbahçe's 2025–26 defensive identity is built on suffocation. Their Defensive Rating of 111.3 leads the entire EuroLeague — nearly half a point better than Olympiacos and a full 1.6 points ahead of Real Madrid. What makes this remarkable is context: Fenerbahçe finished 27–15, good enough for a playoff run, but their offense ranked middle-of-the-pack at 113.9. The title-chasing Olympiacos scored at will with a 122.3 Offensive Rating, yet couldn't quite match Fenerbahçe's defensive discipline. In a league averaging 116.0 points allowed per 100 possessions, Fenerbahçe proved that defense can still be a foundation — not just a complement — to winning basketball.
Tensions
Defensive Rating is a team stat. A player like Nick Weiler-Babb was leading the league in steals in 2024–25 while Bayern Munich posted one of the worst team Defensive Ratings in EuroLeague. Individual effort and team structure are different things. Defensive Rating measures the system, not the individual.
A team with a great Defensive Rating might actually play at a fast pace — they just force the opponent into bad shots and quick turnovers. Pace and efficiency are separate. Don't assume a low-scoring game means good defense; it might just mean both teams are slow.
One team might achieve 113 by forcing turnovers. Another by defending the rim. Another by eliminating three-point attempts. Defensive Rating tells you the outcome — it doesn't tell you how. Two identical numbers can hide completely different defensive identities.
Formula
Defensive Rating = (Points Allowed / Possessions) × 100
DEF RTG: Defensive Rating / PA: Points Allowed
