In basketball betting, one of the most popular types of wagers is the handicap bet. Handicap betting involves giving a team a virtual disadvantage or advantage in order to even out the playing field. This type of betting requires a careful analysis of both teams' strengths and weaknesses.

One important factor to consider in handicap analysis is shooting efficiency. A team's ability to score points largely depends on their shooting accuracy. In this article, we will discuss how to analyze a team's shooting efficiency and use it to make informed handicap bets.

First, it's crucial to understand the different shooting statistics that are commonly used in basketball. The most basic shooting statistic is field goal percentage (FG%), which is the percentage of shots made out of the total number of shots attempted. However, FG% does not take into account the difficulty of the shots taken. Therefore, it's important to also look at effective field goal percentage (eFG%), which adjusts for the fact that three-point shots are worth more than two-point shots. eFG% is calculated as follows:

eFG% = (FGM + 0.5 3PM) / FGA

where FGM is field goals made, 3PM is three-pointers made, and FGA is field goals attempted.

Another shooting statistic to consider is true shooting percentage (TS%), which takes into account free throws made as well as field goals made. TS% is calculated as follows:

TS% = PTS / (2 (FGA + 0.44 FTA))

where PTS is points scored, FGA is field goals attempted, and FTA is free throws attempted.

Once you have a good understanding of these shooting statistics, you can start analyzing a team's shooting efficiency. Look at their average FG%, eFG%, and TS% and compare them to the league average. If a team has higher shooting percentages than the league average, they are considered to be above-average shooters. Conversely, if a team has lower shooting percentages than the league average, they are considered to be below-average shooters.

However, it's important to also consider the strength of the opposing team's defense. A team may have high shooting percentages, but if they are facing a strong defensive team, their shooting efficiency may be significantly lower. Therefore, it's important to also analyze the opposing team's defensive statistics, such as opponent FG%, eFG%, and TS%.

In conclusion, when analyzing handicap bets, it's important to consider a team's shooting efficiency. By looking at a team's FG%, eFG%, and TS%, you can determine whether they are above-average or below-average shooters compared to the league average. Additionally, it's important to consider the opposing team's defensive statistics to get a better understanding of how the team's shooting efficiency may be affected. By taking these factors into account, you can make more informed handicap bets and potentially increase your chances of winning.