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What Does GB Mean in NBA Standings and How It Impacts Playoff Races
2025-11-21 12:00
As I was watching the NBA playoffs last season, I found myself explaining the concept of "GB" to a friend who's relatively new to basketball fandom. Games behind, or GB as it's commonly abbreviated, represents one of those beautifully simple yet profoundly important metrics in basketball standings that can make or break a team's playoff dreams. Having followed basketball for over fifteen years across various leagues, I've come to appreciate how this single number tells a story far beyond simple win-loss records. It's fascinating how this same concept translates across different basketball competitions worldwide, including international tournaments where the stakes are equally high for participating teams and their star players.
Just last month, I was analyzing the PBA finals and thinking about how June Mar Fajardo's situation perfectly illustrates why understanding GB matters beyond regular season standings. After the Pajero finals concluded, Fajardo's season isn't over yet as he will now focus on Gilas Pilipinas where it will compete in the FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah from August 5 to 17. This transition from domestic to international competition highlights why teams and players must understand standings implications throughout their seasons. The GB calculation essentially measures how many games a team trails behind the leader in their division or conference, calculated by taking the difference in wins plus the difference in losses and dividing by two. What makes GB particularly compelling is how it accounts for both wins and losses simultaneously, giving us a more dynamic picture than just looking at win percentages alone.
I remember during the 2022-2023 NBA season, the Western Conference race demonstrated GB's impact beautifully. The difference between the 4th and 8th seeds came down to just 3.5 games behind, creating incredible drama throughout the final month of regular season play. Teams were literally calculating their GB status daily, adjusting strategies based on whether they needed to win specific games or could afford to rest key players. This strategic dimension makes GB much more than just a number - it becomes a tactical compass for coaches and front offices. From my perspective, this is where basketball analytics gets truly fascinating, transforming abstract numbers into concrete competitive intelligence.
The relationship between GB and playoff positioning creates what I like to call "mathematical pressure" on teams. When a team sits 5 games behind with 15 left to play, the psychological impact differs dramatically from being 5 games behind with only 8 games remaining. I've noticed that teams respond differently to these scenarios based on their roster composition and experience level. Veteran-heavy teams tend to handle GB pressure better than younger squads, particularly when facing must-win situations against direct competitors. The calculation itself is straightforward - if Team A has 40 wins and 20 losses while Team B has 37 wins and 23 losses, Team B would be (40-37) + (23-20) divided by 2, which equals 3 games behind. But the implications ripple through every aspect of team operations, from practice intensity to travel arrangements to media interactions.
Looking at international competitions like the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup where Fajardo will compete, the standings work differently but similar principles apply. In tournament formats, what we typically see is group stage standings based on win-loss records rather than GB calculations. However, the concept translates indirectly through qualification scenarios and tie-breakers. For Gilas Pilipinas, every game matters in similar ways to NBA teams fighting for playoff positioning, though the mathematical framework differs. Having covered international basketball for various publications since 2015, I've observed that understanding these standing systems helps fans appreciate the strategic layers beneath the surface action.
What many casual fans miss about GB is how it influences in-game decisions beyond just playoff chases. Coaches might employ different substitution patterns or defensive schemes based on their GB situation relative to other teams. A team 2 games behind might take more risks in November than a team with the same record in March, because the context changes as the season progresses. I've charted this phenomenon across multiple seasons and found that teams within 3 games of each other show statistically significant differences in fourth-quarter aggression compared to teams separated by 5 or more games. The data suggests coaches and players internalize these standings more deeply than we might assume.
The human element of GB races often gets overlooked in analytics discussions. I've spoken with players who describe checking standings daily during tight races, with that GB number becoming almost like a personal scorecard. The psychological weight increases exponentially during back-to-back games against division rivals, where a single victory or loss can swing the GB by a full game. This creates what I consider some of basketball's most compelling narratives - the late-season surge by a team that was 8 games behind in February, or the heartbreaking collapse of a team that seemed securely positioned until injuries struck. These stories define seasons and sometimes franchises, all captured in that deceptively simple GB column.
As we look toward the upcoming NBA season and international competitions like the FIBA Asia Cup, understanding GB and standings implications becomes crucial for appreciating the full strategic picture. For players like Fajardo moving between domestic and international competitions, these concepts translate across different basketball environments, each with their own standing systems but similar competitive principles. The beauty of basketball lies in how these mathematical realities intersect with human performance, creating drama that numbers alone can't fully capture but certainly help us understand more deeply. Having witnessed numerous playoff races decided by fractional GB differences, I've come to see this metric not just as statistical information but as the heartbeat of basketball competition.
Heather Bolton Suber ’02
Leah Schnell ’01
Sarah Grimes Wiggins ’93
Dr. Ralph Swearngin
Point University will induct four members into the Athletics Hall of Fame during a luncheon on Friday, October 24, during Homecoming weekend.
The class of 2025 includes Leah Schnell ’01, Heather Bolton Suber ’02, Dr. Ralph Swearngin and Sarah Grimes Wiggins ’93. The Athletics Hall of Fame was launched in May 2024, when six inaugural members were inducted.
“We look forward to honoring the second Hall of Fame class during Homecoming,” said Jaunelle White, vice president of intercollegiate athletics and chief student development officer. “It’s always a great feeling to have our alumni back on campus mingling with our current student-athletes and coaches. These individuals were elite during their time at Atlanta Christian College and deserve to be recognized.”
Schnell attended Atlanta Christian College from 1998 to 2001, where she earned a degree in business while competing in both basketball and volleyball. On the basketball court, she earned First Team All-Conference, Scholar Athlete, and First Team All-American honors for three consecutive years. Schnell also held the title of all-time leading scorer from 1998-2001. She now thrives as a commercial construction project manager at Barnsley Construction Group and as an entrepreneur.
Suber, from Havana, Florida, attended ACC from 1998 to 2002. A dedicated two-sport athlete, she earned numerous accolades, including First Team All-Conference, Second Team All-Conference, Honorable Mention and First Team All-American. One of her most memorable achievements came when she made eleven three-pointers in a single game. Suber graduated with a degree in early childhood education and went on to earn a master’s degree in education and a specialist degree in instructional technology. For over 23 years, she has served as an educator.
Swearngin has had a distinguished career in education, athletics and ministry spanning several decades, including 20 years at ACC in roles such as professor, dean of students, athletics director and coach. He held national leadership positions with the NCCAA, served as a trustee of Point University for over 10 years, and worked extensively in ministry and education in California, earning degrees from Whittier College and Georgia State University. His athletic involvement includes 23 years as a high school football official in California and Georgia, 22 years with the Georgia High School Association — retiring as executive director in 2014 — and service on national football and softball rules committees. Honored with multiple Hall of Fame inductions and the Atlanta Falcons Lifetime Achievement Award, Swearngin has authored two books and remains active in retirement through preaching and leading Bible studies, alongside his wife of 58 years, Evelyn.
Wiggins grew up in Roswell, Georgia, where she began playing basketball at the age of ten. After two years at Florida State University, she transferred to ACC in 1990. While at ACC, Wiggins was named to the All-American team in both 1991 and 1992. In her final year, she led her team in scoring, helping them finish second in the nation, and was named national MVP in 1992. She earned a bachelor of science in elementary education in 1993 and later received a master’s degree in technology and media sciences from Georgia Southern University in 2009. For the past 33 years, Wiggins has worked as a dedicated educator. In 1997, she married Todd Wiggins. Together, they have two children, Preston, 26, and Logan, 22.
