The short answer
An NBA game averages 228.0 points, both teams combined. A EuroLeague game averages 166.9. Across our 24 core leagues the average is 177.4, from 33,392 finished games since 2022-23.
Those headline numbers are not like for like, though. NBA and China's CBA games run 48 minutes. Every other league here plays 40. Adjust for that and the picture changes.
Every league, ranked by points
| League | Points a game | Overtime | Within 5 points |
|---|---|---|---|
| NBA | 228.0 | 5.2% | 25.6% |
| CBA (China) | 196.7 | 4.5% | 23.1% |
| NBL (Australia) | 182.2 | 4.8% | 25.9% |
| Basketligaen (Denmark) | 170.9 | 2.7% | 20.2% |
| Korisliiga (Finland) | 170.5 | 4.5% | 24.5% |
| ACB (Spain) | 170.1 | 4.6% | 25.7% |
| SLB (UK) | 168.8 | 5.2% | 25.4% |
| BBL (Germany) | 168.7 | 5.7% | 24.4% |
| Super League (Israel) | 168.5 | 5.2% | 25.9% |
| EuroCup | 167.7 | 5.1% | 28.5% |
| ABA League | 167.3 | 4.9% | 24.8% |
| Basket Liga (Poland) | 167.3 | 5.6% | 28.8% |
| Lega A (Italy) | 167.0 | 4.8% | 29.7% |
| EuroLeague | 166.9 | 4.5% | 32.0% |
| LNB (France) | 166.9 | 4.4% | 26.2% |
| Premijer liga (Croatia) | 162.1 | 3.9% | 21.1% |
| Basketball Champions League | 161.8 | 5.5% | 27.8% |
| FIBA Europe Cup | 161.1 | 4.1% | 25.1% |
| Basket League (Greece) | 160.8 | 4.0% | 22.9% |
| BNXT League | 159.8 | 4.2% | 24.1% |
| Liga A (Argentina) | 159.8 | 4.7% | 31.0% |
| KBL (South Korea) | 159.7 | 3.6% | 33.0% |
| B.League (Japan) | 159.5 | 4.8% | 23.5% |
| NBB (Brazil) | 158.9 | 4.8% | 26.9% |
Figures cover all finished games we hold since 2022-23, read on 30 October 2026, and include overtime.
Adjusting for the extra eight minutes
Scale the two 48-minute leagues down to 40 minutes and they look quite different:
| League | Per game | Per 40 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| NBA | 228.0 | 190.0 |
| NBL (Australia) | 182.2 | 182.2 |
| Basketligaen (Denmark) | 170.9 | 170.9 |
| Korisliiga (Finland) | 170.5 | 170.5 |
| ACB (Spain) | 170.1 | 170.1 |
| EuroLeague | 166.9 | 166.9 |
| CBA (China) | 196.7 | 163.9 |
The NBA is still the highest-scoring league by a distance, but by about 8 points over Australia's NBL, not 46. China's CBA drops from second to 15th of 24. Its high totals come largely from the longer game.
Scoring by quarter
Not every league scores the same way through a game. Here are four contrasting ones, from finished games with quarter data:
| League | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | Q4 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NBA | 57.4 | 57.2 | 57.6 | 54.9 | 5,374 |
| EuroLeague | 41.8 | 41.7 | 40.6 | 41.7 | 1,408 |
| ACB (Spain) | 40.9 | 40.7 | 43.4 | 43.9 | 1,286 |
| CBA (China) | 50.4 | 50.6 | 48.5 | 47.0 | 1,944 |
The NBA and CBA slow down late. Spain's ACB does the opposite, with the second half outscoring the first by 5.7 points. The EuroLeague hardly changes at all.
So a rule like "double the half-time score" fails differently by league. It tends to overshoot in the NBA and CBA, and undershoot in the ACB.
Totals are wider than you think
Averages hide the spread. Eight in ten NBA games finish between 203 and 254 combined points. Eight in ten EuroLeague games finish between 145 and 190. That band is about 50 points wide in the NBA and 45 in the EuroLeague.
Keep that in mind with any projected total. If Sage projects 228 for an NBA game, 215 or 245 is an ordinary outcome, not a surprise.
Overtime changes totals
Overtime comes up in 2.7% of games in Denmark and 5.7% in Germany's BBL, with most leagues close to 5%. Those extra minutes lift the average a little. Sage learns from final scores, overtime included, so that lift is already in its projected totals. Most bookmakers settle totals including overtime too, but check your bookmaker's rules.
Scoring is not fixed
League averages move. The EuroLeague has climbed from 161.5 points in 2022-23 to 174.1 so far this season, as we cover in the EuroLeague 2026-27 post. The NBA has held between 226.5 and 229.8, as shown in the NBA 2026-27 post.
That is why Sage keeps a running scoring average per league rather than a fixed number. Its projected scores are on the basketball predictions page, and you can see them by league for the NBA, EuroLeague, ACB and BBL.
Here are today's free predictions across all leagues:
Updated Friday 30 October. Times are UK time. 55 of the 101 games in the next 36 hours are free. Pro opens the rest, plus over/under and handicap reads.
| Tip-off | Game | Sage favours | Win chance | Projected score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 17:30 | Anadolu Efes v Panathinaikos | Panathinaikos | 60% | 81 – 84 |
| Fri 18:00 | Zalgiris Kaunas v Partizan Mozzart Bet | Zalgiris Kaunas | 70% | 86 – 80 |
| Fri 19:00 | Lyon-Villeurbanne v Baskonia | Lyon-Villeurbanne | 63% | 91 – 87 |
| Fri 19:00 | Den Bosch v Mechelen | Den Bosch | 65% | 83 – 77 |
| Fri 19:15 | Olympiacos v Olimpia Milano | Olympiacos | 91% | 95 – 80 |
| Fri 19:30 | Brussels Basketball v Spirou Charleroi | Brussels Basketball | 68% | 82 – 75 |
| Fri 23:30 | Boston Celtics v Chicago Bulls | Boston Celtics | 84% | 125 – 109 |
| Fri 23:30 | Toronto Raptors v Orlando Magic | Toronto Raptors | 68% | 116 – 108 |
| Fri 23:30 | Brooklyn Nets v Detroit Pistons | Detroit Pistons | 76% | 105 – 116 |
| Sat 00:00 | Minnesota Timberwolves v Los Angeles Clippers | Minnesota Timberwolves | 64% | 115 – 109 |
| Sat 00:00 | Dallas Mavericks v Houston Rockets | Houston Rockets | 69% | 110 – 118 |
| Sat 16:00 | Cedevita Olimpija v FMP Beograd | Cedevita Olimpija | 74% | 87 – 80 |
| Sat 18:00 | Buducnost v Borac Mozzart | Buducnost | 84% | 91 – 79 |
| Sat 19:00 | Utah Jazz v Portland Trail Blazers | Portland Trail Blazers | 64% | 113 – 119 |
Frequently asked questions
How many points are scored in an NBA game? 228.0 on average, both teams combined, including overtime.
How many points are scored in a EuroLeague game? 166.9 on average over five seasons, and 174.1 so far in 2026-27.
Why do NBA games have more points? Mainly because they are longer, 48 minutes against 40, and the NBA also scores more per minute. At 40 minutes it would average about 190.
Which league scores the most? The NBA, by total and per minute. China's CBA is second per game but 15th once you adjust for its 48 minutes, which leaves Australia's NBL second.
How often do basketball games go to overtime? About 5% of the time in most leagues, from 2.7% in Denmark to 5.7% in Germany.
Do your projected totals include overtime? Yes. Sage learns from final scores, overtime included, and settles over/under calls the same way. See the record page and how Sage predicts. League home records are in home advantage: NBA vs Europe.
Predictions are chances, not promises. Only bet what you can afford to lose. 18+. BeGambleAware.org.