It’s Time: Half (0.5) Steals as an Official NBA Stat

durden_tyler · Post #1 » by **durden_tyler** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 5:11 am

Am not sure why the NBA just don’t award half steals at this point.

The very basic instance is when a defensive player taps the ball, another teammate gets it and a change of possesion for the steal, but i believe, the steal stat would be credited to the second player.

If any, it’s a team (dual) defensive effort for those players since both had to work extra to force the change of possesion.

i see half-sacks in the NFL and that makes sense to credit those players and i feel the NBA is better off rewarding both players too.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

tmorgan · Post #2 » by **tmorgan** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 5:13 am

Actually, it’s typically awarded to the first defender to touch it, not the one that eventually recovers it.

Jasen777 · Post #3 » by **Jasen777** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 5:23 am

Steal force and steal recovery like for fumbles?

Daddy 801 · Post #4 » by **Daddy 801** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 9:51 am

Jasen777 wrote:Steal force and steal recovery like for fumbles?

Not sure why a guy would get .5 stat for just being in the right spot from a deflection. Just give the steal to the guy who resulted in the ball being stolen.

JN61 · Post #5 » by **JN61** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 9:54 am

tmorgan wrote:Actually, it’s typically awarded to the first defender to touch it, not the one that eventually recovers it.

Yes. This (at least used to be) is described on NBA.com website with video examples provided. How accurately they enforce it I do not know

kobe_vs_jordan · Post #6 » by **kobe_vs_jordan** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 10:08 am

This is offseason content. We got NBA to watch now

Uncle Mxy · Post #7 » by **Uncle Mxy** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 12:26 pm

Deflections of... the way life used to be.
Deflections of... the steal you took from me.
Old song.

hagredionis · Post #8 » by **hagredionis** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 1:03 pm

Why stop at half (0.5) steal? We also need a third (0.3) steal

J-Wolves · Post #9 » by **J-Wolves** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 2:11 pm

Where is the stat for winning the tip off and tip off recovery?

If the defensive player forces a jump ball and his team wins the tip and recovers it is that a steal on the stat sheet?
Offensive player loses possession via jump ball and tip recovery = a turnover.

dhsilv2 · Post #10 » by **dhsilv2** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 2:14 pm

durden_tyler wrote:Am not sure why the NBA just don’t award half steals at this point.

The very basic instance is when a defensive player taps the ball, another teammate gets it and a change of possesion for the steal, but i believe, the steal stat would be credited to the second player.

If any, it’s a team (dual) defensive effort for those players since both had to work extra to force the change of possesion.

i see half-sacks in the NFL and that makes sense to credit those players and i feel the NBA is better off rewarding both players too.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Wouldn't this just be the first player gets a steal and the second player gets a recovered loose ball? Both already tracked?

dhsilv2 · Post #11 » by **dhsilv2** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 2:20 pm

J-Wolves wrote:Where is the stat for winning the tip off and tip off recovery?

If the defensive player forces a jump ball and his team wins the tip and recovers it is that a steal on the stat sheet?
Offensive player loses possession via jump ball and tip recovery = a turnover.

https://www.82games.com/random14.htm

I think that's what you're looking for?

J-Wolves · Post #12 » by **J-Wolves** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 2:33 pm

dhsilv2 wrote:
J-Wolves wrote:Where is the stat for winning the tip off and tip off recovery?

If the defensive player forces a jump ball and his team wins the tip and recovers it is that a steal on the stat sheet?
Offensive player loses possession via jump ball and tip recovery = a turnover.

https://www.82games.com/random14.htm

I think that's what you're looking for?

Yeah thats interesting.
Live jump ball vs the useless opening tip off where it does not matter and some players dont even try to win the tip.

If the defensive player forces a jump ball and his team wins the tip and recovers it is that a steal added on the game stat sheet?

YogurtProducer · Post #13 » by **YogurtProducer** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 2:34 pm

Daddy 801 wrote:
Jasen777 wrote:Steal force and steal recovery like for fumbles?

Not sure why a guy would get .5 stat for just being in the right spot from a deflection. Just give the steal to the guy who resulted in the ball being stolen.

do we give rebounds to guys being in the right spot from a missed shot?

dhsilv2 · Post #14 » by **dhsilv2** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 2:35 pm

J-Wolves wrote:
dhsilv2 wrote:
J-Wolves wrote:Where is the stat for winning the tip off and tip off recovery?

If the defensive player forces a jump ball and his team wins the tip and recovers it is that a steal on the stat sheet?
Offensive player loses possession via jump ball and tip recovery = a turnover.

https://www.82games.com/random14.htm

I think that's what you're looking for?

Yeah thats interesting.
Live jump ball vs the useless opening tip off where it does not matter and some players dont even try to win the tip.

If the defensive player forces a jump ball and his team wins the tip and recovers it is that a steal added on the game stat sheet?

Oh, gotcha. I'm sure that's something you can pull as it's in the play by play data. I'm note even sure what's that's called. But I'd think forced tips should be separate. That isn't a steal.

dhsilv2 · Post #15 » by **dhsilv2** » Thu Nov 6, 2025 2:36 pm

YogurtProducer wrote:
Daddy 801 wrote:
Jasen777 wrote:Steal force and steal recovery like for fumbles?

Not sure why a guy would get .5 stat for just being in the right spot from a deflection. Just give the steal to the guy who resulted in the ball being stolen.

do we give rebounds to guys being in the right spot from a missed shot?

Sure but we also track contested vs uncontested rebounds.