In the context of professional basketball standings, the abbreviation “GB” signifies “Games Behind.” This figure indicates the difference between a team’s number of wins and the leading team’s number of wins, adjusted for the number of games played. For example, if the leading team has a record of 50-10, and another team has a record of 45-15, the second team is five games behind the leader. The calculation considers both wins and losses to provide an accurate reflection of the gap in performance.
This statistic is crucial for understanding a team’s position relative to its competitors within a conference or division. It provides a clear and readily understandable metric for assessing the competitiveness of teams and their progress toward playoff contention. Historically, this measurement has been a standard way to track team performance and predict potential playoff matchups, contributing significantly to the narrative and strategy surrounding the season.