Minutes Per Game (MPG)
The average number of minutes a player is on the court per game. The single biggest driver of counting stats — more minutes means more opportunity.
Like an Uber driver's earnings depending on hours logged — skill matters, but hours on the road are the primary driver of total income.
Why it matters
A player's minutes projection is the most important input into any counting stat projection — even elite per-minute producers can't put up numbers from the bench.
How DMP uses this
DMP tracks rolling minutes averages (L5, L10, season) and uses them as the foundational multiplier in all projection calculations.
Common mistake
Ignoring recent minutes trends — a player whose minutes dropped from 34 to 28 over the last 5 games will likely see reduced stats across the board.