What does GB mean in the standings?

GB is games behind: how many games a club would have to make up on the leader, counting a win it needs and a loss the leader would have to take as half a game each.

How it is worked out

GB = ((leader’s wins − club’s wins) + (club’s losses − leader’s losses)) ÷ 2

The half explains the .5 that looks like a typo: a club one win and one loss behind is one game back, but a club that has simply played one fewer game is half a game back. A club level with the leader shows a dash, never 0.0.

What the column says today

  • In the Eastern Conference the Detroit Pistons lead at 60-22, and the closest chasers, the Orlando Magic, sit 1.0 games behind. NBA standings
  • In the American League the Tampa Bay Rays lead at 95-60, and the closest chasers, the Chicago White Sox, sit 1.0 games behind. MLB standings
  • In the American Football Conference the Buffalo Bills lead at 2-0, and the closest chasers, the New York Jets, sit 1.0 games behind. NFL standings

The rest of the table