Categorizing NBA Offenses with Machine Learning

In an age where old heads are complaining that every team plays the same (but anyone who watches games can tell you this is not at all true), I got to thinking about how many different types of offenses there really are in the NBA. I wondered, as any normal person would, "How well can… Continue reading Categorizing NBA Offenses with Machine Learning

The NBA MVP voting system is actually good. Voter fatigue might make it better.

The NBA uses a variation of what is called a Borda Count voting system to select its MVPs, where voters (100 American and Canadian media members who aren't affiliated with teams) are asked to rank their top MVP candidates, and then those candidates are given points based on where they are ranked on each ballot.… Continue reading The NBA MVP voting system is actually good. Voter fatigue might make it better.

Tari Eason is an extra possessions savant

I was messing around, making some graphs with advanced stats from Basketball Reference's Advanced stats, when I noticed something interesting. Something remarkable. There are two ways you can give your team an advantage in possessions: you can force turnovers from the other team, or you can grab offensive rebounds. Players can excel at one or… Continue reading Tari Eason is an extra possessions savant

The Most Heliocentric Teams in the NBA

image from soaringdownsouth.com Just as in our heliocentric solar system many small planets orbit a much larger sun, heliocentric NBA offenses feature several role players orbiting around one (or two) stars. Think four shooters zipping around the court while Luka Doncic isolates or Trae Young determining the fate of almost every Hawks' possession. A lot… Continue reading The Most Heliocentric Teams in the NBA