Do analytics deserve a seat at the table?
By Steve Shea (@SteveShea33) June 30, 2017 Often, professional sports organizations employ the “go-for” model for incorporating analytics. Picture a group of executives seated around a large table...
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Is the once innovative Spurs offense now outdated?
By Steve Shea (@SteveShea33) July 7, 2017 He’s a genius, the NBA’s best coach in recent history hands down. Since Gregg Popovich’s first full season as San Antonio’s head coach, 1997-98, the Spurs have...
View ArticleHow progressive is your NBA team’s offense?
By Stephen Shea, Ph.D. (@SteveShea33) July 17, 2017 NBA offenses are evolving. The increased reliance on 3-point shooting gets the most fanfare, but there is more to it than that. Teams are...
View ArticleFinding Sports Analytics’ Next Revelation
By Stephen Shea, Ph.D. November 21, 2017 Sports analytics begins with an investigation into the player or team actions that lead to wins. The quantifications of those activities are called “descriptive...
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What if your team had Houston’s shot selection?
Stephen Shea, Ph.D. November 21, 2017 There are 5 major shooting zones on an NBA court: the restricted area (at the hoop), the paint (but not in the restricted area), mid-range, corners, and above the...
View ArticleDraymond has been the NBA’s best defender
By Stephen Shea, Ph.D. January 1, 2018 PDR=Perimeter Defensive Rating IDR=Interior Defensive Rating TDR=Total Defensive Rating (or simply, PDR + IDR) These ratings were introduced here and updated...
View ArticleAnthony Davis rates as the NBA’s best defender in 2017-18
By Stephen Shea, Ph.D. (@SteveShea33) April 19, 2018 Below are the player defense rating for the 2017-18 seasons. (Players needed 500 minutes to qualify). PDR=Perimeter Defensive Rating IDR=Interior...
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3 Feet, 3 Wins
By Steve Shea (@SteveShea33) December 10, 2018 “Take more threes!” It’s this message that analytics is best known for. It’s this suggestion that has had the most obvious impact on how the game is...
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The 40/60/80 Club
By Stephen Shea, Ph.D. (@SteveShea33) January 17, 2019 Analytics have had no more obvious influence on the game of basketball than on shot selection, and the influence extends beyond the suggestion to...
View ArticlePerimeter Defense Rating
By Steve Shea, Ph.D. (@SteveShea33) January 29, 2019 I introduced Perimeter Defense Rating (PDR) about two years ago. Then, Tony Allen was king. At the end of the 2017-18 season, Victor Oladipo had the...
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