The growth of analytics in the NBA has been nothing short of phenomenal. It started with a deeper look at numbers that already were available and produced new and useful statistics such as true shooting percentage, defensive rebound percentage, offensive rating and win shares. With the use of a grid or a matrix, we now have the ability to determine a player’s offensive tendencies and hot spots. For some players, it is quite revealing. For others, such as DeAndre Jordan, it pretty
Kevin Durant, Mike Krzyzewski, Jerry Colangelo and Kevin Love at a USA Basketball announcement in 2013. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) The World Cup just ended, right? I’m sure of it. I watched it. Germany beat Argentina one-to-nil in extra time, thus ending two months of highly anticipated, very engrossing fútbol (spelled as such so as to not confuse it with American football). Well, it is and it isn’t over. FIFA has had its fun,
Could LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki join forces in 2014-15? As Carmelo Anthony’s tour concludes Thursday with a meeting in Los Angeles with the Lakers completed and a meeting with the New York Knicks underway. Wednesday night, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban met with Anthony to make a pitch for his services. A day later, he and Dirk Nowitzki made a statement for the younger star free agents to take notice. They want a championship contending team. In addition
Tuesday brought forth the beginning of the NBA free agency period and, with it, the subsequent Carmelo Anthony World Tour. The tour began with a visit to Chicago to meet with Bulls staff and players. During his stop in the Windy City, he was greeted by coach Tom Thibodeau, who rode with him to the United Center, where they met general manager Gar Forman and executive vice president John Paxson along with Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, Taj Gibson, Joakim Noah
The NBA Draft is the night where many basketball players watch their child hood dreams come to life. For some this has been a moment they’ve waited for since the day they first picked up a basketball. For Isaiah Austin it was a dream that he was denied. This past Sunday he announced that he had been diagnosed with Marfan’s Syndrome, thus bringing his career as a professional basketball player to an abrupt end. The Baylor University star would never be
Wednesday the All-NBA Teams were announced, and with them came a slew of congratulatory, confused and frustrated tweets. Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant led all vote getters as the lone unanimous selection to the First Team, followed by Miami Heat forward LeBron James, Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, Houston Rockets guard James Harden and Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul. Much to the chagrin of 124 NBA writers with voting privileges, Chris Sheridan, our esteemed Editor-in-Chief, was the lone vote preventing
When the NBA Finals tip off Thursday night, each team will have one member of the All-NBA Teams announced Wednesday. The Miami Heat will have forward LeBron James, who was joined on the All-NBA First Team by forward Kevin Durant of Oklahoma City, center Joakim Noah and guards James Harden of Houston and Chris Paul of the LA Clippers. Durant, the NBA MVP, was the lone unanimous choice with 125 votes. James came up one vote shy. The San Antonio Spurs will
A rematch between the Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals seemed questionable before the playoffs began with the West looking so unpredictable and the Miami Heat not looking quite like the consistent championship team they’re supposed to be with Dwyane Wade’s health in question once again. When the Spurs struggled mightily against the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, it made it that much harder to figure out who might come out of the West. Once they got