So, a quick intro. I'm a mid 3os lifelong NBA fan, who's been obsessed with sports statistics in general and basketball statistics specifically for as long as I remember. I'm also a fan of the game as a game, with how the players interact with each other across time and space. And not that it matters terribly much, but I also played a little small college ball, which I hope gives me some small insight as to how the game works.
I very much enjoy the discussion that the advances in SABR-style research on the NBA allow us to have, which allow us to say no, Kobe vs. Lebron is not a reasonable discussion (for the last several years it has just been unequivocally true that Lebron is substantially, measurably better), Chris Paul is historically elite and Golden State Monta Ellis was overrated by "CasualFan" because he scored a lot.
However, looking at basketball on paper (though you should read Basketball on Paper) and stopping there is a trap too many (at least in the online discussion community) fall into. Which brings us to the mascot of this blog: Kyle Korver. Korver is not my favorite basketball player, (nor is Ashton Kutcher for that matter.) But he is the poster child for the extreme strawman version of Analytics Only Guy.
AOG looks at his alltime record pace (through 10 games at the time of this writing) .710 True Shooting Percentage (defined here, though I'm assuming if you are reading this blog, you have a passing familiarity with at least basic box score statistics as well as the first generation of advanced metrics such as TS% or PER) and wonders why Atlanta doesn't let him shoot more three pointers, especially from the corner as a Kyle Korver Korner 3 is close to the platonic ideal of a perfect basketball possession.
I very much enjoy the discussion that the advances in SABR-style research on the NBA allow us to have, which allow us to say no, Kobe vs. Lebron is not a reasonable discussion (for the last several years it has just been unequivocally true that Lebron is substantially, measurably better), Chris Paul is historically elite and Golden State Monta Ellis was overrated by "CasualFan" because he scored a lot.
However, looking at basketball on paper (though you should read Basketball on Paper) and stopping there is a trap too many (at least in the online discussion community) fall into. Which brings us to the mascot of this blog: Kyle Korver. Korver is not my favorite basketball player, (nor is Ashton Kutcher for that matter.) But he is the poster child for the extreme strawman version of Analytics Only Guy.
AOG looks at his alltime record pace (through 10 games at the time of this writing) .710 True Shooting Percentage (defined here, though I'm assuming if you are reading this blog, you have a passing familiarity with at least basic box score statistics as well as the first generation of advanced metrics such as TS% or PER) and wonders why Atlanta doesn't let him shoot more three pointers, especially from the corner as a Kyle Korver Korner 3 is close to the platonic ideal of a perfect basketball possession.
Basketball Nirvana
And the reason Korver doesn't shoot more 3s is because he can't. By NBA standards he's not particularly tall, strong, quick, fast or athletic. And the players on the other team are fairly well compensated to stop Mr. Korver from launching said three. (Well some of the opposition are well compensated to do some stopping, and some are Jamal Crawford or play for the New York Knickerbockers, below the fold we ask where are you going, Mr. Shumpert?)
Demarre Carroll is a sub 30% 3 pt shooter for his career, and the wing is the longest/hardest 3 pointer. Kyle Korver is a career zilllion point 3 pt shooter and the corner is the shortest/easiest. Shumpert is guarding Korver on this possession so he could stay there or... 
Oops. 
Splash So with that as somewhat of a preview, with this blog, I hope to look at ways in which offense happens, or doesn't, and why. Because while it is a "make or miss league" as Doug Collins likes to say, you can weight the dice in your favor with well executed offense and well schemed defense.
Some of the specific topics I hope to look at in the early days of this blog:
1. Phoenix's pick and roll defense. It's bad.
2. Teams running "inverted" sets using the lost art of the guard post up.
3. Bulls prospect Nikola Mirotic
4. Comparing the "defense" played by noted fantasy stat whores Kevin Love, Carlos Boozer, David Lee and Greg Monroe.
As well as other topics as suggested or tickle my fancy as I watch way too much NBA.
Some of the specific topics I hope to look at in the early days of this blog:
1. Phoenix's pick and roll defense. It's bad.
2. Teams running "inverted" sets using the lost art of the guard post up.
3. Bulls prospect Nikola Mirotic
4. Comparing the "defense" played by noted fantasy stat whores Kevin Love, Carlos Boozer, David Lee and Greg Monroe.
As well as other topics as suggested or tickle my fancy as I watch way too much NBA.
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