Nylon Calculus

How to Win (or Lose) at Playoff Basketball

Watching the decline of the Dallas Mavericks

Missing Kidd-Gilchrist: How the Hornets Adjust their TeamSPACE

Happy Season Preview Day!

Oct 6, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Courtney Lee center Marc Gasol guard Nichael Conley and guard Tony Allen look on from the bench during the game against the Houston Rockets at FedExForum. Memphis defeated Houston 92-89. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports

Exploring Lineups and Fit

Jan 25, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott watches from the bench in the second half of the game against the Houston Rockets at Staples Center. Rockets won 99-87. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Industry Q&A: Los Angeles Lakers Associate Director of Analytics Aaron Danielson

Oct 12, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) drives to the basket against New Orleans Pelicans forward Dante Cunningham (44) during the second half of their game at the United Center. New Orleans beat Chicago123-115. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports

Projecting Jimmy Butler’s Regression

2014-15 Golden State Warriors (courtesy of Slam Online)

TeamSPACE: The Chart of a Champion

Apr 6, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski and his team are presented with the NCAA championship trophy after defeating the Wisconsin Badgers in the 2015 NCAA Men

The NBA Quality of the NCAA Over Time

Apr 14, 2014; Houston, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (20) attempts to drive the ball past Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during the first quarter at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Straws That Stir The Drink: Half Court Creators

Oct 5, 2015; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) drives to the basket against Sacramento Kings guard Rajon Rondo (9) at Moda Center at the Rose Quarter. Mandatory Credit: Jaime Valdez-USA TODAY Sports

How will Damian Lillard perform as Portland’s main offensive star?

Mar 27, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Ray McCallum (3) beats New Orleans Pelicans center Alexis Ajinca (42) on a jump ball during the fourth quarter of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Kings 102-88. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Almost Time For Tip Off – Jump Ball Stats

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots against Cleveland Cavaliers guard Matthew Dellavedova (8) during the first quarter of game six of the NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Nylon Calculus 101: Python Data Wrangling – Merging PBP Data and Shot Logs

May 17, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin (32) and guard Chris Paul (3) walk on the court during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets in game seven of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Toyota Center. The Rockets defeated the Clippers 113-100 to win the series 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Shot Creation and Half Court Offense

Inside The Numbers: BullyBall

Sep 28, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) poses for a photo during Cleveland Cavaliers media day at Cleveland Clinic Courts. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Highly Plausible 2015/16 NBA Schedule Adjustments

Mar 4, 2015; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils freshmen center Jahlil Okafor (15) and guard Tyus Jones (5) and forward Justise Winslow (12) on the sidelines near the end of their game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

Freelance Friday: Recruiting Risk In a One-and-Done World

Jan 23, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Jerami Grant (left) and guard JaKarr Sampson (right) look at situations on the computer with assistant coach Billy Lange (center) before a game against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Mountains Out of Molehills and a Known SportVU Issue

Jun 16, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and guard Stephen Curry (30) celebrate after game six of the NBA Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Warriors won 105-97. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Highly Plausible NBA Win Projections 2015-16

May 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) dribbles as Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) defends during the first half in game five of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Guest Post: Dispatches from NESSIS 2015

Feb 5, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) passes against Los Angeles Clippers forward Matt Barnes (22) and center DeAndre Jordan (6) in the third quarter at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Positions by Clustering

Mar 29, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Andrew Wiggins (22) shoots over New Orleans Pelicans forward Dante Cunningham (44) during the second half of a game at the Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans defeated the Timberwolves 110-88. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Three Point Plinko and the Minnesota Timberwolves

Mar 30, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire (1) dribbles the ball as Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) defends in the first quarter at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Contract Value and Class Warfare in the NBA

January 4, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) attempts a shot against the defense of Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55)stad during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Introducing KOBE: A measure of shot quality

Apr 15, 2015; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33), Indiana Pacers center Ian Mahinmi (28) and forward Paul George (13) fight for the ball during the game at FedExForum. Memphis Grizzlies beat Indiana Pacers 95-83 Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

Paul George, “Playing Up” and Rebounding.

Jan 23, 2014; Portland, OR, USA; Portland Trail Blazers power forward LaMarcus Aldridge (12) posts up against Denver Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried (35) in the first quarter at the Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports

BullyBall

How Marissa Coleman’s Three Pointer Drives Indiana’s Offense

May 21, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) moves the ball as forward Harrison Barnes (40) follows against the Houston Rockets during the first half in game two of the Western Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs. at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

NBA Position Estimates 2014-15