Harvard Data Science Review Podcast Tracking the (Money) Balls: How Data Science is Becoming a Game Changer
12 snips
Mar 19, 2021 AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Player-Tracking Unlocks New Questions
- Player-tracking yields locations of players and ball multiple times per second, unlocking thousands of new questions.
- This granular data transforms outcome-only analysis into spatial-temporal investigations.
The Two Efficient Scoring Zones
- NBA shot selection revealed two highly efficient scoring zones: near the hoop and behind the three-point arc.
- Midrange two-point jumpers are substantially less efficient and thus strategically devalued.
Three-Point Skill Reshaped Player Value
- Players who can reliably hit three-pointers rose dramatically in value as teams prioritized long-range efficiency.
- Fringe players like Duncan Robinson became rotation assets because of shooting demand.