Art or Science?
Which path is better, when it comes to figuring out this game? That is the essence of the debate around basketball analytics, isn’t it? Some people love it, some hate it.
The lovers are believers in numbers that tell a story. That help to paint a picture. And, if done with analytic skill dosed with critical thought, could help to crack the code.
The haters…not so much. They may consider themselves more purists, or, old school. The analytics admonishers are usually not shy to share their thoughts on the topic. Just ask them.
And I guess that’s easy enough to understand. So much of this game can only be defined by pure heart. Unmeasurable.
Unless, of course, heart can be measured.
That’s the kind of effect that Seth Partnow’s, The Midrange Theory, had on me.
This book challenged me to think differently about the game. Not that I came into it as a basketball genius-I couldn’t be farther from that extreme of the spectrum. But, I failed to realize just how conventional my basketball thinking really was.
The Midrange Theory serves as a great introduction to the artful science of basketball analytics. If you are a complete newbie to this kind of thing, as am I, you will learn a ton. But this book will also appeal to the most astute thinkers of the analytics game. Seth gives ample opportunity to the more experienced readers with a fair share of footnotes that get really into the nerdy stuff. (I use the term, nerdy, with great admiration and respect.)
Coming to this book from the point of view of a teacher, I found myself reflecting on all of the real world possibilities the study of basketball analytics could present to young people. One of my favorite authors and personalities, Scott Adams-the creator of Dilbert, often speaks of the talent stack. He talks about making yourself exceptionally marketable by combining seemingly different or unlike talents into one stack. I think there are a lot of kids out there who love basketball, but may never end up an NBA all-star. Maybe they might be really good at math. Or even have an intense interest in computer coding. I am not sure if there is a college program that combines sports management with a hard core software engineering curriculum-but if there isn’t, there’s a lot of opportunity out there for whoever does.
The Midrange Theory is a solid contribution to the game by one of its most cutting-edge thinkers. Approach it with an open mind and a humble heart, and you may very well walk away with an even deeper appreciation of this game.
.@skepticalsports on Ricky Rubio and the hidden value of the steal in NBA play: http://t.co/If4dKiI2rV pic.twitter.com/NZWu13vUiD
— FiveThirtyEight (@FiveThirtyEight) March 25, 2014
For as much “can’t measure X” stuff as will be said about Jimmy Butler, here are the top 6 currently active players in 5-yr RAPM
Steph +11.4/100
Bron +10.6
CP3 +9.7
Embiid + 8.5
Lowry + 8.0
JIMMY + 7.8Across 5 seasons & 4 teams, good things ~always happen w/Jimmy on the floor
— Anchorage Man (@SethPartnow) September 28, 2020
In The Midrange Theory, I argue that modern offenses try to force defenses to guard as much of the court as possible and describe corner shooters “as pegs keeping the canvas of the defensive tent stretched taut.”
This from @LouisZatzman illustrates the impact that can have. https://t.co/I5DoepBBXe
— Anchorage Man (@SethPartnow) December 23, 2021
Nobody has influenced my basketball thinking more than @SethPartnow. His book, The Midrange Theory, is fantastic and it would make a great holiday gift 🎁https://t.co/7QKnfNbmn5
— Todd Whitehead (@CrumpledJumper) December 23, 2021
“[P]utting a good wrapper on a statistical product can be as or more important than the quality of the technique or analytical logic used to produce that product.”@SethPartnow‘s excellent new book, The Midrange Theory, on the role of design in basketball analytics. 1/n pic.twitter.com/7QUqMPdhAM
— Tegan Bunsu Ashby (@bunsushi) November 28, 2021
On the Crossover: The great and wise @SethPartnow and I dive into his new book, “The Midrange Theory,” discuss DeRozan’s explosion and do some analytics myth-busting.
Listen/subscribe: https://t.co/lhCvpA2us5 pic.twitter.com/GtJ3ZzXWhj
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) January 7, 2022
My copy of The Midrange Theory from @SethPartnow has arrived! I encourage all of you to buy several copies. pic.twitter.com/lwoVHeGmdF
— Mike Beuoy (@inpredict) November 17, 2021
In case you somehow missed it, the debut book from @SethPartnow, The Midrange Theory, comes out tomorrow.
He’s one of the most insightful basketball minds and thoughtful writers and researchers in the sports analytics space.
Pre-order now!https://t.co/gj9qjC3WTA
— The Nylon Calculus (@NylonCalculus) November 15, 2021
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