[e_blazer1]

Jason Quick's article in today's Oregonian provides a little information about the Blazers' use of detailed statistical analysis to try to get a leg up on the competition on player personnel decisions. Kevin Pritchard seems to be the guy who's pushing the use of this system, having been involved in using an earlier generation of the statistical analysis software at San Antonio.

Quick Article

It sounds like the Blazers have spent big money on this new system. And to think, they could have simply dropped in here for free to have picked up everything they need to know.


BTW, anybody doubt that Pritchard will be the Blazers new GM?

 

[SodaPopinski]

BTW, anybody doubt that Pritchard will be the Blazers new GM?

I've pretty much believed that since he was given the reins as coach. And if you read John Nash's quotes in that article, it almost sounds like Nash is already taking direction from Kevin Pritchard.

LOL

-Pop

 

[Storyteller]

It sounds like the Blazers have spent big money on this new system. And to think, they could have simply dropped in here for free to have picked up everything they need to know.

:clap: Hear, hear :clap:

I know that this whole "Moneyball for the NBA" thing is big right now. Guys like John Hollinger, Dean Oliver and Dan Rosenbaum (among others) are trying to develop "the system" that will be the breakthrough in statistical analysis and prediction for the NBA. It's clearly a bigger task than I would ever want to try to tackle, I can tell you that.

However, my :twocents: is that the system will have to incorporate more than simple offensive statistics. Plus/minus certainly comes to mind as part of the big picture. But how to incorporate it all into a single system?????

Guess that's why I'm not making millions to try to work magic for the Blazers or any other team. Although if they ever need a spreadsheet on player salaries....

 

[crandc]

Living in Oakland, home of Moneyball, I can testify to the positives and negatives. The plus is the A's have found guys no one else thought would be great, such as pitcher Tim Hudson, shortstop Miguel Tejada (both all stars) and many others. They have built a very good team on a shoestring. Of course, baseball is a bit different in that baseball teams develop their own players through an extensive minor league system. Many of the A's solid players were obtained through minor league trades and free agency.
The negative is that the A's are on such a shoestring that as soon as a player gets to be really really good he's gone. The Blazers don't have that problem. I have often thought a best of both world situations would be Billy Beane (A's GM)'s savvy and Paul Allen's financial backing. :cheers: