Chasing Perfection: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the High-Stakes Game of Creating an NBA Champion (32 page)

Dudley, Jared,
201

Duke University,
94–97
,
142
,
185

Duncan, Tim,
49–51
,
53
,
55–57
,
128

Durant, Kevin,
2–4
,
135
,
202
,
204–205
,
233

Eastern Conference.
See specific teams

economic analytics,
9–15

EdTech
magazine,
96

82Games.com
,
21–23

Elbit Technologies,
41

Ellington, Wayne,
67

Elliott, Marcus,
106
,
111–113
,
125–126
,
223–224
,
227–228

Ellis, Monta,
195

Embiid, Joel,
58
,
65

Engelmann, Jeremias,
206

Erman, Darren,
168

Erving, Julius,
14–15

ESPN,
3
,
21–22
,
31
,
117
,
148
,
164
,
190
,
198–199
,
204
,
206
,
237

Eustachy, Larry,
90–94

Ezeli, Festus,
197

family basketball culture, Korver’s,
219–220

Ferry, Danny,
179–181

Fisher, Derek,
203

FiveThirtyEight,
211

flexibility,
114–115

football,
9–10
,
19–20
,
34

force plate testing,
107
,
109–110
,
112

Ford, Sean,
83–87
,
89

Francis, Steve,
213

free agency

    
Atlanta’s racism scandal,
179–180

    
factors affecting player performance,
193–194

    
first-round draft pick contract structures,
63–64

    
Golden State’s strategic acquisitions,
168–169
,
171

    
Houston Rockets’ strategic acquisitions,
173–175

    
LeBron James,
151

    
management decisions and strategies,
129–130
,
153–155

    
Moses Malone,
13–14

    
Sacramento Kings’ mismanagement,
134

free throw rate

    
Golden State Warriors,
171–172

    
Houston Rockets,
68
,
172
,
175–176

    
Philadelphia 76ers,
61–62

Free-Agent [and Trades] Market Emulator (FAME),
12

Free-Agent Market Simulator (FAMS),
12

free-agent rules,
14

Frye, Channing,
210
,
213–216

Fusionetics,
113–118

Garnett, Kevin,
24

Gasol, Marc,
67
,
197

Gasol, Pau,
173

Gay, Rudy,
87
,
128–130
,
134

Gentry, Alvin,
168

George, Paul,
2–3

“ghost defenders” visual model,
138

Gilbert, Dan,
187

Gillispie, Billy,
76

Gillon, John,
91–93

Ginobili, Manu,
49–51
,
55

Giricek, Gordan,
221–222

Glover, Willie,
90–92

Golden State Warriors,
35–36
,
67
,
70
,
131

    
biometric data collection,
119

    
Bogut acquisition,
195–198

    
50–50–90 field goal percentage,
231

    
Harden and Curry’s performances,
207–208

    
in-season team development with analytics,
164–172

    
Korver’s play against,
220

    
team development with analytics,
163–164

    
2015 NBA Finals,
235–237
,
239–240

Goldsberry, Kirk,
43

Gordon, Aaron,
88

Grambling University,
92

Granik, Russ,
60

Grant, Jerami,
64

Grantland,
43
,
71
,
128
,
138
,
212
,
220

graphics products,
31
,
33

grassroots coaching,
81–82

“gravity” score,
182–183

Green, Danny,
51
,
56–57

Green, Draymond,
168–170
,
196–197
,
236

Griffin, David,
190

Gruden, Jon,
98

Guth, Louis,
9–14

Haberstroh, Tom,
204–205
,
237

Hanlon, Drew,
82

Harden, James

    
calculating the star potential,
204–205

    
FIBA World Cup tryout camp,
2–3

    
player development,
202–208

    
real plus-minus score,
199

    
Rockets’ 2014–2015 season offense,
68

    
Rockets’ roster management,
176–177

    
Rockets trade,
175

    
season stats,
6

    
three-point shots,
172

    
three-pronged attack,
71

Harris, Tobias,
210

Hayward, Gordon,
141–142

health of players

    
Fusionetics program,
113–116

    
Harden’s defensive play,
207

    
long-term advantages of,
48

    
workload versus rest,
147

    
See also
injuries and injury prevention

heel-loading maneuver,
4–6
,
233

Heeren, Dave,
18

Hewitt, Adam,
105 (quote)
,
108

high school-level play

    
analytics,
82–89

    
family basketball culture,
219

    
funneling into college programs,
80–81

    
Nikola Vucevic,
208

    
P3 sports diagnostics,
113

    
professional mindset,
81–82

Hill, Grant,
114
,
116–117
,
234

Hill, Jordan,
173–174

Hinkie, Sam,
26
,
42
,
57
,
63–66

hockey,
71–72

Hodge, Ross,
93–94

Holiday, Jrue,
58

Holiday, Justin,
168

Hollinger, John,
21–23

Horford, Al,
124
,
164–165
,
181
,
184
,
231

Houston Rockets

    
biometric data collection,
119

    
boringness of play,
71–72

    
buying in to analytics,
48

    
“Hack-a-Shaq” strategy,
20

    
Harden trade,
2

    
Harden’s contract,
204–205

    
Harden’s influence on team play,
177–178
,
177 (fig.)

    
Harden’s poor defensive performance,
205–207

    
in-season team development,
172–178

    
Moses Malone,
13

    
offensive efficiency versus three-point rate,
67 (fig.)
,
69 (fig.)

    
offensive performance in 2014–2015,
68–69

    
shot selection,
61

    
Sports Illustrated
article,
26

    
team development with analytics,
163–164

    
three-point shot strategy,
66–74
,
172

    
trading strategy,
173–175

Howard, Dwight,
68
,
71
,
174–175
,
205
,
207

Ibaka, Serge,
203

Iguodala, Andre,
168–170
,
197
,
239

Indiana Pacers,
2
,
22
,
178

injuries and injury prevention

    
Andrew Bogut,
194–196

    
biometric data collection,
123–124

    
breaking down and rebuilding a player,
223–226

    
Cleveland’s James-Love-Irving combination,
190–191

    
complementing an injured player,
145–146

    
data collection and correlation,
118–124

    
Korver’s Jazz play,
222–223

    
Korver’s shooting record and,
232–233

    
P3 sports diagnostics,
106–107
,
109–112
,
124–125

    
Philadelphia 76ers’ tanking strategy for the draft,
58–66

    
Phoenix Suns’ training program,
114
,
116–118

    
police causing Sefolosha’s,
186

    
rebuilding skills,
5

    
San Antonio Spurs’ rostering strategies,
49–50
,
55–56

    
three-point shot developing from,
217–219

Inside the NBA
(studio show),
72

integrity of the data,
31–34
,
38–39
,
146–147
,
149

Irving, Kyrie,
2
,
87
,
186–188
,
191
,
235
,
237

Iverson, Allen,
176
,
221

Jackson, Mark,
167–168

Jacobs, Barry,
96

James, Bill,
11
,
17–18
,
24

James, LeBron

    
Cleveland’s roster management,
186–192

    
FIBA World Cup tryout camp,
2

    
Grizzlies’ team building,
148

    
Hawks’ losses to Cleveland,
233

    
Love and,
167

    
Miami’s use of analytics,
72

    
real plus-minus score,
199

    
San Antonio Spurs’ roster management,
51

    
2015 NBA Finals,
235–238
,
240

Jefferson, Al,
124

Johnson, BJ,
83
,
88

Johnson, Stanley,
86–87

Johnson, Wesley,
67

Jones, Bobby,
14

Jones, Caldwell,
14

Jones, Terrence,
176

Jones, Tyus,
86–87

Jordan, DeAndre,
44
,
232

Jordan, Michael,
147
,
176

Joseph, Cory,
49–50

Justus, Joel,
77
,
80

Kaminsky, Frank,
212

Kanter, Enes,
210

Karl, George,
131
,
133

Kelly, Ryan,
67

KenPom.com
site,
89

Kentucky, University of,
76–80

Kerr, Steve,
164–165
,
167
,
169–170
,
197
,
234
,
239–240

Kidd, Jason,
200

Kidd-Gilchrist, Michael,
77
,
88

Kinduct technology company,
121–122

Klask, Charles,
146

Knight, Brandon,
198
,
201–202

Kopp, Brian,
41–44
,
47
,
90
,
120–121
,
149

Korver, Kyle

    
Atlanta trade,
180
,
227–228

    
Atlanta’s no-star system,
181–183

    
Atlanta’s team chemistry,
184–185

    
family basketball culture,
219–220

    
injuries and training,
222–223

    
on-court strategies,
229–231

    
pre-game routines,
229–230

    
shooting success,
230–232
,
234

    
slow NBA start,
220–222

    
three-point shooting development,
182–183
,
217–219

    
training and technique,
222–225
,
228–229

Kravtsov, Viacheslav,
198

Kroenke, Josh,
131
,
133

Kroenke, Stan,
131

Krossover company,
81

Krzyzewski, Mike,
1–2
,
85–86
,
95
,
97
,
142