The Boxscore Geeks Show

We play our regular game: Analytics Pickup where we each provide a set of answers to a question and then draft the top six. Today's question: "What are the biggest almost events in NBA history that would have had huge ramifications." We always start out with an example, which, this week, also won the game. Spoilers below on the winning entries, so don't scroll down if you don't want them ruined. A...

We look at Tracy McGrady's most impactful 33 seconds and how they represent his entire career: Links: Basketball-Reference link of the game. BBallBreakdown's Video on Tracy McGrady's Effortless Scoring. Boxscore Geeks: Tracy McGrady's Career Wins Produced Outro Music is Pure Magic by Chris Haugen -- thanks YouTube Public Domain Music!  

We play a geeky analytics game. Dre and an "opponent" each come with five NBA ideas on a theme. We list each person's idea, discuss it, then "draft" our top six (starting five and a bench general). Today's topic was "Forgotten but Effective NBA Strategies." This was a "pilot" episode, so we had some sound and rules issues, but in the end, a ton of fun, so we're sure we'll be doing it again!

We talk: The NBA 's Florida Bubble plan in Disneyworld. We hope we're wrong but we're not optimistic about it. Good podcast with Ari Caroline at TrueHoop about it - https://www.truehoop.com/p/bring-it-in-ari-caroline. We talk Paul George's reason for leaving Indiana (because, topical!) and why he was right but it's a problem the NBA has always had and will continue to have. We talk about how with...

We review MJ's career including: How MJ is properly rated -- for the wrong reasons. How underrated some of MJ's teammates were. How the NBA and the Spurs gifted MJ his second three-peat. Tune in!

We talk about the 80s/90s Lakers and Bulls. Chris Yeh's great podcast. The reality TV show Mental Samurai! Full show notes - https://www.boxscoregeeks.com/articles/the-boxscore-geeks-show-277-chris-yeh-and-the-lakers-last-dance

We start the podcast talking politics. Sorry, one of us lives in Wisconsin! Skip to minute 18 if you want to avoid it. We discuss the potential Rudy Gobert / Donovan Mitchell schism in Utah and how the Warriors could benefit. We compare Steph Curry to Chris Mullin and Draymond Green to Scottie Pippen, kind of. In our lightning round we talk: The World Chess Championship and why it's silly, said ev...

We recorded this March 24th, so obviously the COVID-19 news has been a large part of both the sports and regular media. We try not to talk it too much, but obviously it does still come up a decent amount. We talk: Analytics and how we're saddened but not shocked by the public response to experts. On a lighter note, we review the 2015-2016 NBA season and how the Spurs were supposed to lose and the...

We talk Free Throws and NBA shooting "Advances" or lack thereof. The Smallball Rockets, how the NBA is wrestling, and more. Apologies on the late release, last week was hectic!

When we grade "bad trades" should we grade based on the disparity between talent or on how bad the contract the team gets back. We talk the Warriors and if they can redeem themselves from this bad season. We also deep dive the 76ers and how royally they wasted "The Process." We talk about how the Dunk contest is outdated and you either keep it around for tradition or scrap it. There is no "fixing...

We talk: The D'Angelo Russell / Andrew Wiggins swap, full of memes Brian has come up with to describe the situation. The end of the Andre Iguodala / Memphis Grizzlies WWE angle. The Clint Capela trade, and how everyone won but the Rockets. The Andre Drummond trade, and how it shows market inefficiencies. We also talked Patrick's Vegas picks and NBA All-Star snubs. Tune in!

We got some good Kobe comments in response to last week's show. We talk the NBA trade deadline and why the Warriors probably won't move D'Angelo Russell but maybe should. We also talk some other trade deadline topics including Andre Iguodala. We talk the Superbowl and analytics with some good insights from 538.

We talk Kobe Bryant's passing, his legacy (the good and the bad), and how nerdy analytic people cope with grief (it involves redirecting anger toward transportation systems) We also talk about the great WNBA new CBA and how there is optimism in the WNBA's future.

E.J. joins Brian, Dre, and Patrick to discuss a few issues with the most recent installment of Star Wars. We get a few sports metaphors in though! Tune in!

We talk: A whole lot about the World Blitz Chess Championship, with some comparisons/observations to sports and analytics. Kristaps Poringis' post-ups, Carlisle's weak defense, and BBallbreakdown's great video on the subject. David Stern's legacy. Tune in!

We review the 1972 World Chess Championship and compare it to the 2016 NBA Championship. We talk the Warriors, including some Kevin Durant drama and why more NBA teams should read the book "The Alliance." We talk some MVP "darkhorses." We talk a little bit about the Nuggets too! Tune in!

Chris Yeh returns to checkin on his preseason prediction* that the Lakers could win 70+ games. Unshockingly it's a Lakers heavy podcast including: Underrated all-time greats that were Lakers. The best actor/NBA player, who is also a Laker. Why the Lakers are doing great, and how they might be better off without Kawhi. A little more around the NBA stuff including Jimmy Butler, the Milwaukee Bucks,...

We talk: The Warriors woeful start. James Wiseman and why the NCAA is terrible. Why a midseason tournament still doesn't fix tanking. A little bit about Carmelo Anthony's Player of the Week award. Also, fun tangent on how the "data-driven analytics managed X" is a myth.

We're back after a month full of sporadic life events. Brian says if we're a little off our game, it's akin to a James Harden hangover game! We talk: Some great user comments including: is the Big-Three Era gone? Are the Suns using bigs properly? Is Richaun Holmes good in Sacramento, and how the Pacers center looks alright. A conspiracy theory about hand injuries in the NBA and if the Warriors are...

We talk: Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid's fight and why it was stupid. RJ Barrett's huge minutes and why old-timers are wrong about modern load management. Some disappointments this season including Curry's injury, Eric Gordon's contract, and the Jazz wasting Donovan Mitchell's great season w/ Jeff Green, Emmanuel Mudiay, and Mike Conley. Some pleasant surprises including Luka Donvic's MVP sta...

We talk: Daryl Morey and China. Big extensions! Did teams spend well on players like Bradley Beal and Buddy Hield? Stat lessons using internet drama. Is Klay worth the money? Tune in!

We grade some of Patrick's grades from last week. Greg likes Patrick's Spurs bets but thinks that the Knicks could be alright. Greg thinks Giannis hasn't hit his ceiling! We discuss 538's Raptor and some issues we've had in analytical models and standard flaws we've seen over the years. Greg makes a slam dunk point -- when you evaluate a metric or a model, look at the math and how the model is con...

We talk Patrick's NBA preseason bets, Daryl Morey's Tweets, and Draymond Green's height. Tune in!

We talk: The NBA Draft Lottery and how Andres will presenting on it this week! Matchup-based defense courtesy of Greg Steele and Paul DeVos The WNBA Finals, although we did this before Elena Delle Donne's injury! The NBA will be cracking down on incorrectly labeled heights! The NCAA's future. Billy Mitchell and Donald Trump. Tune in.

We're back and we talk: How the Nene contract and Thabo Sefolosha signing are Moneyball moves by the Rockets. How Andre Iguodala and Grizzlies have made a good deal, and how it relates to "player tampering" in the NBA and the absurdity of it. We circle back to Antonio Brown, who was more of a Forrest Gump than a Keyser Soze We talk a little WNBA, how Derek Fisher is a bad coach, and how the playof...