9781422285237 - Analytics: Sports Stats & More

NBA teams use stats to analyze

opponents so that stars such as John Wall (2) can find new ways to attack the basket.

Who cannot fight through a pick on defense? What players don’t move without the ball on offense? Who doesn’t block out on a rebound? Anyone working in basketball analytics needs to know how to interpret that data. Back in the late 1980s, Claire was at the forefront of wanting more information than most teams. “I believe in analytics,” he says, “and there is a fellow by the name of Craig Wright, who reached out to me when I became the general manager. Even before Craig, I was attracted to Bill James. I was a person

30 C areers O ff the F ield • Analytics: Sports Stats and More