What Makes You A Basketball Expert

[bobf]

I'm fucking dumb.

I can echo that (for myself!) at least when it comes to X's and O's of basketball having never played more than pickup games. But having watched a ton of basketball throughout my life, I think I can tell roughly how well a player is helping hurting the team by simple things like "was that a quality shot" or "did he overplay defensively and let his guy blow by" or "look he consistently boxes out (or he doesn't)" etc. But if you asked me how to change a struggling offense I would be limited to "every one is standing around get moving" or "set a damn screen so Dame can get some breathing room" or "Quit driving 1 on 3 and look around guys are wide open". Beyond that, I wouldn't have a clue about the finer points. And then I like stats and think they are underrated as a way to make judgments.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I can echo that (for myself!) at least when it comes to X's and O's of basketball having never played more than pickup games. But having watched a ton of basketball throughout my life, I think I can tell roughly how well a player is helping hurting the team by simple things like "was that a quality shot" or "did he overplay defensively and let his guy blow by" or "look he consistently boxes out (or he doesn't)" etc. But if you asked me how to change a struggling offense I would be limited to "every one is standing around get moving" or "set a damn screen so Dame can get some breathing room" or "Quit driving 1 on 3 and look around guys are wide open". Beyond that, I wouldn't have a clue about the finer points. And then I like stats and think they are underrated as a way to make judgments.

I enjoy talking stats with you, though I think sometimes I disagree on how good of a picture they paint, but it's still fun.

 

[hoopsjock]

I'm going to agree with @Wade Garrett on this one; separate from affecting how ones existing knowledge is presented, emotion can also easily color perception, and thereby limit or restrict acquisition of further knowledge and understanding. Dispassionate analysis from disinterested parties is generally more reliable than analysis coming from those with an emotional investment, all other things being equal.

I couldn't disagree more but I think you're arguing a slightly different point. If someone is watching a basketball game that has no interest in basketball they wouldn't ever have as much knowledge about it as someone who is passionate and thirsts to learn everything they can.

I get what you're saying if we're talking about biased opinions being formed by emotion but knowledge itself can be biased with or without emotion. Besides wouldn't being calm and disinterested also be considered emotions?

 

[Orion Bailey]

What makes me an expert?

Weeeellllllllll, the fact that I know more than everyone else doesn't hurt.

 

[Dougnsalem]

It's what I like to call the difference between talking with people or talking at people.....this place tends to have small groups that talk at each other more than with each other...

Right concept. They don't talk though. They SCREAM at each other...

Lol

 

[BonesJones]

I guess I could rephrase and say "hired by a company to write about the blazers" or have a credential with lockerroom access

There ya go.

 

[bobf]

I enjoy talking stats with you, though I think sometimes I disagree on how good of a picture they paint, but it's still fun.

I have enjoyed it too. I do realize probably more than I let on that stats have limitations, especially when it comes to the assessing the interplay between players. I like to think of a basketball team as like a machine with moving parts that all have to work in unison together. Take this year's Lakers. If I wanted to assess that team, I wouldn't just pump in the stats and come out with a number. I look at that team and say, they have Lebron the ultimate creator with 3 big men who are all alley-oop threats for Lebron to lob to, and surrounded by a bunch of otherwise kinda shitty guards/sfs 4 of whom are ~40% from 3 plus Danny Green who is a 40% 3 point shooter and great defender. So that team has TONS of threats for Lebron to pass too and it has an interior defense to offset the bad defense of their guards, plus AD's offense when Lebron is sitting. So to me that's a damn lethal team, better than the sum of it's "stat" parts.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I often find your level of sarcasm is way beyond the parameters needed to make a solid impact around here.....

Thank you?

 

[oldmangrouch]

Never claimed to be an "expert" - just an experienced fan. Sports evaluation is a constant balancing of results with process. As a fan, I lean toward results. To be an expert, you have to be objective enough to focus on process. I'm not wired that way.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Well in fairness HCP has never been inside, it's not him we get the inside stuff from

I wish you guys would stop talking about his wife!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Everyone but you on this forum has little to no connections to talking with actual NBA players, coaches, GMs, or whatever. This is all we have man!

I could be the most knowledgeable basketball mind ever but I'd never get a chance to actually prove it.

It's worse than that!

You could parley that immense knowledge into a video gig with an NBA team.
Then, after many years, you could be promoted to assistant GM.
Then, after even more years, you could be promoted to GM....

And THEN have the owner overrule you and say "Nah, let's pay Darius Miles $48 mil."

 

[kjironman1]

Thank you?

No need for the question mark. It was definitely a complement.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]