No Fans, No Problem: An Investigation of Audience Effects on Shooting Performance in Professional Basketball

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Logan T. Markwell ◽  
Andrew J. Strick ◽  
Jared M. Porter
Keyword(s):  
National Basketball Association ◽  
Archival Data ◽  
Environmental Characteristics ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
Free Throw ◽  
Audience Effects ◽  
Unique Method

Sports, along with nearly all facets of life, have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The National Basketball Association quickly adopted a unique method to finish the 2019–2020 regular season and playoffs. The entire league quarantined for months in what was known as the “NBA bubble” where games were played in spectator-less arenas. During this time, increases in shooting accuracy were reported, suggesting that free throws and field goals were made at record-breaking levels. This study examined differences in free throw shooting accuracy with and without spectators. Archival data were retrieved and analyzed to evaluate the potential differences. Free throw shooting accuracy with and without spectators were examined in multiple analyses. Our examination revealed free throw percentages were significantly greater in spectator-less arenas compared with the 2018 and 2019 seasons with spectators. Changes of the environmental characteristics, due to spectator-less arenas, were likely contributors to the improved free throw phenomenon reported in this study.

Missed Shots at the Free-Throw Line

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 539-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mattie Toma
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
National Collegiate Athletic Association ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
National Basketball Association ◽  
Choking Under Pressure ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
Free Throw ◽  
Percentage Points ◽  
Male College ◽  
The Impact

Choking under pressure represents a phenomenon in which individuals faced with a high-pressure situation do not perform as well as would be expected were they performing under normal conditions. In this article, I identify determinants that predict a basketball player’s susceptibility to choking under pressure. Identification of these determinants adds to our understanding of players’ psychology at pivotal points in the game. My analysis draws on play-by-play data from ESPN.com that feature over 2 million free-throw attempts in women’s and men’s college and professional basketball games from the 2002-2013 seasons. Using regression analysis, I explore the impact of both gender and level of professionalism on performance in high-pressure situations. I find that in the final 30 seconds of a tight game, Women’s National Basketball Association and National Basketball Association players are 5.81 and 3.11 percentage points, respectively, less likely to make a free throw, while female and male college players are 2.25 and 2.09 percentage points, respectively, less likely to make a free throw, though statistical significance cannot be established among National Collegiate Athletic Association women. The discrepancy in choking between college and professional players is pronounced when comparing male college players who do and do not make it to the professional level; the free-throw performance of those destined to go pro falls 6 percentage points more in high-pressure situations. Finally, I find that women and men do not differ significantly in their propensity to choke.

The Effects of Playing Multiple High School Sports on National Basketball Association Players’ Propensity for Injury and Athletic Performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 402-408 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caitlin Rugg ◽  
Adarsh Kadoor ◽  
Brian T. Feeley ◽  
Nirav K. Pandya
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Athletic Performance ◽  
National Basketball Association ◽  
Participation Rates ◽  
High School Sports ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
School Sports ◽  
Career Length ◽  
Major Injury ◽  
Elite Status

Background: Athletes who specialize in their sport at an early age may be at risk for burnout, overuse injury, and reduced attainment of elite status. Timing of sport specialization has not been studied in elite basketball athletes. Hypothesis: National Basketball Association (NBA) players who played multiple sports during adolescence would be less likely to experience injury and would have higher participation rates in terms of games played and career length compared with single-sport athletes. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: First-round draft picks from 2008 to 2015 in the NBA were included in the study. From publically available records from the internet, the following data were collected for each athlete: participation in high school sports, major injuries sustained in the NBA, percentage of games played in the NBA, and whether the athlete was still active in the NBA. Athletes who participated in sports in addition to basketball during high school were defined as multisport athletes and were compared with athletes who participated only in basketball in high school. Results: Two hundred thirty-seven athletes were included in the study, of which 36 (15%) were multisport athletes and 201 (85%) were single-sport athletes in high school. The multisport cohort played in a statistically significantly greater percentage of total games (78.4% vs 72.8%; P < .001). Participants in the multisport cohort were less likely to sustain a major injury during their career (25% vs 43%, P = .03). Finally, a greater percentage of the multisport athletes were active in the league at time of data acquisition, indicating increased longevity in the NBA (94% vs 81.1%; P = .03). Conclusion: While a minority of professional basketball athletes participated in multiple sports in high school, those who were multisport athletes participated in more games, experienced fewer major injuries, and had longer careers than those who participated in a single sport. Further research is needed to determine the reasons behind these differences.

scholarly journals Shaq is Not Alone: Free-Throws in the Final Moments of a Basketball Game

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel-Ángel Gómez ◽  
Simcha Avugos ◽  
Miguel-Ángel Oñoro ◽  
Alberto Lorenzo ◽  
Michael Bar-Eli
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Performance ◽  
Predictor Variables ◽  
Lower Probability ◽  
Significant Variable ◽  
Distinctive Pattern ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
Free Throw ◽  
Crisis Theory ◽  
Basketball Game ◽  
Stage Game

Abstract It has been previously observed that basketball free-throw (FT) shooting efficiency decreases towards the end of the game. The aim of the current study was to explore possible determinants for this distinctive pattern during close games (point differential of equal or under 2 points during the final minute of the game). A sample of shots attempted by 92 players in the Spanish professional basketball league (ACB) was collected. Several personal (age, experience, playing position and career FT percentage) and contextual (team ability, competition stage, game location, seconds remaining and score differential) variables were considered for the analysis of the data. The effects of the predictor variables on the players’ performance were analyzed according to two game contexts (FT attempted during the final minute or the last pair of FTs) using binomial logistic regression analysis. The results showed that during the final minute the only statistically significant variable was being in the center playing position (OR = 1.58), which decreased the FT shooting percentage compared to forwards and guards. In addition, the results during the last pair of FTs showed that the playing position of guards (OR = 1.70) and centers (OR = 2.22) was significant (a decrease in their FT percentage). Conversely, the score differential when tied (OR = -1.17) or losing (OR = -2.43) was significant, reflecting a lower probability of missing the shot. The results were interpreted and discussed from the viewpoints of crisis theory and the literature on choking in athletic performance.

Making the Trade in the National Basketball Association (NBA): A Research Case Exploring Like-Kind Exchange Treatment Post Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Connell Nylen ◽  
Brian William Huels
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Information ◽  
National Basketball Association ◽  
Financial Assets ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
Tax Research ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Fair Market Value ◽  
Jobs Act ◽  
Tax Cuts

The primary aim of this activity is to explore tax issues related to an exchange of non-financial assets. Students are presented with a case that involves a fictional trade of players between two teams in the National Basketball Association, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Washington Wizards. Using a trade date of January 1, 2018, students are presented with the opportunity to explore the treatment of a non-financial asset like-kind exchange post Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In addition, students are challenged to determine the definition of fair market value and how its calculation could have a substantial impact on the finances of a professional basketball team. Data gathered from pre and post-questionnaires, including both objective measures and student experiential feedback, supports the usage of this activity. Results show that this case increased students' ability to understand and summarize relevant information from a complex set of facts while also growing their tax knowledge and tax research skills.

Born in the USA: national origin effects on time allocation in US and Spanish professional basketball

2015 ◽  
Vol 232 ◽  
pp. R41-R50 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Berri ◽  
Christian Deutscher ◽  
Arturo Galletti
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Time Allocation ◽  
Racial Bias ◽  
National Basketball Association ◽  
National Origin ◽  
Preferential Treatment ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
The North ◽  
The Usa

This paper examines national origin bias in professional basketball in both the North American National Basketball Association (NBA) and Spanish professional league (Liga ACB). Past studies into racial bias find mixed results. In contrast, our study provides consistent evidence that players born in the USA receive preferential treatment in both the USA and Spain in terms of receiving additional time on the court.

A Basketball Simulation

1991 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 36-38
Author(s):  
E. T. Noone
Keyword(s):  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Basic Program ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
Free Throw

Basketball, a popular game that practically everyone has played, presents an excellent mean of teaching elementary probability concepts and percents using a computer simulation. In particular, a free-throw shooting contest can be simulated quite easily with a BASIC program. Program 1 replicates the free-throw accuracy of the great stars of college and professional basketball. Program 2 allows the student actually to compete with such stars as Earvin (Magic) Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Isaiah Thomas.

Importance of team height to winning games in the National Basketball Association

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 559-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masaru Teramoto ◽  
Chad L Cross
Keyword(s):  
Team Performance ◽  
Correlation Coefficients ◽  
Estimating Equation ◽  
Effective Field ◽  
National Basketball Association ◽  
Average Height ◽  
Performance Variables ◽  
Free Throw ◽  
Playing Time ◽  
Positive Correlations

A recent trend in the National Basketball Association, so-called “small-ball,” questions the importance of height in basketball. The present study examined the association of team height, defined as an average height of players weighted by playing time, to team performance in the 2006–2007 through 2015–2016 National Basketball Association seasons. Relationships of team height to winning games, to offensive and defensive ratings, and to four factors were assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficients. A generalized estimating equation was used to examine the association of team height to winning games, separately for the Eastern and Western Conferences, while using performance variables above as covariates. Team height had significant positive correlations with offensive and defensive rebounds, and had a significant inverse relationship with the opponent’s turnovers ( p < 0.05). After adjusting for the team performance variables, team height was found to be an insignificant predictor of winning games in the regular seasons ( p > 0.05). In the playoffs, the interaction between team height and offensive rating was significant ( p < 0.05). A follow-up analysis revealed that teams in the Eastern Conference had higher winning percentages with smaller lineups, whereas those in the Western Conference performed better with bigger lineups. A significant interaction was also found between team height and effective field goal percentage or free throw rate in the Eastern Conference playoffs ( p < 0.05). Specifically, bigger lineups were associated with higher winning percentages for teams with lower effective field goal percentages and higher free throw rates. These results may suggest that team height is important in winning games in the playoffs.

Crunch time in the NBA – The effectiveness of different play types in the endgame of close matches in professional basketball

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1090-1099 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Christmann ◽  
Max Akamphuber ◽  
Anna Lena Müllenbach ◽  
Arne Güllich
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Success Probability ◽  
Spatial Dynamics ◽  
National Basketball Association ◽  
Professional Basketball ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Motion Speed

In professional basketball, the final few possessions often determine the result of a game. The coach’s decision on tactics may be critical to a team’s win or loss. This study investigated offense play types in the endgame (final 120 s) of 115 close basketball matches (≤5 points score differential) in the National Basketball Association. We video-analysed 996 plays and assessed the frequencies and outcomes of six defined play types: 1 × 1 without isolation; 1 × 1 with isolation; pick-and-roll; complex team play; inbound play; and transition play. Analyses revealed that pick-and-roll was employed the most and inbound play the least frequently. The 1 × 1 with or without isolation were the least effective play types, averaging 0.9–1.0 pts/possession. They were rather ‘static’ and exhibited relatively long duration, low action frequency (passes, screens, handoffs, cuts, drives) and high defence pressure on the shooter. In contrast, transition, inbound and complex team plays were the most effective (means 1.3–1.5 pts/possession). They displayed greater spatial dynamics either through motion speed (transition) or high action frequency (complex and inbound plays), and either led to over-represented uncontested shots or over-represented offensive rebounds and their effective utilisation. Pick-and-roll play was intermediate in these regards. Overall, plays led to 0.8 pts/possession when being in the lead vs. 1.4 pts/possession when being down. Increased spatial dynamics through high motion speed and/or high frequency of concatenated cooperative manoeuvres enhance the success probability of endgame play types in professional basketball.

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