Tag: DunkWire

MVP Race: Who are the best players based on advanced analytics and impact metrics?

As part of a new series at HoopsHype, we are examining who should win the NBA MVP award based on what we can learn from advanced analytics.

For this survey, each impact metric was included because it was considered among the most trustworthy by NBA executives when asked by HoopsHype during this past offseason.

The metrics pulled included Daily Plus-Minus (DPM), Estimated Plus-Minus (EPM), LEBRON (BBall-Index), RAPTOR (FiveThirtyEight), Regularized Adjusted Plus-Minus (RAPM) and Box Plus-Minus (Basketball-Reference). We also added the model of Box Plus-Minus from Backpicks.com as well as the newest impact metric, Daily-Updated Rating of Individual Performance (DRIP).

ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus was not included because the data has not been published yet this season. However, if it’s publicly available by our next update, RPM will also be calculated.

Because each of these metrics is graded on a per-100 possession scale, we adjusted for playing time by multiplying their impact contribution on each metric by the percentage of possible minutes they have played for their team so far this season.

As with the official vote, the top player received 10 points, the second received seven points, the third received five points, the fourth received three points, and the fifth player received one point. If a player finished outside of the Top 5, they didn’t receive any votes from that measurement.

Only players that made the Top 5 on least one of these eight metrics were included in our rankings below. Some of the most notable omissions include DeMar DeRozan, Trae Young, Zach LaVine, Karl-Anthony Towns, LaMelo Ball, Luka Doncic, Paul George and Devin Booker.

To see where our staff at HoopsHype feels the MVP race is as of right now, however, click here. To see who should make the All-NBA ballots based on HoopsHype’s Global Rating, click here.

Q&A: Mikal Bridges on lessons learned from Chris Paul, winning the West, and more

Mikal Bridges helped the Phoenix Suns win the Western Conference this past season and is now a candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.

The 6-foot-6 wing, who has a 7-foot-1 wingspan, did a better job shutting down Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry than almost any other player in the league has done so far this year. For the second season in a row, Bridges is also shooting better than 40.0 percent on three-pointers.

Bridges caught up with HoopsHype and discussed what he learned from his trip to the NBA Finals, how he has grown from playing alongside Chris Paul, and plenty more.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Three in the Key: Analyzing Luka Doncic, Dejounte Murray, Garrison Mathews

As part of an ongoing series at HoopsHype, we’re breaking down three interesting topics we have seen around the NBA throughout the season.

Of course, the name of this column is derived from basketball’s three-second violation rule. With that in mind, the goal of this exercise is to observe three subjects about the game. We want to explain the key to why it is happening while also providing context on what makes it interesting.

Here are three more of our highlights from the NBA’s 2021-22 season:

Aggregate NBA mock draft 2.0: Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith battle for No. 1

In order to help us get a better sense of where all of the projected top prospects in the class stand as of right now, we compiled mock drafts from ESPN, NBADraft.net, CBS Sports, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, Basketball News and USA TODAY Sports Media Group’s For The Win.

Please note that these rankings reflect the composite score to get a feel for consensus, not our own opinion.

Since our last update, the players who have improved the most spots are Ismael Kamagate (Paris), Moussa Diabate (Michigan), Azuolas Tubelis (Arizona), Hugo Besson (New Zealand), Efe Abogidi (Washington State),  Iverson Molinar (Mississippi State), Justin Lewis (Marquette), Max Christie (Michigan State), EJ Liddell (Ohio State), and Ochai Agbaji (Kansas).

The most notable prospects making their debut on our rankings are Trevor Keels (Duke), Bryce McGowens (Nebraska), MarJon Beauchamp (G League Ignite), Keon Ellis (Alabama), Christian Koloko (Arizona), Wendell Moore (Duke), Blake Wesley (Notre Dame),  Josh Minott (Memphis), Zach Edey (Purdue), and Johnny Davis (Wisconsin).

Some of the top prospects who did not make the cut this time included Hunter Sallis (Gonzaga), Brandon Huntley-Hatfield (Tennesse), Kobe Bufkin (Michigan), Mouhamed Gueye (Washington State), Jahvon Quinerly (Albama), Adam Flagler (Baylor), Jaylin Williams (Auburn), Matthieu Gauzin (Le Mans), Isaiah Wong (Miami), Marcus Williams (Texas A&M), and Tyson Etienne (Wichita State).

Otherwise, you can learn the latest updates on every single prospect who has been included in recent mock drafts by scrolling below.

HoopsHype’s Alberto de Roa contributed research to this report

Three in the Key: Analyzing Cole Anthony, Grant Williams, JaVale McGee

As part of an ongoing series at HoopsHype, we’re breaking down three interesting topics we have seen around the NBA throughout the season.

Of course, the name of this column is derived from basketball’s three-second violation rule. With that in mind, the goal of this exercise is to observe three subjects about the game. We want to explain the key to why it is happening while also providing context on what makes it interesting.

Here are three more of our highlights from the NBA’s 2021-22 season:

Three in the Key: Analyzing Fred VanVleet, Jarred Vanderbilt and Wendell Carter Jr.

As part of an ongoing series at HoopsHype, we’re breaking down three interesting topics we have seen around the NBA throughout the season.

Of course, the name of this column is derived from basketball’s three-second violation rule. With that in mind, the goal of this exercise is to observe three subjects about the game. We want to explain the key to why it is happening while also providing context on what makes it interesting.

Here are three more of our highlights from the NBA’s 2021-22 season:

Q+A: Alex Caruso on leaving Lakers, chemistry with Lonzo Ball, impressions of Austin Reaves

Since leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency, Alex Caruso has helped lead the Chicago Bulls to one of the best records in the NBA.

Caruso, 27, has evolved from an undrafted player competing in the G League to an NBA champion who is now playing on a $30 million contract. As part of this evolution, advanced metrics and the “eye test” will both tell you that he has also become one of the most impactful defensive players in the league.

While recovering from a wrist injury, Caruso found some type to catch up with HoopsHype. He discussed leaving the Lakers, chemistry with Lonzo Ball, his early impressions of Los Angeles rookie Austin Reaves and plenty more.

Three in the Key: Tyrese Maxey, Josh Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein

As part of an ongoing series at HoopsHype, we’re breaking down three interesting topics we’ve seen happening around the NBA over this past week.

Of course, the name of this column is derived from basketball’s three-second violation rule. The goal of this exercise is to observe a few subjects and then explain the key to why it’s happening and what makes it interesting.

Here are our three highlights from the last week of the NBA’s 2021-22 season:

Three in the Key: Grayson Allen, Andre Iguodala, Furkan Korkmaz

As part of a new series at HoopsHype, we’re breaking down three interesting topics we’ve seen happening around the NBA over this past week.

Of course, the name of this column is derived from basketball’s three-second violation rule. But the goal of this exercise is to observe a few subjects and then explain the key to why it’s happening and what makes it interesting.

Here are our three highlights from the last week of the NBA’s 2021-22 season:

Three in the Key: Spencer Dinwiddie, Harrison Barnes, Tyus Jones

As part of a new series at HoopsHype, we’re breaking down three interesting topics we’ve seen happening around the NBA over this past week.

While the name of this column is derived from basketball’s three-second violation rule, our aim is going to be a bit different. The goal of this exercise is to observe a few subjects and then explain the key to why it’s happening and what makes it interesting.

Here are our three highlights from the last week of the NBA’s 2021-22 season: