Journey "inside the numbers" for an exceptional set of
statistical tools and rules that can help explain the winning, or
losing, ways of a basketball team. Basketball on Paper doesn't
diagram plays or explain how players get in shape, but instead
demonstrates how to interpret player and team performance. Dean
Oliver highlights general strategies for teams when they're winning
or losing and what aspects should be the focus in either situation.
He describes and quantifies the jobs of team leaders and role
players, then discusses the interactions between players and how to
achieve the best fit. Oliver conceptualizes the meaning of teamwork
and how to quantify the value of different types of players working
together. He examines historically successful NBA teams and
identifies what made them so successful: individual talent, a
system of putting players together, or good coaching. Oliver then
uses these statistical tools and case studies to evaluate the best
players in history, such as Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill
Russell, and Charles Barkley and how they contributed to their
teams' success. He does the same for some of the NBA's "oddball"
players-Manute Bol, Muggsy Bogues, and Dennis Rodman and for the
WNBA's top players. Basketball on Paper is unique in its
incorporation of business and analytical concepts within the
context of basketball to measure the value of players in a
cooperative setting. Whether you're looking for strategies or new
ideas to throw out while watching the ballgame at a sports bar,
Dean Oliver'sBasketball on Paper will give you amazing new insights
into teamwork, coaching, and success.