Advanced Basketball Physics
The LA Clippers went to the Rose Garden last night which meant I finally got to listen to a Blazers game on the radio for free. Man what a great game. They finally put together the sustained, four quarter, all cylinder effort that I knew they were capable. Previous Blazer wins were fun for the drama created by their deficiencies. Whether it was scrapping back from huge early deficits or allowing large leads to erode in crunch time, the Blazers always made you sweat in the fourth quarter. But last night they weren't the luckier team, they were just plain the better team. And the Clippers announcer sounded really bummed that the team that went deep in the playoffs last year got so thoroughly bested by the team was deep in the cellar a year ago. I'm not gonna predict that the Blazers make the playoffs this year but this game was clearly and indication that the turn around has begun and it's only gonna get better as these young guys grow up together.
But let us now focus on some of the advanced concepts in basketball physics that lead to last night's win. Specifically, let us examine the play of Zach Randolph.
Zach Randolph has made a reputation in his half-decade in the League as a text book example of a basketball "black hole". His gravitational effect on the ball is greater than any other player on the team. Throw the ball into him and it will disappear, never to be seen again until it emerges, miraculously from the worm hole known as the basket. For the most part Zach needs teammates only to pass him the ball and attempt to distract opposing defenders from quintuple teaming him. If he misses, Zach is more than capable at getting his own rebound and trying it all over again. The usual result is that Zach produces astronomical statistical data for himself (25 points and 10 rebounds per game) while the rest of the team just sort of stands around waiting to lose.
But now, this year, it appears Zach has learned that black hole's can not just siphon energy from neighboring stars, they can also emit it!
Zach has learned to pass! Last night he had 5 assists, almost three times his season average. Since Zach's incredible density gives him so much gravitational pull on the court, multiple defenders are inevitably drawn to him, leaving teammates open for shots that in past years, Zach would probably have taken himself. Observe:
But let us now focus on some of the advanced concepts in basketball physics that lead to last night's win. Specifically, let us examine the play of Zach Randolph.
Zach Randolph has made a reputation in his half-decade in the League as a text book example of a basketball "black hole". His gravitational effect on the ball is greater than any other player on the team. Throw the ball into him and it will disappear, never to be seen again until it emerges, miraculously from the worm hole known as the basket. For the most part Zach needs teammates only to pass him the ball and attempt to distract opposing defenders from quintuple teaming him. If he misses, Zach is more than capable at getting his own rebound and trying it all over again. The usual result is that Zach produces astronomical statistical data for himself (25 points and 10 rebounds per game) while the rest of the team just sort of stands around waiting to lose.
But now, this year, it appears Zach has learned that black hole's can not just siphon energy from neighboring stars, they can also emit it!
Zach has learned to pass! Last night he had 5 assists, almost three times his season average. Since Zach's incredible density gives him so much gravitational pull on the court, multiple defenders are inevitably drawn to him, leaving teammates open for shots that in past years, Zach would probably have taken himself. Observe:
posted by E at 12:55 PM
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