(Fun Talk) Math in Basketball

This talk explains how basketball analytics evolved from basic box-score numbers to advanced metrics such as BPM, EPM, RAPTOR, and LEBRON, then uses case studies to show both the power and limits of statistics in practice: the three-point revolution (expected value), Moneyball-style decision making around player value (including the James Harden trade context), and a Scottie Pippen example showing why metric changes must be interpreted with team context rather than used blindly. The closing takeaway is to cross-validate across multiple metrics and real game context instead of trusting any single stat. Slides: Math in Basketball.