I've asked this before I think but do the analytics go into the depth that tests how guys play in the last minutes of a close game? We had some pretty good players this past season that absolutely did not play well to close games by the naked eye.

Sounds like you're talking about the "it" factor. Very hard to detect and big variance.

As deep as the analytics guys go into detail I'd bet there are some metrics or at least you can isolate stats for something like "last 2 mins in close games" but the sample size would be relatively small and difficult to count on imo.

I expect they'd use it as a screening tool to know who's crunch time film to go watch and rely on the eye test from there .

I'm aging myself with the use of the word "film" but I'm a known "old" anyway .

Yeah I don't know how you'd be able to get enough valuable data to be certain of anything, there's just a wild number of variables.

Take even something that would seem fairly easily to isolate statistically like free throw shooting in close games late. Let's say a given player is statistically worse at late-close free throws than they are normally. Is that because they aren't "clutch" or is it because in close games they're playing more minutes and are thus more tired at the ends of those games? Do they just not get fouled very often anyway so it's a sample size problem? That would seem to be a very easy stat to isolate and even it has some confounding issues so I can't imagine any other kind of late-game data would be too useful.

When guys have to intentionally miss free throws for game strategy too....but yeah collecting enough data on this is impossible - especially given no one stays at the same school for more than a year or two now.

So one would have to watch close games a player has played in and see how they perform

True, but you could account for sample size and uncertainty around the mean if you truly wanted to geek out.

bobinator said:

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**the room is silent as Method Man watches the tape. The coaching staff has compiled years of data on this player dating back to the high school summer circuit, his three point percentage moving to his right isn't ideal, but he makes up for it with a high percentage elsewhere and being able to score at the rim. Beyond the obvious data points, his teams just perform better with him on the floor. The data is undeniable that the teams overall assist percentage goes up and turnover percentage goes down, independent of other variables, when he's on the floor. The GM and the entire staff thinks he's a big key to next year's roster. But this final test awaits... a supercut of all of his team's possessions in close games late. The film stops, the lights come back on, and the room waits...**

Method Man: Not clutch. PASS.

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I read that in Nick Nolte's voice from Blue Chips.