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Issue One Hundred And Sixty Five.
Sabermetrics has made MVP voting more predictable, reducing dramatic debates by enhancing the understanding of player value. Meanwhile, historical NBA win streaks show that strong starts don't always lead to championships, while clutch performances like Corey Seager's in 2024 and the 2024 WNBA season's milestones highlight key player contributions and league growth, especially driven by Caitlin Clark.
This Week's Lineup
Did Sabermetrics Ruin the MVP Conversation?
MVP voting has become more predictable, with fewer dramatic debates and more unanimous decisions in recent years, partly due to improved access to data and a greater understanding of player value.
The Longest Win Streaks to Start an NBA Season
Several NBA teams, like the 2015-16 Warriors and 1996-97 Bulls, had historic starts, but only two went on to win championships.
Clutch Hitters in 2024 – A Runs Added Approach
Corey Seager's 2024 performance was notably clutch, as his actual RE24 of 41.0 exceeded the simulated "clutch-free" RE24 by 2.27 standard deviations.
2024 WNBA Season Recap: Key Stats, Record-Breaking Performances, and Championship Triumph
The 2024 WNBA season featured record-breaking individual performances, highlighted by the New York Liberty's first-ever championship, A'ja Wilson's scoring and rebounding records, Caitlin Clark's rookie milestones, and significant viewership growth, notably driven by Clark's impact on the league's popularity.
Squad Depth and 'Bench Players': Contribution and Strategy
In 2020, CEO Jeremy Steele discussed with an EFL Head Coach how squads are structured into "Star Players," "Starters," "Bench Players," and "Young Players," emphasizing strategic squad planning and the impact of bench players, and later analyzed Premier League bench players' contributions, revealing their significant role in team success, particularly in squads with balanced depth and strategic use of substitutes.
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Unexpected Points Added is curated and maintained by Patrick Hayes.
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