Study: NBA home advantage misunderstood
The reasons for the “very large home court advantage” that is common to the NBA have “not yet been well isolated,” according to a study published in the current issue of the Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports.
Uh, well, the University of Pennsylvania researchers who conducted and authored the study (Entine and Small) were testing for the impact of rest (or days between games) and… they found that some of the NBA’s home court advantage is explained (partly) by relative amount of rest that a team’s schedule permits between games.
That’s interesting and worthwhile.
Their study, though, also deserves new attention in light of the scandal that former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is creating… when he alleges widespread misbehavior by NBA referees….
In particular, Donaghy’s accusations would seem to present a potentially important explanation for those seeking to understand the league’s home court advantage.
Of course, the NBA commissioner David Stern has been very quick and aggressive to dismiss, denounce, and…uh… derogate such thinking. And, at least one blogger has called for Stern’s replacement by former US Senator (and NBA star) Bill Bradley.
In the meantime… as all things related to Tim Donaghy are sorted-out… we’ll join those amongst us who are hoping that the NBA’s “very large home court advantage” means that Kobe Bryant and the Lakers will fall to the Celtics… in the Garden… later this week.
How about them apples?!
Tags: Celtics, Good Will Hunting, home court, Lakers, NBA, Tim Donaghy, University of Pennsylvania
