Rutgers professor develops algorithm for NBA chemistry, Spurs rank No. 1
For those who put faith in advanced statistics as they pertain to sports, team chemistry remains a nebulous subject. It's hard to quantify something without a fixed definition.
However, a new algorithm generated by Dr. Chester Spell, an associate professor of management at the Rutgers School of Business-Camden, aims to empirically measure how individuals function together. In other words, he's looking to measure chemistry.
Dr. Spell plans to present his model to NBA teams later this month and, to no one's surprise, the San Antonio Spurs sit atop his list.
“We’re just now analyzing our NBA data,” Dr. Spell told Dan McCarthy of Spurs Nation, “but the Spurs are known for their team chemistry and they just won another championship. They fit our model.”
The model includes a myriad of variables in an effort to quantify chemistry. Some examples include age, tenure, nationality, race and salary differential.
“It goes beyond, ‘do you like each other?' " Spell said. “All of these factors contribute to how well a team works together.”
For what it's worth, the Spurs finished with the most wins in the regular season last year en route to capturing the Larry O'Brien trophy.