Obviously, the numbers only tell part of the story in sports. That is why fans enjoy watching the games. The phrase “on paper” is just that. Some statistical analysis is not worth the paper on which it is printed.
Heart, drive and momentum can be hard to put on a spreadsheet or program into a computer.
Still, when you look at the record of the Lakers and the competition of the Western Conference, the odds are starting to look a bit bleak.
One such projection is Hollinger’s NBA Playoff Odds (via ESPN), which calculates the chances of a team making the postseason through a computerized model. This model plays out the season 5,000 times and includes such factors as strength of schedule, scoring margin and recent record.
Keep in mind that despite the faith in computers, they are always programmed by people with opinions.
Obviously, these calculations change after every game so it can hard to pin down. As of the writing of this article, the Lakers are calculated as having a 34.3 percent chance of making the playoffs. For those of you scoring at home, that means they have a 65.7 percent chance of not making the playoffs.
That may seem like a glass-is-half-full approach, but in this case the glass is actually only a third full.
Computer models do not measure the heart or drive of someone like Kobe Bryant, but the Lakers still have a steep climb.
Kobe doesn’t believe that the Lakers will miss the playoffs, but what is he going to say?
I asked Kobe Bryant if he's considered Lakers could miss the playoffs? "Nah, I'm way too stubborn."
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 12, 2013
Estimates vary, but the Houston Rockets are currently listed as the projected eighth seed in the Western Conference ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
