JK47: You obviously weren’t here in the famous “Pythagorean Wins” season. I believe that was Porzingis’ sophomore year. The team came out of the gate with a good W/L record but most of the wins were nailbiters and most of the losses were blowouts. We were outperforming our Pythagorean record and were due for a regression, and lots of the regulars called it out. Team Optimism refused to believe it.

As usual Team Realism was correct, the team ended up sucking, and that was that.

You mean the same season where the team was over .500 more than halfway through the seasonand was 22-23 when its best player sprained his ankle tripping over a ref’s foot, the team went into like a 1-9 tailspin and the scandal-riddled coach got fired and replaced by one of the worst coaches in NBA history?

Knew Your Nicks:
What time exactly “Regression to the mean” is going to start? I’d like to watch that rare phenomenon!

You obviously weren’t here in the famous “Pythagorean Wins” season. I believe that was Porzingis’ sophomore year. The team came out of the gate with a good W/L record but most of the wins were nailbiters and most of the losses were blowouts. We were outperforming our Pythagorean record and were due for a regression, and lots of the regulars called it out. Team Optimism refused to believe it.

As usual Team Realism was correct, the team ended up sucking, and that was that.

Knicks win, Mavs Nets Celtics lose.

Z-man:
There’s also a reasonable chance that other things will improve to offset any regression in OPP3pt%; other aspects of Knicks defense might improve, the offense might play better as young players improve, the team gels and Burks gets more minutes. This team has not topped out in all areas. They don’t match up talent-wise with the top 10 teams, but they can grind out lots of wins with what they have just by playing harder, smarter and more cohesively than other teams.

Yeah. I don’t think there is any Thibs magic that explains the 3-pt shooting. That is due for a regression for sure. But I am not sure being that bad in terms of shots conceded from the restricted area is their true talent level. So there is some offsetting that I expect there. Probably not enough to counter balance the 3pt regression.

And Geo, no, I’ve never really tried my hand at fiction. I like what I do enough to not dabble in other writing, outside of my masochistic sports fandom.