Sports Stats Literacy
Correlation Is Not a Cause in Sports
Two sports numbers can move together because of pace, minutes, or selection. Moving together is not a cause.
Tag
sports stats
7 posts tagged "sports stats".
Sports Stats Literacy
A Checklist Before You Trust a Sports Stat
Before you repeat a sports number, check the count, the denominator, the roster, and whether it is being asked to do too much.
Sports Stats Literacy
Why Last Week's Number May Not Travel
A statistic describes the roster and the rules that produced it. An injury or a lineup change can retire the number.
Sports Stats Literacy
Regression to the Mean Across a Season
Extreme sports numbers often include luck, so the next stretch tends to be less extreme. That is not a debt the game owes.
Sports Stats Literacy
Point Differential vs a Win-Loss Record
Wins can outrun the scoring margin. A simple runs-squared sketch shows when a record is ahead of the underlying gap.
Sports Stats Literacy
How to Read Home and Away Splits
Home and away splits mix skill, parks, travel, and small counts. Read the number of games before the gap.
Sports Stats Literacy
Why a Small Sample Misleads in Sports
A few games are a noisy sample. A hot week can appear without any change in skill, and it does not set a price.