Clustering of NBA Teams Across Multiple Years

The study seeks to provide an objective foundation for NBA team rankings beyond win-loss statistics. The research uses machine learning to examine offensive efficiency, defen- sive efficiency, and win % from the last four NBA seasons utilizing sports analytics and big data. The study uses PCA and K-Means clustering to classify team performance tiers. Teams with balanced offensive and defensive measures typically rank higher in clusters, establishing the technique as a more thorough evaluation tool. Moderate accuracy in error analysis shows the balance between analytical depth and practical applicability. The research found that this data-driven paradigm helps comprehend team relationships and performance, which might be used in strategic decision-making and other sports. Refinement may incorporate time patterns and player-specific data.

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Publication Details

Journal
Applied and Computational Engineering
Published
2025-03-28
DOI
https://doi.org/10.54254/2755-2721/2025.21716
Primary Topic
Sports Analytics and Performance
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

Clustering of NBA Teams Across Multiple Years

Yiming Zhong
Applied and Computational Engineering
Sports Analytics and Performance
article

Clustering of NBA Teams Across Multiple Years

Yiming Zhong
article en

Abstract

The study seeks to provide an objective foundation for NBA team rankings beyond win-loss statistics. The research uses machine learning to examine offensive efficiency, defen- sive efficiency, and win % from the last four NBA seasons utilizing sports analytics and big data. The study uses PCA and K-Means clustering to classify team performance tiers. Teams with balanced offensive and defensive measures typically rank higher in clusters, establishing the technique as a more thorough evaluation tool. Moderate accuracy in error analysis shows the balance between analytical depth and practical applicability. The research found that this data-driven paradigm helps comprehend team relationships and performance, which might be used in strategic decision-making and other sports. Refinement may incorporate time patterns and player-specific data.

Applied and Computational EngineeringVol. 119(1)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 91%
Sports Analytics and Performance
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