Author
Head of Analytics
Ana leads HoopBrief's possession-level math, lineup grading, and matchup-intelligence work. PhD in operations research; six years at a sports-analytics consultancy serving pro clients before joining HoopBrief in 2024.
5 articles on HoopBrief.
By the time the Finals tip, the staffs already know what they're going to do. The series is decided by which staff executes their brief better, faster, and longer. Here's the brief — in three lenses.
PER tells you who played well over a season. PPP tells you what your last 20 possessions are worth in points. For coaches making in-game decisions, PPP is the only number that matters in real time.
We ran the four most-likely Finals matchups through possession-level analysis. Here's where the advantage actually sits.
Why does coach pull X? It's never the box score. Here's a rubric to grade rotation decisions in real time.
Stats don't determine who plays in May. Trust does. Here's a framework — and a player breakdown — for reading the trust curve.
