So I am sitting here watching game 7 of the Lakers-Rockets series with the Lakers up by 20. The fact that the Rockets could take the Lakers to 7 games minus their best two players is just short of miraculous...until you consider a New York Times magazine article that appeared earlier this year. The article spotlights the Rockets and their cerebral swingman Shane Battier, who have invested in a sophisticated use of statistics and quantitative analysis to plot pre-game strategy and to defuse superstars such as Kobe Bryant. It's worth reading.
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I read this when it came out, one of the few NYT Magazine articles I have been able to get all the way through. Definitely gave me a respect for Battier, and I was so impressed with the Rockets' run. Definitely second the worth reading grade to this article.