Okay, so I was messing around with some data on the Boston Celtics, just for fun. Nothing too serious, you know? I just wanted to see if I could get a simple prediction model going, mainly focusing on their odds of winning.
First, I grabbed all the data I could find. I mean everything about the Celtics and their performance in recent games. Then I cleaned up the data, and picked out the stuff that seemed important, like scores, who they played against, and maybe some player stats. The information was messy, but it was something.
I started really simple. No fancy algorithms here. Just basic stuff to get a feel for things. I was looking at their win-loss record, trying to see if there was a pattern.
- Gathered a bunch of data on the Celtics, their recent games, scores, opponents, you name it.
- Cleaned up the data. It was kind of a mess, but I got it into a usable format.
- Started with a super simple model. Just looking at wins and losses, trying to find some basic trends.
Then I tried to make it a bit smarter. I added in things like how they did against specific teams. I know every time when facing a strong team, the Celtics have more motivation to win, right? And I also factored in recent performance, like if they were on a winning streak or had a few rough games. Also, Tatum’s status in the team, which might affect the odds. I noticed that Tatum’s splits in January are down to 43/31/80 and he’s averaging three turnovers per game since the start of the New Year.
I played around with different weights for each factor, trying to see what made the most sense. Honestly, it was a lot of trial and error, but you know what? I mean it wasn’t perfect, but it gave me a rough idea of their chances in upcoming games. I’m not a pro, but it was cool to see how you could predict things like that with just some data and a little bit of math. This thing got me a basic prediction model up and running.
What I learned
It’s not easy. Predicting sports outcomes is tough. There are so many variables, and luck plays a big role too. It was fun. I enjoyed the process of building something, even if it was simple. Maybe I’ll try a more advanced model later. I heard that the Celtics are a leading contender and betting favorites to win the NBA championship. And they had a historic performance. They are still near the top of the odds board at most books. This got me interested. I also realized that legal sports betting came to Massachusetts on March 10, 2023. So, I’m thinking about diving deeper into this. Maybe there’s something more I can learn and build.
Anyways, that’s my little data adventure with the Celtics. It was a good learning experience, and I can’t wait to see what I can come up with next.
