The NBA is the most competitive basketball league in the world and one of the richer sport leagues we know (its revenues are second only to the NFL’s), so it should come as no surprise that the commissioner does everything in his power to make it as balanced and evolved as possible. Obviously, it means that he has no problems using technology. In this day and age sports can be helped by IT and the NBA is already doing it. Let’s see what role technology plays in the league today.
Technology Favours the Bold: The Favourites to Win the NBA Title
The NBA likes to keep its field as levelled as possible but, of course, it is not always possible. Certain teams can count on absolute superstars and thus have an easier time competing. The favourites to win the title, as of today, are the Boston Celtics, who won last year and have a terrific roster, filled with champions. The New York Knicks are another very good franchise, because of their new centre, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the talented Jalen Brunson who plays the position of playmaker. The bookmakers like also the Oklahoma City Thunder, who don’t have a lot of star power but are a true team, where everyone strengthens his teammate.
This league has always been considered one of the most exciting and balanced tournaments in the world. Every game can have a totally unpredictable outcome and surprising results are always possible. Because of this well-known uncertainty, betting operators often have different odds for the same result. In this respect, consulting live NBA odds from Oddschecker, one of the most well-known comparators in the iGaming world, even right during the course of the games, can be useful, for both experienced and novice players.
Can technology influence the league? In which way? Can franchises use it to help their cause and elevate their chances of winning a title? The answer to the first and the third question is yes. About the second, we are going to explain how.
Technology and NBA Games: What’s New and How can a Team Exploit It
The technological boost is real. NBA referees can check replays in real time to decide whether a foul was committed or not. This is not something exclusive to the league, a lot of sports decided to integrate visual assistance for referees, but given the quickness of basketball, this is quite an achievement. But this is not all, of course. Teams can count on a lot of technological help to improve their players’ performance.
After every match (and every training, actually) data is revised using artificial intelligence. In a few seconds, AI can put together a lot of data regarding each and every player, as well as confront it with past data to see improvements and regression. This is the true revolution technology is bringing to the sport: each player can get his customised workout plan, to make up for his weaknesses and boost his strength. Typically, each team had a trainer dedicated to this, but now that same professional can do a lot more by using the data gathered by AI. It’s like having the quickest assistant possible.
And what about injuries? The use of biomechanical sensors can help medics and paramedics in managing every player’s load: when the equation signals fatigue, the staff knows it’s time to rest the player. It is a very sharp way of managing your personnel!
The audience can also enjoy some technological wonders. The shared reality experience exploits virtual and augmented reality to bring a NBA stadium in the living room of the viewer. This technology is still experimental but can really change the way in which a fan enjoys a game at home.
The NBA is all set to maximise its efficiency and become an even better environment, for its fans and for the players. After all, this is firstly a business and the commissioner can’t avoid keeping it a top-notch experience for everyone involved, otherwise, his product would become less appealing.
