Technology is now a defining factor to determine success in every industry. Sports, specifically basketball, is no exception.

Basketball is a trillion dollar entertainment industry, a far cry from the peach basket mounted by James Naismith in 1891. The pastime he invented would be played all across the globe, by a billion people, changing countless lives in the process.

Winning an NBA title literally augments a team’s value exponentially. In 2010, Joe Lacob acquired the Golden State Warriors franchise for US $450 million. Now, the value has gone north of US$6 billion. A championship ring also redefines a player’s legacy. This is why players of today change their career paths and conspire with other players to form their own dynasties.

Multiple NBA champion coaches have taken deep dives into analytics and technology, investing time, money, and personnel to gather more data. This used to be a tedious exercise, but now there are apps like Synergy Sports who can easily provide it.

High Stakes, High Technology

Technology is highly applicable for gadgets and cars, but how can technology give you an edge in sports?

Basketball is no longer a simple game. Just one glance at any random game in the 80s and 90s, and one look at the game today will reveal that. The pick-and-roll became a staple for formidable teams, and it still is today, but the playbook doesn’t end on that note. Opposing coaches have developed formulas to stop the pick-and-roll, so offenses needed to respond by making it more complex.

It’s a cat-and-mouse game, as the offense develops and defenses catch up. But one thing that has stood the test of time in basketball–the superstars.

Data as the Equalizer

NBA superstars are legends, and at first, they will present themselves with an aura of infallibility. How many superstars have been branded as “unguardable?” How many signature moves have been “unblockable?” Superstars will thrive and take over games, unless opposing coaches find a way to stop them.

Guess what? The people who managed to put Allen Iverson on a leash, or find a solution to curb the rampage of LeBron James are….nerds?

Analytics have redefined the way the game is played, and it’s not just on defense. Coaches have used it to help their own players find their shot. It is also used to identify tendencies of opposing players, and this information is invaluable when plotting a scheme to neutralize them.

Masters of the Game

It is no accident that arguably the best coach in the NBA today, Erik Spoelstra, had his start as a video coordinator. He understood the importance of studying tapes of the game, since it uncovers revealing insights that could help them in the next game: What should they watch out for, what to avoid.

Side note: It is highly believed that this data was used to famously force Jaylen Brown’s 8 turnovers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

It is also used for long-term player development. We now have shooting coaches and defense coaches, among others. All of them need videos to communicate to their players.

Sportradar, and their division, Synergy Sports, gives intelligent coverage, combining basketball knowledge and the state-of-the-art technology to provide comprehensive data supported by video.

Imagine being able to view every Luka Doncic drive and kick–analyzed extensively with details. Does he have a tendency to drive left? When does he make an early pass and when does he kick out? These data can be processed by both the Dallas Mavericks’ offense, and their opponents.

True sages of the game use analytic data like these to gain an advantage ever since videotapes existed, but never has game video been as quick and extensive as today.

Synergy Sports is one app that has revolutionized the delivery of this data, and it benefits coaches, players, even broadcasters and analysts. Fans who want to take a deep dive into analytics and have unprecedented understanding of the game can eventually use the platform.

These are truly exciting times to watch hoops, as the science of putting a ball into a peach tree basket evolves beyond our imagination.