2017-2018 NBA Model Performance
Season
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2025-2026
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2023-2024
2022-2023
2021-2022
2020-2021
2019-2020
2018-2019
2017-2018
2016-2017
2015-2016
2014-2015
2013-2014
2012-2013
2011-2012
2010-2011
2009-2010
2008-2009
2007-2008
2006-2007
2005-2006
2004-2005
2003-2004
2002-2003
2001-2002
2000-2001
1999-2000
1998-1999
1997-1998
1996-1997
Every ranked model predicted the same 1136 games (2017-11-11 to 2018-06-08, 30 weekly windows) out of sample: each week's games were predicted by models fit only on the season's earlier games.
Model Performance Leaderboard
Ranked by full-season AUC. The final week is the season's last 7 played days (3 games, 2018-06-02 to 2018-06-08), predicted from every earlier game: a small sample that shows the latest form.
| # | Model | AUC | Acc | Brier | LogLoss | AUC final wk | Acc final wk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elo Elo Streaming paired-comparison rating with recency baked into sequential updates. More → | 0.723 | 66.2% | 0.213 | 0.615 | - | 33.3% |
| 2 | Adjusted Context Blend Adjusted Context Blend Chronologically trained component blend with rest and signed venue context. More → | 0.721 | 67.2% | 0.214 | 0.617 | - | 100.0% |
| 3 | Margin Recency Margin Recency Margin regression with exponential recency weights on newer games. More → | 0.721 | 65.8% | 0.216 | 0.622 | - | 100.0% |
| 4 | Margin Margin Linear team-strength model fit on point differential instead of binary wins. More → | 0.720 | 65.2% | 0.217 | 0.625 | - | 100.0% |
| 5 | Points Off/Def Recency Points Off/Def Recency Off/def points regression with exponential recency weights. More → | 0.714 | 65.6% | 0.218 | 0.626 | - | 100.0% |
| 6 | Points Off/Def Points Off/Def Raw points regression with separate offensive and defensive team parameters. More → | 0.713 | 65.3% | 0.218 | 0.627 | - | 100.0% |
| 7 | Recency Ensemble Recency Ensemble Equal-logit blend of Elo, recency BT, recency margin, log-adjusted pyth, and recency points off/def. More → | 0.708 | 63.8% | 0.217 | 0.624 | - | 100.0% |
| 8 | Core Ensemble Core Ensemble Equal-logit blend of Elo, recency BT, recency margin, log-adjusted pyth, and points off/def. More → | 0.708 | 64.3% | 0.217 | 0.624 | - | 100.0% |
| 9 | Dynamic Bradley-Terry Dynamic Bradley-Terry Time-evolving paired-comparison model with latent team strength drift. More → | 0.703 | 65.1% | 0.220 | 0.633 | - | 100.0% |
| 10 | Bradley-Terry Recency Bradley-Terry Recency Static Bradley-Terry with exponential recency weights on newer games. More → | 0.698 | 64.7% | 0.220 | 0.631 | - | 100.0% |
| 11 | Bradley-Terry Bradley-Terry Static logistic paired-comparison model with one team strength parameter. More → | 0.698 | 64.6% | 0.220 | 0.631 | - | 100.0% |
| 12 | Pythagorean Pythagorean Pythagorean win expectation from raw points scored and allowed. More → | 0.691 | 63.6% | 0.230 | 0.652 | - | 100.0% |
| 13 | Adjusted Efficiency Adjusted Efficiency Opponent-adjusted efficiency model with separate offensive and defensive components. More → | 0.691 | 63.6% | 0.222 | 0.634 | - | 100.0% |
| 14 | Log Adjusted Log Adjusted Log-scale adjusted efficiency model that downweights blowout leverage. More → | 0.691 | 63.6% | 0.222 | 0.634 | - | 100.0% |
| 15 | Avg Margin Baseline Avg Margin Baseline Predict from simple average scoring margin in the training window. More → | 0.689 | 63.4% | 0.223 | 0.638 | - | 100.0% |
| 16 | Home Team Baseline Home Team Baseline Always favor the home team with a fixed prior. More → | 0.592 | 59.2% | 0.242 | 0.676 | - | 33.3% |
Methodology
Out-of-sample windows
- The season is split into 7-day windows ending on its last played day
- Each window is predicted by models refit on all earlier games of the season
- The first window starts after 21 days of games
- Every model is scored on the same games; a model that cannot predict most of them is listed as not compared
Elo / Bradley-Terry
- Elo: the published league Elo (preseason priors and carryover where configured), frozen at the window start
- Bradley-Terry: static logistic fit on the earlier games
- Recency variants weight games with a 120-day half-life in NCAA leagues (keeping the non-conference games that link conferences) and a 30-day half-life in pro leagues
Pythagorean and margin models
- Raw, adjusted and log-adjusted Pythagorean from scores; efficiency from box-score possessions
- Margin: ridge regression on point margin with a learned home advantage
- Ensembles average the log-odds of five families
Baselines
- Home Team: the home team wins 60% (50% at neutral sites)
- Avg Margin: the higher average margin so far wins
- Models should beat these to add value