The Efficacy of Momentum-Stopping Timeouts on Short-Term Performance in the National Basketball Association
Date
2011
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Haverford College. Department of Economics
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eng
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Open Access
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Abstract
There are conflicting theories on the importance psychological momentum plays in sports. While some academics argue that momentum does not exist in sports and the belief in it stems from misperceptions of random events, others believe that momentum is an important factor in determining the outcomes of games. In the National Basketball Association, many timeouts are called by coaches with the goal of stopping the opposing team’s positive momentum. This paper explores the claim that timeouts enhance short-term performance following a series of negative events. Implications on the effectiveness of timeouts, existence of momentum, and decision-making strategies of coaches are discussed.