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This story appears in ESPN The Magazines November 14 Pain Issue. Subscribe today!LeBRON JAMES HUGGING the hardwood, sobbing with joy after winning Game 7 of last springs NBA Finals? Yes, very memorable. But for statheads, another postseason image endures. Its the sight of Steven Adams, the 7-foot Khal Drogo look-alike, switching with astonishing dexterity and cutting off Steph Curry and Klay Thompson time and again in the Western Conference finals. The big Kiwi and his Oklahoma City mates didnt quite manage to take down the Warriors. But by relentlessly switching with Kevin Durant and their bigs, the Thunder did become the first team to slow down the Golden State death machine.Indeed, OKC and Cleveland each showed that you need defensive versatility to counter Curry & Co.s fast tempo, relentless movement and perimeter shooting. Now researchers are beginning to measure that skill, and smart teams are hunting for players who embody it.While traditional defensive stats are limited to steals, blocks and rebounds, real-time tracking data allows us to more closely study the huge majority of plays that dont involve a change of possession. The NBA has been collecting such info at every game since 2013, and it provided it to the 210 students from across North America who participated in the leagues first hackathon, in New York in September. Among the five finalists in the competition, two teams used the material to devise important new ways of analyzing defensive versatility.Chris Jenness and Michael Wheelock of Rockefeller University looked at how many NBA defenders were able to hold opponents across various positions to effective field goal percentages of two points or more below average (minimum: 300 shots, 82 at any given position). They found that 26 percent of players, such as Houstons James Harden, cant defend even one position well. On the other hand, just under 10 percent of defenders are proficient against opponents at three or more positions. For instance, last year LeBron James held point guards to an eFG percentage of just 39 percent (versus a league average of 48 percent), shooting guards to 37 percent (versus 51 percent), small forwards to 42 percent (versus 53 percent) and power forwards to 45?percent (versus 49 percent). Thats simple but powerful evidence of his amazing versatility.Not so long ago, defenders who could lock down a single position had great value. But formalities such as whether youre a shooting guard or a power forward matter less today, as players must be ready to race outside to contest any opponent on the perimeter. Thats where the work of Senthil Natarajan and Chris Pickard, two writers for Nylon Calculus, comes in. At the hackathon, they began by sorting players into statistical clusters based on 19 offensive metrics. Their analysis yielded five categories for describing scoring styles, whatever a players position, so that perimeter specialists included Kyle Korver as well as Channing Frye. Then they examined how efficiently players defended against opponents of each type. Adams, for example, ranked No. 1 in the NBA at defending skilled offensive bigs. Finally, they combined scores across categories to see how well players defended multiple styles.Team Nylon named its metric the defensive range adaptability score, or DRAY for short, a nod to the NBAs most versatile defender, Draymond Green. Uniquely, Green ranked first or second in limiting opponents scoring last season, whether he was facing 3-point specialists, skilled big men or versatile wings. Just as remarkably, Serge Ibaka, Durant and Adams all placed in the top five in DRAY. The strength of the Thunder defense wasnt just their length, Natarajan says, but the depth of their length and the amount of versatile defenders they could stack on the court. Unfortunately for OKC, Durant and Ibaka are gone now, and Victor Oladipo (49th in DRAY last season) and Ersan Ilyasova (166th) arent likely to handle the kind of switching the Warriors will force even more often now that they have KD.Looking for a team suited to battle the Warriors? Keep an eye on the Timberwolves, who won just 29 games last season but are building around versatility. Karl-Anthony Towns, a big man with superb mobility (36th in DRAY), could become one of the leagues true unicorns. And Andrew Wiggins (15th) and Zach LaVine (113th) have the length and speed to defend anyone. To be sure, they havent yet-but the group is young, and now Tom Thibodeau is in charge.While Durant vs. his old team might get the most buzz this season, the Warriors against Minnesotas young corps will be fun-and instructive-for years to come. Bob Lilly Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. Randy White Jersey . He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. http://www.cowboysrookieproshop.com/Cowboys-Demarcus-Ware-Jersey/ . Uniteds eighth defeat of a wretched campaign means Liverpool, which currently occupies the fourth and final Champions League place, could go nine points clear of its fierce rival by beating West Bromwich Albion on Sunday. Charlie Adam scored both of Stokes goals at Britannia Stadium either side of Robin van Persies equalizer, with a miserable day for seventh-place United capped by first-half injuries to centre halves Jonny Evans and Phil Jones that forced them off. Tony Pollard Youth Jersey .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. Connor McGovern Cowboys Jersey . The Redskins announced Monday that the quarterback who led the team to the Super Bowl championship in the 1987 season will serve as a personnel executive. CLEVELAND -- Jonathan Papelbon has blown saves in much bigger games.This one, though, seemed to sting like one in October.Papelbon couldnt get an out and blew a two-run lead in the ninth inning as the Cleveland Indians rallied for three runs in their final at-bat to stun the Washington Nationals 7-6 on Tuesday night.Pitching in his fourth game in five days, Papelbon (2-4) was done in by a leadoff walk, an error and two hits.There were a few things Id like to have back, said Papelbon, pulled in the ninth by manager Dusty Baker. Put all that together and it makes for an inning like you saw tonight.Francisco Lindor pushed an RBI single through Washingtons drawn-in infield with one out to win it for the Indians, playing their first home game since July 10.Papelbon has allowed six earned runs in his past two games, a startling stat for the consistent closer.He doesnt have his command, which is evident when you walk the leadoff hitter, Baker said. What do you say? How does he look? Right now he doesnt look like Pap. He doesnt look very good.Baker wouldnt say if hes considering a change with his closer.Its too soon to say after the game, Baker said. Thats his job. Thats what hes getting paid for. We just have to go back to the drawing board.Papelbon remains confident he can get the job done.My confidence in this games never fluctuated and never will, he said. I think thats something that never really has happened to me.Anthony Rendon hit a two-run homer and Wilson Ramos added a solo shot for the NL East-leading Nationals, just 4-6 since the All-Star break.The Indians, who overcame three errors, began their rally when Papelbon walked leadoff hitter Jose Ramirez. Pinch-hitter Tyler Naquin followed with an RBI double to left-center, and Chris Gimenez dropped down a bunt. Nationals first baseman Ryan Zimmerman fielded and threw past second baseman Daniel Murphy covering the bag for an error, allowing Naquin to score the tying run.Rajai Davis then intentionally popped up his bunt attempt, with the ball dropping onto the infield grass for a single as the Nationals were shifting on the pitch. Baker lifted Papelbon for Oliver Perez, who got Jason Kipnis to fly to left for the first out. Lindor fouled off one pitch before getting his single past Murphy too score Gimenez as the Indians poured out of the dugout and onto the field.ddddddddddddefore Clevelands comeback, Nationals starter Gio Gonzalez was in line to improve his unbeaten record against Cleveland. The left-hander allowed two runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings and is 5-0 with a 1.07 ERA in eight career starts against the Indians.According to the Nationals, Gonzalezs 1.07 ERA is the lowest for any pitcher in major league history with at least eight starts against Cleveland.Rendon broke a 2-all tie in the fourth with his homer off All-Star Danny Salazar, who was in jeopardy of losing for the first time since May 22. He lasted a season-low four-plus innings.SCARY MOMENTA 75-year-old woman was taken to a hospital after being hit in the face with a foul ball off Murphys bat.Muir West was sitting down the right-field line -- and might have been blinded by the sun -- when she was struck by a hard shot from Murphy in the first inning. Fans sitting in her section immediately called for security and medical personnel, who rushed to her.A family member said Wests glasses were broken in the mishap and she received a cut on her face.Her wound was heavily bandaged before she was placed on a stretcher and taken to MetroHealth Hospital. There was no immediate word on her condition.TRAINERS ROOMNationals: Zimmerman returned from the disabled list after missing 13 games with a strained left rib cage and went 0 for 4.Indians: OF Michael Brantley feels encouraged after hitting in the cage for two days following a small procedure to relieve discomfort in his surgically repaired right shoulder. Brantley has been on the disabled list since May 14. He was on a rehab assignment at Double-A Akron recently when he had a setback in his recovery. However, the former All-Star remains confident he can have an impact this season.UP NEXTNationals: Stephen Strasburg, who took his first loss last week after starting the season 13-0, makes his first start against Cleveland since 2013.Indians: Carlos Carrasco will be pitching on six days rest because of a pair of scheduled off days. Hes won five of his last six starts, posting a 1.16 ERA. ' ' '