New Balls v. Old Balls

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Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, author of the highly entertaining Blog Maverick, had the University of Texas at Arlington Physics department conduct a study on the new balls the NBA will be using this year compared to the balls previously used.  Click here to read more about balls.  It's pretty interesting stuff:

I asked the University of Texas at Arlington Physics department to take
a look at both the new and old NBA basketballs. I asked them to compare
the 2 and let me know what they thought. No preconceived notions. No
prejudice. Just science.

Below is their data and response. Before you get to it, i wanted to give my conclusions.

1. Keep the ball. Its not perfect, but it would create more hassles than it solves to change.
2.
Check every floor in the NBA for "dead spots" and make sure the floors
are consistent. This ball will be more impacted by soft spots on the
floor.
3. Rather than waiting to see how moisture impacts play and
if it creates turnovers, recognize the properties and advantages of the
ball, that it is the same regardless of how old or new, and change out
the balls at halftime, at the end of quarters, or when it gets wet.
Just like they do in baseball and football.
4. The balls retain dirt. Lots of it.

Read more about the new leatherless NBA ball at NBA.com.

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