Comparing the impact of star rookies Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James: An example on simulating team performances in the National Basketball Association League

This paper describes a simulation exercise designed for introductory quantitative method classes both at the MBA and undergraduate level. The exercise tracks the performances of teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA) during the season of 2004. It is designed as a spreadsheet model and is developed in stages throughout the academic semester. The example is a significant illustration of the use of sports as a vehicle for teaching OR topics, specifically simulation. It also incorporates many spreadsheet modeling skills such as the use of Excel functions and Data Tables. The model provided a good mix of the ingredients for an effective simulation example including a variety of answers, challenges and surprises.