There are a loooooot of people here.

BOSTON — I have no idea where to go, I have no idea what to write and I have virtually no idea what anyone is talking about.

It's nice to be back at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.

This year's model is the seventh edition of a conference that began in 2006 as a small gathering of likeminded folks eager to share cutting-edge analysis that would sharpen their understanding of sports, and has since exploded into a major annual industry event. Sloan 2013 boasts more than 2,700 paid attendees, representatives from more than 90 pro teams across six different sports (including 29 of 30 NBA teams; the Los Angeles Lakers, alone, appear to be unrepresented), a slew of big-name panelists and big-money sponsorship from the likes of Under Armour, StubHub and primary underwriter ESPN, spread throughout the sprawling Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

There are three simultaneous panel discussions on a variety of topics going on at any given time, plus presentations of research papers aiming to advance existing analysis, chats about potentially "revolutionary" concepts in the Evolution of Sport track — basically, five big-idea things happening every hour, with 10 to 20 minutes separating the infobursts. There's a show floor with more than 20 trade tables occupied by companies hawking stuff like data security solutions, social advanced box score programs and cloud-based clipboard applications enabling coaches to remotely store and share plays they've designed. There's a "technology room," which is to say, a game room, featuring Wii Golf, air hockey, a race-car-simulation video game and foosball tables, where you can blow off some steam when it all gets to be a bit much.

And it will get to be a bit much. With so much content, so many voices, so much stimuli and — to borrow a phrase that was very popular Friday, thanks in part to the presence of longtime stat rock star and New York Times best-selling author Nate Silver — so much "noise," how could it not? There's a massive amount of stuff here; it's hard to make sense of it all.

[Also: Spurs lose Tony Parker to ankle injury]

Which, now that you mention it, is pretty much exactly the problem facing the analysts, the NBA teams that employ them/for whom they want to work and the fans watching at home. We're being told more and more frequently that this stuff matters, that we should be paying attention to it and that we need to know about it ... but when it comes time to explain why, the message often seems to get muddled in translation.

Doug Collins in 1978 (Getty Images)

A look around the league and the Web that covers it. It's also important to note that the rotation order and starting nods aren't always listed in order of importance. That's for you, dear reader, to figure out.

C: YouTube. As Doug Collins flails away and sits out the Andrew Bynum season that wasn’t, we look back at one of Doug’s finer moments as a player with the Philadelphia 76ers.
PF: Hardwood Paroxysm. Ian Levy details the various fluctuations in shot selections the NBA has seen in recent years, including that massive offensive boom that was the 2004-05 season.
SF: Sports Illustrated. Rob Mahoney on LeBron James’ incredible month of February, one that saw him shoot a remarkable 64 percent from the field for a team that has won 12 straight.
SG: Star Tribune. Jerry Zgoda on the ascension of the once-maligned Derrick Williams, who has flourished in Kevin Love’s absence.
PG: Gentleman’s Quarterly. Lang Whitaker talks with Denver’s Andre Iguodala about various aspects of growing up in the NBA.

Andrew Bynum in August, before it all went wrong (Getty Images)

We’ve found that there are two distinct camps when it comes to regarding Philadelphia 76ers, um, roster member Andrew Bynum. One group completely understands that Bynum, an unrestricted free agent this summer that has worked through a history of leg issues, does not want to put together an early and perhaps disastrous return to the court this season, as he readies for what could be his last big contract.

[Also: Spurs lose Tony Parker to ankle injury]

On the other side of that coin is the group that doesn’t mind pointing out that Andrew Bynum is currently under contract to play basketball for the 76ers this season, while making nearly $16.9 million as he works his way through rehabilitation that Bynum scuttled by decided to go bowling last December. Both sides have their points – a Greg Oden-esque microfracture surgery could cost Andrew the 2013-14 season and millions of dollars, but it was Andrew himself that crashed his own rehab party with the bowling trip, and a long history of iffy (and, at times, dangerous) decisions damages his credibility as he moves forward.

The latest news from Bynum can actually be classified as “news,” which is a rare occurrence in a season that has too often been more of the same from the former All-Star. After a setback during last Friday’s practice, Bynum’s pained right knee hasn’t let up even after a week away from the practice court. And the big man was candid in his discussions about possibly sitting out the entire 2013-14 season. From CSNPhilly’s John Gonzalez and Dei Lynum:

Bynum said "I really don't know" when asked if he'll play this year. Knee is swollen from last Friday's practice #Sixerstalk

— John Gonzalez (@gonzoCSN) March 1, 2013

When asked if he's worried about perception that he doesn't want to play in pain, Bynum said "that's true, I don't want to play in pain" — John Gonzalez (@gonzoCSN) March 1, 2013

LeBron James and the Miami Heat, dating back to 2010’s televised showcase featuring James’ move from Cleveland to Miami, haven’t always had their collective fingers on the pulse of what’s tolerable and what’s annoying when it comes to Internet memes. If Twitter is to be believed, and it usually is, “The Harlem Shake” ran afoul of online tastemakers a couple of weeks ago, as everyone seemed to quickly tire of the dance craze.

LeBron James and the Heat decided to put together their own version, which has already done around 3 million hits on YouTube. Watch:

Reggie Miller was notoriously lanky during his playing career, so much so that Michael Jordan (that sensitive master of tact) once compared guarding Reg to “chicken-fighting with a woman” in a 1999 ESPN Magazine interview. Still, at 6-7 and 185 pounds, he still stands as a formidable figure, size-wise.

Until he puts on fellow TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal’s suit, as was the case on Thursday. All of the sudden, Mr. Miller turned into L’il Reggie. Via Miller’s Twitter account, take a look:

(Twitter.com/ReggieMillerTNT)

Here’s Miller’s take:

Getting ready to shoot more Open Court shows, had to put on Shaq's suit jacket, it makes me look like I'm 8!!!! twitter.com/ReggieMillerTN…

— Reggie Miller (@ReggieMillerTNT) February 28, 2013

Jeannie and Jim Buss in August of 2012 (Getty Images)

It remains an underreported story, especially in the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers breaking (or even demolishing) the bank in terms of player payroll this season. In anticipation of a long lockout in 2011, the team fired off almost 20 longtime staff members, not counting the departing coaching staff, with rumors abounding that executive vice president of player personnel Jim Buss was making a point to remove anyone overtly associated with former coach Phil Jackson – the man that Buss has since passed over to lead his disappointing Laker squad. Much needed scouts, staff, and assistant GM Ronnie Lester were let go by a Laker team that didn’t feel the need to communicate and explain exactly why they were being fired.

Rudy Garciduenas, who worked in the Lakers’ locker room for 26 years, was one of those casualties. Let go by the team in the summer of 2011, Garciduenas has taken to working out of a food truck in Los Angeles, driving and cooking for Sam Choy’s Pineapple Express. Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke recently caught up with Garciduenas to get his side of the story:

Garciduenas, who was laid off in June 2011 with nearly 20 other longtime employees, including training staff members and an assistant general manager, learned of his departure when he received a letter about temporary insurance. He received no severance pay. There was no farewell party. He spent the next year living off unemployment and retirement funds.

This has not been the easiest year for the Minnesota Timberwolves. While it’s true that the team has suffered through plenty of losing seasons and subsequent lottery appearances since making it all the way to the NBA’s final four in 2004, the 2012-13 campaign was the first since the Kevin Garnett era that saw the Wolves actually enter a season with expectations. Playoff expectations, even, hopes that were scuttled when All-Star forward Kevin Love broke his hand. Twice.

Love has had plenty of company on the Minnesota bench. Andrei Kirilenko is suffering through a calf strain, Chase Budinger has been out for months, Brandon Roy has played just five games all year, and Ricky Rubio is still working his way back from an ACL tear that cost him the end of last season and first 35 games of this season. A 20-35 record is probably not what rookie guard Alexey Shved had in mind when he made his Minnesota debut this season, so you can understand the Russian guard feeling a little blue over a season gone wrong. Rubio, in the midst of Thursday night’s loss to the Lakers in Los Angeles, isn’t having any of it. Watch:

“Change this face. Be happy. Enjoy.” Perfect.

The Los Angeles Lakers rolled over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night, dominating the visitors 116-94 to bring themselves within two games of the Houston Rockets for the final playoff spot in the West. They've now won four of their last five games and look primed to make sure this season isn't a total debacle.

The highlight came early — in the game's first minute, in fact. After a deflection out of bounds, Kobe Bryant took an inbounds pass from Steve Nash and posted up Wolves wing Derrick Williams on the Lakers logo on the left wing. With a quick move to his left, Kobe sped past Williams and quickly elevated for a dunk. Center Nikola Pekovic attempted to challenge the shot, but he could only get there late enough to become a victim of Kobe's vicious right-handed slam.

While the Wolves had little luck on the court, Pekovic's fortune flipped with Bryant as soon as the game ended. After the jump, check out photos from their totally opposite experiences.