For the purposes of this book - loosely described as "Evaluating why certain players and teams mattered more than others" - I just couldnt find the answers I needed through statistics. I needed to immerse myself in the history of the game, read as much as I could, and watch as much tape as I could.

I care about guys who puked before crucial games and cried on television shows just because a simple replay brought back the pain from years ago.

I care that someone walked away from a guaranteed title (or more) because he selfishly wanted to win on his own terms, and I care that someone gave away 20 percent of his minutes or numbers because that sacrifice made his team better.

I care about glowing quotes from yellowed magazines and passionate testimonials from dying teammates.

I care about the things I witnessed and how they resonated with me.

-- From the Book of Basketball by Bill Simmons.