NBA midseason grades

[boscel33]

"Boston Celtics
Grade: A-

The Celtics, who boast the NBA's best record and point differential, only fall short of a full A because expectations were already so high entering the season that it's difficult to exceed them. We knew how strong the Celtics' starting five would be after adding Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, but the strong play of reserves Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard has been an encouraging development."

So, let me get this straight.  We don't get an A because we were supposed to be good and are?  Cmon ESPN!

[Roy H.]

We're on pace for 63 wins.  I'd call that "A" territory, but not A+.

I assume OKC and MIN got As?

[Atzar]

You don't give the smart kids in class a lower grade on the test just because you expect them to be good, lol. 

All I'm saying.

[boscel33]

We're on pace for 63 wins.  I'd call that "A" territory, but not A+.

I assume OKC and MIN got As?

And Philly!

All three got A's.

[Roy H.]

You don't give the smart kids in class a lower grade on the test just because you expect them to be good, lol. 

All I'm saying.

My daughter's English teacher has a policy that nobody, no matter what, gets above a 95.  It p---es her right off, because it brings down her average grade. 

[Atzar]

You don't give the smart kids in class a lower grade on the test just because you expect them to be good, lol. 

All I'm saying.

My daughter's English teacher has a policy that nobody, no matter what, gets above a 95.  It p---es her right off, because it brings down her average grade.

She should be p---ed!   That's a nonsense policy. 

[Moranis]

The article says it is a grade based on how teams have performed relative to their expectations entering the season. A grade of C means meeting expectations. So Boston's A- under that system is still very good. It is a dumb way to do it though.

There were 3 A's - Minny, OKC, and Philly. 

[Roy H.]

The article says it is a grade based on how teams have performed relative to their expectations entering the season. A grade of C means meeting expectations. So Boston's A- under that system is still very good. It is a dumb way to do it though.

There were 3 A's - Minny, OKC, and Philly.

Apparently they had low expectations for Philly, then?

They're on pace for about two more wins than last season.

[Moranis]

The article says it is a grade based on how teams have performed relative to their expectations entering the season. A grade of C means meeting expectations. So Boston's A- under that system is still very good. It is a dumb way to do it though.

There were 3 A's - Minny, OKC, and Philly.

Apparently they had low expectations for Philly, then?

They're on pace for about two more wins than last season.

Philly is a half a grade better than Boston, which given the Harden situation makes sense.  I mean they didn't exactly get much to help this year for Harden and yet look better than last year.

[Surferdad]

The article says it is a grade based on how teams have performed relative to their expectations entering the season. A grade of C means meeting expectations. So Boston's A- under that system is still very good. It is a dumb way to do it though.

There were 3 A's - Minny, OKC, and Philly.

In that case, the Celtics should have gotten a C.  Makes no sense!

[Moranis]

The article says it is a grade based on how teams have performed relative to their expectations entering the season. A grade of C means meeting expectations. So Boston's A- under that system is still very good. It is a dumb way to do it though.

There were 3 A's - Minny, OKC, and Philly.

In that case, the Celtics should have gotten a C.  Makes no sense!

I think they got the A- because of how well the 2 new starters have been integrated and how well Hauser and PP have played in their increased bench roles.

The record is what was expected, but the overall team play is exceeding expectations.

[RodyTur10]

You don't give the smart kids in class a lower grade on the test just because you expect them to be good, lol. 

All I'm saying.

My daughter's English teacher has a policy that nobody, no matter what, gets above a 95.  It p---es her right off, because it brings down her average grade.

In the Netherlands teachers have similar policies. Also logically explained. The average grade given by a (for example an English or math) teacher for all school exams (thus the exams drafted and graded by a school's teacher) to a whole class are compared to a final centrally organized exam (for all students in the country in their last year).

So if the average class grade of school exams given by a teacher would be 7.0 (I use the scale we use here in the Netherlands: 1-10, 5.5+ is sufficient), but at the central exam the class only scores 6.0, the teacher would be questioned for his judgment as he would be a whole point (which would be quite a lot) off the measured level.

On the other hand high schools are competing heavily for new students (which means more government funds), so they advertise with how great their school is by showing off with their passing grades. By this teachers are pressured by school boards to have a very high passing percentage, while the incoming intellectual level is dropping (don't get me started on this subject).

The average grade of all school exams and the grade for the central exam count fifty-fifty. The teacher has a perverted objective to get as many students passed as reasonably possible, but he can't give a total average score that significantly deviates from the central exam.

What is happening? A student who is on a very high level (say a 9) is given an 8. Then you have a spare point to give to a poor student (5 => 6) to get him just over the threshold for a cushion to pass the central exam (when 50% in school exam score is added). An effective method hereby is work groups. Then you start a project and you give every group a collective score between 6 and 7.

As a teacher you don't p--- off individuals with an insufficient score who may be a victim of being in a poor group (an individual averaging a 6 or 7 would be most vocal if he or she got a 4 or a 5 on a working group, endangering their chance of passing the central exam). Of course the small group of high level students are unhappy about this process, but they won't fail the central exam because of this so they're not going to file an official complaint (school board approves of the method anyway).

In these ways the average score for a class at the school exam is not affected. The total number of students that pass has risen. Exam committee is happy since on paper everything is okay, School board is happy with the high passing grade, student is happy since he passed and teacher (judged by board and exam committee) is happy because he keeps his job. 

And people now wonder why there's such a huge increase in certificates and the depreciation of its value.....

[timpiker]

You don't give the smart kids in class a lower grade on the test just because you expect them to be good, lol. 

All I'm saying.

Perfect analogy.