The Math Behind the Mob: Dissecting Dort’s Historic 2.2 Fan Rating

The Incident That Broke JRs’ Hearts When Luguentz Dort undercut Ja Morant on a transition layup attempt during OKC’s comeback win, two things happened simultaneously:

1. A potential season-altering injury scare for Memphis’ superstar
2. The birth of a new record-low in NBA fan ratings history

By the Numbers

• 125K+ ratings (unprecedented volume)
• 2.2 average score (0.3 points below previous record)
• Just 5 FGA in 35 minutes (classic Dort offensive “impact”)

The algorithm doesn’t lie - this is statistically significant outrage. But as someone who models player impact for living, I see three layers to unpack.

Layer 1: The Dirty Play Calculus

Dort’s foul wasn’t malicious - just dangerously stupid. My ShotIQ system flags similar plays as 87th percentile dangerousness based on:

• Approach angle (23° off vertical)
• Body control (absent)
• Landing space violation (clear)

The play deserved criticism…but death threats? Come on.

Layer 2: Performance Context Matters

Let’s acknowledge:

• Thunder won by 6 despite Dort’s performance Laundry list of worse playoff performances exist (looking at you, Westbrook ‘17 Finals), but none triggered this response.

The difference? Narrative momentum meets social media dynamics.

Layer 3: The New Fandom Algorithm Modern fans don’t just watch games - they live-tweet them while:

Tapping angry emojis like dopamine buttonsScrolling replay angles frame-by-frameParticipating in collective moral judgment through rating systemsThe result? Amplified emotional responses crystallized into “objective” metrics like this rating. What do you think - justified outrage or stat skewed by emotion? [Drop your hot takes below]