Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
number of discrete clusters of similar elements. For example, it may be
useful to organize customers into 10 to 12 profiles. A different goal may be
to create clusters of a certain size. An online store, for example, may wish to
find 10 topics similar to the topic a customer is interested in.
Graph clustering
is a specialized form of clustering that uses graph
structure to identify communities of nodes that are closely linked. Like all
clustering, it is goal-driven. A goal may be to identify a limited number of
connected subgraphs in a large data set to highlight top-level communities
that are otherwise difficult to see. Or, it may be to make a graph easier
to understand by simplifying areas that have dense connection internally
but sparse connection externally. Fundamentally, clustering provides a
higher-level reading of graph structure in large graphs in order to make
higher-level observations.
A Social Network Case Study
On November 3, 1995, the Toronto Raptors played their first basketball
game in National Basketball Association (NBA) history, winning 94-79 over
the New Jersey Nets. The Raptors, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies,
represented the most recent NBA expansion teams and the first to cross the
U.S. border into Canada. It marked the return of professional basketball to
the province where its inventor, James Naismith, grew up and to the city
where the first-ever NBA game was played. While the Grizzlies struggled to
find success, eventually relocating to Memphis, the fortunes of the Raptors
were to soon soar on the wings of popular star player Vince Carter, famous
for his electrifying slam dunk prowess.
The following years saw the end of the Carter era and the dawn and sunset
of the Chris Bosh era in Toronto. Bosh was a perennial All-Star player and
the face of the franchise before he left to join an emerging championship
team in Miami. With his departure in 2010, the team was left with the
challengeofrebuildinganidentity.Undernewmanagement,the2013-2014
Raptors began the season banking on maturing young talent and the signing
of high-scoring Rudy Gay from Memphis. A new marketing relationship
was also announced. Internationally successful hometown rap artist Drake
was introduced as team ambassador, bringing energy and star power to the
building process.
After a slow start to the season, the team's general manager, Masai Ujiri,
wasted little time in unloading Rudy Gay and his high salary to the
