* * * * * * H I E R A R C H I C A L C L U S T E R A N A L Y S I S * * * * * *

Dendrogram using Centroid Method

Rescaled Distance Cluster Combine

C A S E 0 5 10 15 20 25

Label Num +---------+---------+---------+---------+---------+

Houston 5 òûòòAòòòòø

LA Lakers 7 ò÷ ùòòòòòFòòòòòòòòòø

San Antonio 4 òûòòBòòòò÷ ùòòòòòòòòòHòòòòòòòòòòòòòø

Portland 6 ò÷ ó ó

Philadelphia 1 òòòòòCòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòò÷ ó

New Jersey 2 òòòòòDòòòòòòòòòòòûòòòòGòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòòò÷

Toronto 3 òòòòòEòòòòòòòòòòò÷

Coming out of the starting gate at about Distance 1, Clusters A, B, C, D, & E emerge.

Cluster A consists of Houston and LA Lakers. Cluster B consists of San Antonio and Portland.

Clusters C, D, & E consist of Philadelphia, New Jersey, & Toronto which are all by themselves.

At about distance 5, clusters A & B merge to form F

At about distance 9, clusters D & E merge to form G.

At about distance 13, clusters C & F merge to form H.

Then G & H do not merge together till the end.

Overall, the greatest number of segments possible at any given time ("Distance") is five (Clusters A, B, C, D & E at Distance 1). Overall, if one must divide these alumni into two reliable clusters, those two segments would be Cluster H and Cluster G.