league. When a second assist would be recorded, 2-point percentage soared to 21.7. Regardless of situation, make sure you have a pole or midfielder taking your crunch-time 2-pointer. Attackmen converted just 5.0 percent from beyond the arc.
FAST-BREAK GOALS DOES BOSTON STILL OWN MIDFIELD?
average pace and average possession percentage. The end of a possession is marked by a goal, a turnover, a saved shot rebounded by the defense or a missed shot run out by the defense. Four teams outscored the Rochester
Rattlers in 2015, but only one topped the Rattlers’ 13.9 offensive rating. The Denver Outlaws (13.8) and Boston Cannons (13.7) finished first and second, respectively, in pace, which helped inflate their point totals. MLL MVP Greg Gurenlian provided the New York Lizards with 54.3 percent of possessions. They were just third in offensive rating (13.8).
Only the Ohio Machine had a higher
offensive rating (14.14) than the Rattlers. That is, unless you look at the post-Memorial Day Florida Launch. In eight games with its rookie class, including No. 1 pick Lyle Thompson, the Launch had an offensive rating of 14.8.
2-POINT PERCENTAGE RESURGENCE FROM BEYOND THE ARC?
The MLL has been in a 2-point funk.
Long-range shooters Kyle Dixon and Peet Poillon retired. Matt Striebel and Michael Kimmel are in and out of lineups. Many blamed the grippy ball’s absence in 2014 for messing with shooters’ psyches, but there’s a new wave of players unintimidated by the 16-yard arc. Florida Launch midfielder Connor Buczek led MLL with four 2-point goals in 2015, despite playing just eight games. Fellow rookies Ryan Tucker and John Glesener were the only two players to attempt more than two 2-pointers per game, albeit over a small sample size. Full seasons from Buczek, Tucker and Glesener could cause an uptick in 2-point attempts. While 2-pointers are only converted at 13.5 percent on average, there are situations and locations for unleashing from distance. On fast breaks, 2-pointers were buried with 16.1-percent success across the
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Winning battles between the lines can create, and prevent, transition opportunities. The Cannons and Lizards generated the most goals on fast breaks (49 and 48, respectively); perhaps it’s no coincidence that the same teams allowed the fewest goals on fast breaks (29 and 27, respectively). Without long-stick midfielder Scott Ratliff (traded to Atlanta), the Cannons will struggle to sustain that midfield dominance. Ratliff has the type of non-stop motor you’d find in “Mad Max: Fury Road.” He was the perfect linemate for Max Seibald, Brent Adams and Josh Hawkins. His ability to start transition (30CT, 81GB) and finish it (8G, 9A) is unparalleled.
UNASSISTED GOALS
PERCENTAGE THE DENHOFF EFFECT
Rochester coach Tim Soudan’s decision to pull Kyle Denhoff back first in the expansion draft may have turned some heads. Denhoff’s play this summer should turn even more. Only two players — Lyle Thompson and Davey Emala — shot better when unassisted than Denhoff (42.9 percent). Short-stick defenders in MLL are strong enough to steer even the most athletic dodgers wide of quality shooting areas. Denhoff’s acceleration and persistence take him to locations attackmen dream of shooting from.
USAGE RATE LIZARDS’ SOUTH AND NORTH POLES
Think New York coach Joe Spallina is tired of hearing the “there’s only one ball on the field” talk yet? It was loud in 2014 when the Lizards brought in Ned Crotty. Lacrosse bloggers then cranked up the volume on their subwoofers when Paul Rabil came to town in 2015. Now, the reigning champs’ imports (Dave Lawson and Jake Tripucka) once again appear to outweigh their exports (Crotty, Ryan Walsh, Hakeem Lecky) in terms of touches.
In basketball, usage rate is defined
differently depending on which NBA analyst you prefer. Conceptually, it remains consistent: How many of his team’s possessions is a player using while on the floor?
Possessions used — the sum of goals, possession-ending shots and turnovers — can measure a player’s ball dominance. Lawson (5.4 possessions used per game) and Tripucka (3.5) were the fourth and sixth options on their respective teams. Crotty (3.3) was the Lizards’ sixth option, while Walsh (2.9) and Lecky (2.0) saw most of their runs in garbage time. Before factoring in supplemental and collegiate draft acquisitions, New York brought in as many touches as it lost. There is a reason why Crotty’s stint in New York was less successful than Rabil’s. Rob Pannell (8.6) and Paul Rabil (7.2) were two of only 10 players in MLL to use more than seven possessions per game, serving as the Lizards’ south and north poles. Their gravities pulled opponents away from the crease. Their selflessness (4.8 and 5.2 assist opportunities per game, respectively) made those defenses pay. Usage rates are non- issues with a culture like that.
FACEOFF PERCENTAGE NCAA FACEOFF RULES DEBUT
MLL will switch to the NCAA faceoff rules this summer. If you ask someone from Long Island, it could be intended to neutralize Greg Gurenlian. The notion that prohibiting faceoff men from carrying the ball in the back of their stick creates more 50- 50 situations and involve wing play were largely disproved in a statistical analysis by Lacrosse Film Room’s Patrick McEwen last spring. Gurenlian teaches faceoffs and proves people wrong for a living. Adapting to the rule changes could be easier for him than for most.
April 2016» LACROSSE MAGAZINE 31
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