Crease Collapses of the Week: Championship Series Edition

Help defense is usually a question of “from where?” Are we sliding from the crease? Or from the adjacent?

ESPN color analyst and Pro Lacrosse Hall of Famer Ryan Boyle translated a mic’d up huddle on the broadcast, explaining that the question has shifted in Sixes. It’s more like the NBA – it’s a question of “from who?”

Defenses don’t expect to prevent every shot. They study the scout to assess and mitigate threats. They’ll help from the non-threats – or the players in non-threatening areas – to support their sliding teammates.

Here are the best slides, fills, and rotations from the Championship Series:

5. Koby Smith slides

Atlas LC’s Koby Smith was everywhere on the defensive end. Some teams asked their top defender to faceguard shooters for 48 minutes. Smith seemed free to roam and plug any leaks in Atlas LC’s one-on-one defense.

This slide from the weakside would be long if Smith hadn’t sunk in soon. It’s easy to isolate one or two defenders on a ballside island in this format, yet it rarely felt like Atlas LC’s defense was in that situation. Koby’s early recognition and physical finish prevented a higher percentage shot from Brad Smith.