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Mystics, Lynx Play In Leonsis' Brainchild "Analytics Scrimmage"

The WNBA Mystics and Lynx yesterday played in “what was billed as an ‘analytics scrimmage,’” an idea that came from Monumental Sports & Entertainment Owner Ted Leonsis, according to Clinton Yates of the WASHINGTON POST. Leonis is “an early adopter of analytics in sports” and has been “eager to welcome a new avenue to the game as a whole.” For the first of two 10-minute halves, players “could only shoot from outside of the three-point arc, inside the key or in the extended low block, an area marked by tape on the court.” For the second half, the shot clock was “lowered to 20 seconds, with it resetting to 14 seconds after an offensive rebound.” Teams also were “granted automatic points in all free-throw situations, a modification designed to prevent the ‘hack-a-player’ strategy, yet the shot location constraints were lifted.” Leonsis said, “I just thought it was appropriate for us to really leverage and cross-pollinate learnings from across all of our touchpoints regarding basketball” (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 5/26). Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve prior to the game said of Leonsis, “He’s interesting in learning new ways we can improve the game. Increase eyes on the woman’s game, increase interest in it, from a style of play.” In Minneapolis, Kent Youngblood wrote the teams “were a good match, both because Reeve and Mystics coach Mike Thibault are longtime friends and because the Lynx are highly committed to the game’s analytics.” Reeve: “We are probably one of the most analytics-focused staffs (in the league)” (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/26).

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