As a data-savvy analyst with roots in L.A. and a background in sports analytics, I saw it firsthand: Yokohama’s home defense crumbled not from fatigue—but from misaligned tactics. Kanto’s trio—crossing zones, shifting pressure, relentless counterattacks—turned statistical outliers into lethal efficiency. This wasn’t luck. It was Python-model validated truth. I’ve tracked 12 seasons of playoff patterns; this is how elite defenses win—not by talent, but by structure.