- Dry end of the course for the Sky
Is it the Sky which is disappointing or the Sun which is sparkling? Probably a little (a lot) of both. This frustrating season suddenly ended for the Sky with a last game largely mastered by the Sun. Things had started well for Chicago, however, with a ball that was circulating quite well and the players of James Wade led, admittedly with a short head, but stayed ahead of the notice board. But if Chicago has not managed to break away, it is mainly because of its weak defense, a real weak point throughout the season. It is then on the successive impulses of DeWanna Bonner (23 points, 12 rebounds) and Gabby Williams (16 points) that the Sun then the Sky will make a run to end the equal half (41-41).
It is after returning from the locker room that the Sky players will completely crack and say goodbye to their hopes of going far in the playoffs. Alyssa thomas, Briann January, Jasmine Thomas, Brionna Jones… the Connecticut team gave in 10 minutes a lesson in collective play while opposite the Sky can not find the solution neither in attack nor in defense (27-11 on the third quarter). The gap goes up to exceed 20 points, a chasm impossible to fill when you cash so many baskets. Chicago will not have deserved since they will have tried to come back at the very end of the game, but it was too little too late. 94-81, Connecticut goes on to the second round.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm7CzrNvS00
- Karma has befallen the Mystics
The encounter seemed unbalanced on paper, but we knew the Mystics wouldn’t let it go. In a duel between two teams which have notable absentees, the two opponents displayed very good momentum and were determined to maintain it. And it was Washington, with its four consecutive victories, which got the best start thanks in particular to Emma Meesseman (18 points) and one Leilani Mitchell on fire (25 points). The gap is widening quite quickly and, despite the resistance of Phoenix, remains around ten points (46-35 after 20 minutes of play).
The third quarter is very tight and ends with the same gap as on the return from the locker room (70-59) and we start to believe very seriously that the champions will still create the surprise to reach the second round. Especially since the latter have resisted the heat stroke of the always very clutched Diana Taurasi (13 points in the only third quarter). But no, it is at the start of the last quarter that the Mystics’ lead will melt away and the Mercury even takes a 5 point lead on two successive three points of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Taurasi. The blow of the hammer then thinks, but Washington has the resource and returns in the match until passing in front in the last minute thanks to an interception of playoffs Emma. The Mystics are two units ahead 5 seconds from the end. Shey Peddy, who had been hit by the Mystics during the season, receives the ball in the corner and has the blood cold enough to make a fake shoot to be able to break free and shoot a few tens before the final buzzer. The rest is History.
CLUTCH. TIME. @SheyP11
The @PhoenixMercury advance to the 2nd round! #ATTPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/wC9zlZkVbP
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 16, 2020
- Connecticut – Los Angeles: Will the Sun continue to surprise?
Winner with the manner of its first round against Chicago, Connecticut thus continues to surf on its very good end of regular season. The Sun collective is setting up and doing wonders. Enough to surprise the very solid Sparks team? It may in any case be complicated since the level displayed by the teams of the top trio seems a step above the rest of the league. But as we said in the first round, the Sun is a “fake” 7me. This position does not at all reflect the level that this team posted at the end of the season. If Connecticut therefore left almost favorite against Chicago, it will not be the same against the Sparks and the Sun will have to hope that Los Angeles is a tone lower than usual to take this game.
But watch out for the Sparks: we know that playing after a three-day break when the opponents are in perfect rhythm is ideal. It’s where the duo Chelsea Gray – Candace Parker must make his experience speak from the first few minutes to put their team on the right track and avoid being caught off guard. Because if the Sparks manage to hold the start of the match, the physical freshness will play in their favor as the minutes of play progress. Curt Miller He knows this, and we can therefore expect that, for his part, he will ask his players to put a great deal of defense at the start to avoid at all costs bringing the Sparks into their game.
We can not wait to see the clash between DeWanna Bonner and Candace Parker, two of the most versatile players in the league and who know when to take responsibility and when to blow up according to the physiognomy of the meeting. We also stand firm Derek Fisher, who seems to hold a good group cohesion unlike last season, but has in the past struggled to find the right tactical adjustments in big games. Faced with a coach like Miller, who will surely have planned something to counter the Sparks armada, the ex-Laker will not have to be satisfied with playing as in regular season under penalty of big disappointment.
- Phoenix – Minnesota: A whole different challenge for the Mercury
Almost miraculously qualified against the weakened but tenacious Mystics, the Mercury will have to raise its level of play to go to the semi-finals. You can see the glass half empty thinking that Phoenix shouldn’t have had such a hard time facing Washington, or half full thinking it buzzer beater of Shey Peddy can be a psychological turning point for the rest of the competition. What is certain is that Minnesota will be a whole different matter to manage. Solid 4me regular season, the Lynx once again benefited from very good coaching from Cheryl Reeve to calmly hold this place at the end of the season despite the return to their heels of the Mercury.
As usual, we can count on Diana Taurasi to mark the meeting with his mark. Although less bleeding than in the past, DT has nevertheless shown that she always knows how to be very impactful in the meetings at stake. We obviously keep in mind his crazy statistics, which alone should be enough to scare all of Minneapolis: 14 wins for two small losses in direct elimination matches. But Taurasi cannot rely on herself alone. Sylvia Fowles or not, if Brianna Turner does not achieve a game at the height of its end of the season, the Lynx will have an interior boulevard that they will be eager to exploit.
For the Lynx, Napheesa Necklace will have to assume his role for step up in the playoffs. The sophomore, who is already a masterpiece of the Reeve coaching system, will need to use her game intelligence and versatility to make the most of the defensive generosity that Phoenix allows. His duet with Fowles in the painting must be a hit or else find himself at the risk of being shot by a team that is not really cold in the eyes.
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