- End of course scheme 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 came to an end for Sky with a largely masterful last game from the Sun. Things got off to a good start for Chicago, however, with a ball that was circulating quite well and the players of James Wade led, admittedly by a short head, but remained in front on the scoreboard. 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 finish the half tied (41-41).
It was on returning from the locker room that the Sky players completely cracked up and said goodbye to their hopes of going far in the playoffs. Alyssa Thomas, Briann January, Jasmine Thomas, Brionna Jones… the Connecticut team gave a lesson in collective play in 10 minutes while the Sky opposite mightn’t find the solution either in attack or defense (27-11 in the third quarter). The gap goes up to exceed 20 points, an impossible abyss to fill when you cash so many baskets. Chicago won’t have died since they tried to come back at the very end of the game, but it was too little too late. 94-81, Connecticut advances to the second round.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm7CzrNvS00
- Karma fell on the Mystics
The meeting seemed unbalanced on paper, but we knew that the Mystics would not let it go. In a duel between two teams with significant absentees, the two adversaries displayed a very good dynamic and intended to maintain it. And it was Washington, on the strength of its four straight victories, which got off to the best start thanks in particular to Emma Meesseman (18 points) and a Leilani Mitchell on fire (25 points). The gap widened fairly quickly and, despite resistance from Phoenix, remained around ten points (46-35 following 20 minutes of play).
The third quarter is very tight and ends with the same gap as the return from the locker room (70-59) and we begin to believe very seriously that the champions will still create a surprise to reach the second round. Especially since the latter have been able to resist the heat stroke of the always very clutch Diana Taurasi (13 points in the third quarter alone). But no, it was at the start of the last quarter that the Mystics’ lead was to shrink little by little and the Mercury even took a 5-point lead on two successive three-pointers from Skylar Diggins-Smith and Taurasi. The crushing blow one thinks then, but Washington has the resource and returns in the match until to pass in front in the last minute thanks to an interception of playoffs Emma. The Mystics are two units ahead with 5 seconds left. Shey Peddywho had been cut by the Mystics during the season, receives the ball in the corner and has the blood cold enough to fake a shot to be able to free himself and shoot a few tenths 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 once morest Chicago, Connecticut therefore continues to surf on its very good end to the 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 leading trio seems a notch above the rest of the league. But as we said in the first round, the Sun is a “fake” 7me. This place does not at all reflect the level displayed by this team at the end of the season. If Connecticut therefore started almost favorite once morest Chicago, it will not be the same once morest the Sparks and the Sun will have to hope that Los Angeles is a tone below than usual to take this match.
But watch out for the Sparks: as we know, playing following a three-day break when the opponents are on pace has everything from the ideal trap. It’s lo the duo Chelsea Gray – Candace Parker must make their experience speak from the first minutes to put their team on the right track and avoid being surprised at the entrance. Because if the Sparks manage to hold the start of the match, the physical freshness will work in their favor as the minutes of play progress. Curt Miller knows it, and we can therefore expect that, for his part, he will ask his players to put a lot of defensive intensity from the start to avoid at all costs bringing the Sparks into their game.
We can’t wait to see the clash between DeWanna Bonner and Candace Parker, two of the most versatile players in the league who know when to take responsibility and when to blow up depending on the face of the game. We are also eagerly awaiting Derek Fisher, who seems to hold a good group cohesion unlike last season, but who 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 content to play as in the regular season under penalty of big disappointment.
- Phoenix – Minnesota: A completely different challenge for the Mercury
Almost miraculously qualified once morest the weakened but tenacious Mystics, the Mercury will have to raise their level of play to go to the semi-finals. We can see the glass half empty thinking that Phoenix shouldn’t have had so much trouble once morest Washington, or half full thinking that this buzzer beater by Shey Peddy may be a psychological turning point for the rest of the competition. What is certain is that Minnesota will be a completely different matter to manage. Solid 4me regular season, the Lynx once once more benefited from very good coaching from Cheryl Reeve to serenely hold this place at the end of the season despite Mercury’s return to their heels.
As usual, we can count on Diana Taurasi to leave her mark on the meeting. Certainly less bloody than in the past, DT has nevertheless shown that it still 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 defeats in direct elimination matches. But Taurasi cannot rely on herself alone. Sylvia Fowles or not, if Brianna Turner does not make a match worthy of its end of the season, the Lynx will have a boulevard inside that they will hasten to exploit.
For Lynxes, Napheesa Collier will have to assume its role totep up in the playoffs. The sophomore who is already a key piece of the Reeve coach system will have to show off his game intelligence and his versatility to make the most of the defensive largesse that Phoenix allows. His duet with Fowles in the painting must be a hit or else he will find himself within range of a team that is really not shy.
