What About the Connecticut Sun?! | The Boneyard

What About the Connecticut Sun?!

JoePgh

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This afternoon (9/19), the Sun completed their regular season with a 20-point win over the Atlanta Dream. Yes, the Dream are one of the league's bottom feeders, but the Sun have won 14 straight league games, including two wins over Minnesota, 1 over Las Vegas, two road wins at Dallas, another road win in Phoenix, and a 3-0 sweep of the LA Sparks. Most of the wins have been dominating, particularly on defense. I read that the Sun's opponents during the streak have averaged in the mid-60's in points per game, compared to a league average in the high 70's. For the entire season, the Sun are allowing only about 71 points per game to their opponents, ahead of the rest of the league by a mile in that category.

I have watched most of these games, and they are reminiscent of that other Connecticut WBB team in its best years. Jonquel Jones has become an amazing talent at both ends, and seems likely to be the league MVP. Brionna Jones has developed beyond anyone's expectations for her when she was drafted out of Maryland five years ago. At 6-2, she is proving that she is NOT too small to be a scoring and rebounding force in the paint. I'm sure it helps to have JJ and Dawanna Bonner as her front court teammates.

The Sun's 26-6 record for the year has been accomplished without the services (until the last two games) of their best player in past years, Alyssa Thomas. She did return this week for limited minutes, and seemed to be understandably rusty. I don't think the Sun will rely heavily on her in the upcoming playoffs.

Speaking of the playoffs, since the Sun have earned the top seed and a bye through the first two rounds of the playoffs, which amounts to a week off to rest and recharge. They will then start a 5-game series against the lowest remaining seed, which seems likely to be Minnesota or Phoenix. Except for Seattle, they have decisively beaten every team that they might have to face in the playoffs, so their chances for a championship seem very good.

If the Sun do win a WNBA championship this year (or even if they don't), I think Curt Miller, their coach, has earned a place on the short list of Geno's most plausible successors. He has checked every box -- college head coaching, WNBA assistant, and WNBA head coach, and has been successful in every role.
 

KnightBridgeAZ

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While I'm sure he could be considered qualified, Miller has had some health concerns, both family and personal and has stepped away a couple times, I think. Possibly some stress related.

The coach of UConn immediately post Geno will have that stress, and then some
 

Bigboote

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Seattle finished fourth, so the team the Sun will most likely be playing the team they haven’t stomped. Not that I think it matters. I’m thinking it will be Sun and Lynx in the finals. I don’t say that with a lot of confidence, but I think the Lynx have been playing better than the Aces lately. It may all come down to whether Jekyll or Hyde Cambage shows up for the series.
 

nwhoopfan

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Looks like he had a nice stint at Bowling Green, but not so good at Indiana.

Has there ever been a coach who has successfully moved from the WNBA to college? I can't think of any off the top of my head. Certainly not Van Chancellor, who had a nice run at Ole Miss, coached the first dominant WNBA franchise w/ Houston, then returned to college w/ LSU where he quickly led them from one of the best programs in the country toward mediocrity.


Looking at this, how did Nicki Collen get the Baylor job? One good season with the Dream followed up by 2 bad seasons. That's the extent of her career as a HC. Were there no better candidates interested in the job?
 

nwhoopfan

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I think the Lynx have been playing better than the Aces lately.
Except for the game where they played head to head and the Aces won by 21? :rolleyes:

Lynx have a bunch of wins against bad teams since the Olympics break (to be fair so do the Aces). They did beat the Storm, but they've been having major issues of their own. Lynx got waxed by Las Vegas and lost back to back games to the Sun by double digits. It still appears to me that Sun and Aces are the top 2 teams, and of the next 3 it's pretty hard to know what you're going to get from game to game.
 

Bigboote

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All valid points, NW. I’ve seen a lot more of the Lynx than of the Aces, and I assume the converse is true for you, so we both have our dirty lenses. They’ll both be well-rested, so it should be a good series.
 

nwhoopfan

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All valid points, NW. I’ve seen a lot more of the Lynx than of the Aces, and I assume the converse is true for you, so we both have our dirty lenses. They’ll both be well-rested, so it should be a good series.
I will say Minnesota makes me nervous. Fowles and Collier are one of the best frontcourt tandems in the league, players like McBride and Powers can get red hot, and there are several other contributors.
 

eebmg

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I will say Minnesota makes me nervous. Fowles and Collier are one of the best frontcourt tandems in the league, players like McBride and Powers can get red hot, and there are several other contributors.
I don't think the Lynx are playing all that well regardless of the record. Pheesa's shot (especially from long range ) is really out of synch and I think she is too nonchalant with her one handed passes although she is not letting it affect her rebounding and defense, Fowles is often strangely ignored and taken out of the game for long stretches, Clarendon is not 100% by any stretch. Crystal looks too passive not wanting to make mistakes, McBride is "who knows :confused:'. Powers seems to be the most sure offense lately.

Personally, I think CT will sweep WNBA and WCBB.
 
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So proud of our Sun! Anyone know why Bonner didn't play against Atlanta? Just resting I hope?

Also, I think our chances vs. Seattle depend partially on whether Stewie is playing and full-strength or not. If she's 100%, I never doubt her in playoff games (so since I'm rooting for the Sun, she scares me lol). And of course, Sue is clutch too. If she's not playing, the it's the Sun all the way, IMO!
 

JoePgh

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So proud of our Sun! Anyone know why Bonner didn't play against Atlanta? Just resting I hope?
Dawanna Bonner actually did start the game against Atlanta and scored the first basket on a 3-point shot.

On the next possession, she threw a pass and immediately grabbed her lower back, and did not run to the other end of the court when Atlanta got the ball. The Sun had to use a timeout to get her out of the game.

The announcers later said that her back had tightened up and that she would not return to the game.
 
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Dawanna Bonner actually did start the game against Atlanta and scored the first basket on a 3-point shot.

On the next possession, she threw a pass and immediately grabbed her lower back, and did not run to the other end of the court when Atlanta got the ball. The Sun had to use a timeout to get her out of the game.

The announcers later said that her back had tightened up and that she would not return to the game.
Thank you!! We were there, but got in later in the first quarter due to ticket lines... Hope she is ok for playoffs!
 

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