Starting a season out 0-5 isn’t ideal in any year, and it certainly wasn’t for the Connecticut Sun this summer, with the WNBA shortening its season to only 22 games.
But after that rough stretch the Sun have won three of four to move a half-game back of a playoff spot following their win over the Dallas Wings on Wednesday in the WNBA bubble in Bradenton, Fla.
There’s still plenty of basketball to go, but there are signs that the Sun are heading in the right direction and, if they continue on that path, can position themselves to earn a playoff spot. Here’s how they’ve improved:
More balance
Watching DeWanna Bonner and Alyssa Thomas drop more than 20 points each like they did in the first few games showed off their individual talents, but that sort of outsized role for the pair wasn’t conducive to winning. The Sun have since gravitated back to the more balanced offensive identity they have had over the last few years, and it’s working.
Bonner led the league in scoring for the first handful of games, but the Sun needed her share the ball more.
“The first few games we stood around and watched DeWanna and Alyssa Thomas play. And while there were impressive stretches, we were pretty stagnant and we were easier to guard,” Sun coach Curt Miller said. “Now we’ve got to find that balance.”
Even though the Sun fell to the Storm and Sky, their offensive improvement has been evident over the last five games. Against Chicago especially, the Sun had six double-figure scorers for the first time since 2018, a remarkable achievement, while shooting slightly better than the Sky and outscoring them in the paint. In Connecticut’s best offensive performances, Bonner and Thomas accounted for roughly 25-35 percent of the scoring (versus 45-65 percent like earlier in the season).
Now that the ball’s not sticking as much, the Sun are also able to play inside-out, resulting in improvements in their field goal percentage and production in the paint. Their three-point shooting is still an issue, but that will get better if the Sun can get the ball inside and move the defense. They’ll also get a boost from beyond the arc with the return of Briann January, who’s led the WNBA in three-point shooting percentage twice in her career.
“Everyone is involved. Everyone’s more confident. All the shots aren’t going in, but they’re better shots,” Jasmine Thomas said. “The ball is moving, people are in positions that they feel comfortable. And our chemistry is just coming together, and I think that’s what you see offensively.”
Others stepping up
It’s no coincidence that Connecticut’s more even scoring distribution has coincided with Jasmine Thomas finding her shot. She shot 24 percent from the field across her first four games and made only two threes. In the five games since, she’s shooting 47 percent, including 42 percent from deep.
Bri Jones had a stretch of five games in which she notched double figures, including three straight with 15 or more. That’s come with both a concerted effort to get her the ball and a more aggressive mindset on her part. With Theresa Plaisance still working through her return to the court as she deals with lingering back issues and Beatrice Mompremier adjusting to the pro game, Jones’ growth and consistency remain crucial.
It’s taken some time to find the best fit at the shooting guard spot. Bria Holmes was relegated to the bench after four games, though she appears to be finding her footing. Natisha Hiedeman has been good in spurts and added versatility to the starting lineup as another point guard on the floor. But Miller seems to be most pleased with his latest tinkering that’s inserted rookie Kaila Charles into the starting spot and playing her significant minutes.
“She’s one hell of a player,” Miller added. “Her motor, her toughness, her defense is really impressive for a young pro, and her shooting is very underrated. We’ve got ourselves a player.”
What could change
It took nine games for the Sun to have their full roster available, with January finally returning to the court on Wednesday. The 11-year veteran has received praise for her leadership and ability to be a coach on the floor, and will also provide the Sun with another strong perimeter defender and a threat from deep.
The Sun’s priorities now are to solidify team chemistry/identity with their full roster, but also to stay healthy. They’re halfway through a stretch of 10 games in 19 days. Bonner and Alyssa Thomas still lead the league in minutes played. Elsewhere, teams have been set back by injuries.Miller has argued that the healthiest team at the end of the season will be in the best position to win it all.
Miller readily admits the Sun are a work in progress. If their goal is to snag a playoff spot, the Sun at a minimum have to beat out four other teams. The Sun’s wins have all also been against the bottom half of the league, though all but one of their losses to teams .625 or better (besides the Mystics) have been by single digits.
“We’re still going to have some bumpy segments, bumpy games in front of us. But you can see it building. And other people are going to go on losing streaks,” Miller said. Already, the Mystics have lost five straight games, the Dream six, the Fever three of their last four. “In this bubble one or two wins can all of a sudden catapult you into three or four wins in a week. One or two losses, if you don’t get yourself back up and running, can turn into four or five losses in a row. You’re going to see that all year.
“We’ve got to just continue to keep getting better and better. We now play back-to-back two of the favorites here in the bubble in Chicago and then Seattle, so we’ll find out just how much we’ve grown and how efficient we can be against two really talented teams.”
Alexa Philippou can be reached at aphilippou@courant.com
