All 12 months lengthy, the Connecticut Solar have been missed, the nationwide dialogue primarily centering round final 12 months’s Finals group (the Las Vegas Aces and the New York Liberty) and an thrilling rookie class headlined by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The Solar occupy one of many nation’s smallest media market: Uncasville, Connecticut. They’ve by no means received a championship. They don’t have any rookies on the roster, in order that they didn’t profit fairly as a lot from the WNBA’s inflow of faculty basketball followers. And, from time to time, they even must share their follow courtroom with a two-year-old’s party.
Nonetheless, they’re one in all simply two undefeated groups within the 2024 playoffs, at present holding a 1-0 collection lead over the Minnesota Lynx within the semi-finals. Two extra wins and the Solar would head to the WNBA Finals, the place they’d face the winner of the opposite semi-finals collection between the Aces and the Liberty (New York at present holds a 1-0 lead on the opposite facet of the bracket).
They’re missed — however they’re not fazed. They’re used to it.
“It’s not unfamiliar to us. It occurs to us every season,” Alyssa Thomas stated. “However truthfully, we don’t care. We all know what we’ve finished all season. We all know what we’re able to.”
In discussions round who may come away with the WNBA championship, the Solar have usually been brushed apart, partly as a result of whereas they’ve received plenty of video games, however have by no means been capable of recover from the hump. In 2019, they misplaced within the Finals to the Washington Mystics. In 2020, they fell to the Aces on the verge of one other Finals look. In 2021, they misplaced to the Chicago Sky within the semi-finals, and in 2022, to the Aces once more within the Finals. Final 12 months, they succumbed at the arms of the New York Liberty within the semi-finals.
It all the time seems like they’re proper on the precipice of a title, however every time, they fall simply quick.
However, this 12 months, the Solar simply may need all of the items. Right here’s why.
Protection wins championships, and Connecticut has the very best within the sport
The Solar have had the league’s greatest protection all 12 months, and two of the WNBA’s greatest defenders in DiJonai Carrington (First Workforce All-Protection) and Thomas (Second Workforce All-Protection).
It begins with Alyssa Thomas, one of many strongest gamers within the sport. On Sunday, Aces head coach Becky named Thomas one in all three gamers she fears defensively (alongside Brittney Sykes and Natasha Cloud).
“I don’t need them close to the play once I’m drawing,” Hammon stated.
Then, there’s Carrington, who sometimes matches up with opposing group’s prime guards and was awarded Most Improved Participant for these efforts. Brionna Jones stays an elite rim protector, and Veronica Burton and Olivia Nelson-Ododa have been vital off the bench. In Ty Harris’s absence, Burton particularly has been essential.
“She’s an excellent defender — she’s small in stature, however her physicality, her potential to play greater, to offer us totally different seems is essential,” White stated of Burton, who was acquired mid-season after being waived by the Dallas Wings.
This 12 months, getting into the semi-finals, the Solar have been slated to face the red-hot Minnesota Lynx, led by Napheesa Collier who was taking part in at an otherworldly degree. Within the first spherical, Collier placed on a present in opposition to the Phoenix Mercury, scoring 38 factors on 11-19 capturing in Sport 1, solely to outdo herself with a 42-point efficiency (on 14-20 FG) in Sport 2.
One other Collier offensive explosion felt inevitable to start the semi-finals, however the Solar did what they do greatest: they defended. They restricted Collier to only 19 factors on 7-16 capturing. Within the fourth quarter of the Solar’s 73-70 Sport 1 win, the Lynx have been held to only 8 factors.
“That is what our group does,” Stephanie White stated. “This can be a group — and a franchise, actually since AT received right here — that has hung our hats on protection.”
Contemplating how nicely she was taking part in, the truth that Connecticut was capable of include Collier is fairly exceptional. Holding Minnesota to eight factors — and icing them out on the ultimate possession, was textbook Solar basketball.
Marina Mabrey’s quantity three-point capturing adjustments all the pieces
Connecticut’s one achilles heal was three-point capturing — in order that they went forward and traded for Marina Mabrey, probably the greatest quantity shooters within the sport. With Mabrey within the lineup, they’ve accrued a 13-6 file (together with a 3-0 playoff file). Via the postseason, Mabrey has averaged 21.3 factors per sport, hitting clutch and well timed daggers. She’s hit 4.7 threes per sport on 42.4% capturing to this point these playoffs.
“I’ve been making an attempt to get Marina to return right here for some time,” Thomas stated after Sunday’s win. “She’s a competitor, and that’s what we’re right here. She desires to win, and she or he’s going to do no matter it takes for the group. She’s one thing totally different that we haven’t seen in Connecticut shortly.”
Previous to the commerce, the Solar ranked tenth within the league in 3-pointers made (5.5 per sport) and tenth in 3-point proportion (31.4%).
“We wanted three level capturing desperately this season,” Thomas stated.
Alyssa Thomas is reaching playoff type
Via three playoff video games, Thomas is averaging 16 factors on 52.3% capturing, 11.7 assists, and eight.3 rebounds. In Sunday’s 73-70 win over the Lynx, she scored two baskets within the remaining minute with the intention to safe the win.
She’s anchoring the protection, whereas additionally facilitating on offense. She’s been with Connecticut for 11 seasons, and early on right here in these playoffs, that have and delight reveals each time she takes the courtroom. There’s a motive they name Alyssa Thomas ‘The Engine’ and it’s as a result of she orchestrates all the pieces, on each ends.
“I’m one of many leaders of this group, I’ve been right here my complete profession,” Thomas stated in an interview on SportsCenter postgame. “Nothing adjustments. We’re within the pursuit of a championship. Sport 1 is essential, particularly on the street. It began with me at this time.”
It’s solely been one semi-finals sport to this point, and these are acquainted waters for the Solar. Proper now, it seems seemingly that the Solar must defeat the Liberty to win the championship, and whereas they’ve misplaced 4 of their final 5 video games in opposition to New York, they have been all been single-digit video games.
The Liberty’s offense is high-flying, but when there’s a protection that may mitigate the injury, it would simply be Connecticut’s.
Marina Mabrey must proceed hitting threes on the price she has, and Alyssa Thomas must proceed serving as a triple-double machine. DiJonai Carrington will should be productive on each ends, and DeWanna Bonner might want to discover her capturing contact — and hit the massive ones after they’re not falling.
They’ve all of the items. Thomas, Jones, and Bonner will all be free brokers this summer time, and who’s to say in the event that they’ll have one other likelihood.
However, if all the pieces comes collectively because it ought to, this may simply be the 12 months they get it finished.
