Forward of Wednesday evening’s match-up between the Connecticut Solar and the Indiana Fever, Solar head coach Stephanie White praised Indiana for his or her development this season.
The 2 groups have confronted off thrice already this 12 months — Connecticut rising victorious all thrice — however White famous that the staff they’re going through at this time is a very totally different staff than the one they performed in Might and June.
“Anytime you’re a younger staff that’s that’s actually rising into your self, the understanding of each other, the timing, the tempo, the connectedness simply wasn’t fairly there early,” White mentioned of Indiana. “It’s there now.”
The Fever started their season 1-8 and appeared destined for the lottery. However, they turned issues round in mid-June, and have gained 11 of their final 17 video games. They now, ave a 2.5 recreation over the Sky for the #7 seed. If the playoffs began at this time, the Fever and Solar would face off.
White — the 2023 WNBA Coach of the 12 months — attributed the Fever’s development to their improved chemistry and comfortability with each other, and particularly, with Caitlin Clark. Clark is averaging a league-best 8.2 assists per recreation, and set an all-time WNBA report for many assists in a recreation again in July.
“Everyone on the ground understands how, when and the place Caitlin Clark can get them the ball. And they also get there,” White mentioned. “Kelsey Mitchell’s clearly taking part in at one other degree now, and so it offers you one other participant on the ground that it’s important to be aware of, on and off ball in isolation and in two-man.”
Mitchell has been the league’s main scorer in August up to now, averaging 26.3 factors per recreation. Aliyah Boston has recovered from a gradual begin to the season and is now averaging 13.9 factors and 9.2 rebounds per recreation. Each Mitchell and Boston have performed properly off of Clark, and the wins have adopted.
“They make faster reads, and play with much more rhythm, higher timing, and a number of weapons on the ground,” White mentioned.
Consequently, the Fever look harmful. On a current episode of her podcast, “A contact extra,” WNBA legend Sue Chicken mentioned that the Fever are a staff that nobody will wish to see within the playoffs.
“In 2018 and 2020, the years we gained, that was our complete mantra – tempo, tempo, tempo, tempo,” Chicken mentioned. “And what I see in Caitlin, what I see in Kelsey Mitchell, they’re simply ramming it down individuals’s throats. And it’s actually onerous – it might have your head spinning.”
In her pregame presser on Wednesday evening, White appeared to echo that sentiment.
“It’s a staff that’s taking part in with plenty of confidence,” White mentioned. “They don’t worry anybody. They simply exit and so they play and benefit from the recreation — that’s a tricky matchup.”
