Washington Mystics (5-2) vs Connecticut Sun (4-0)
When: Sunday , June 3, at 3 p.m.
Where: Capital One Arena , Washington D.C.
TV: NBCSWA, NBCSB
Injury
Mystics: Taylor Hill (Out/ACL), Natasha Cloud (Questionable/ Kidney) , Elena Delle Donne (Questionable/ Illness)
Sun: N/A
Mystics -
84.7 - points per game
81.1 - points against
45.8 - Field goal %
Sun -
99.8 - points per game
77 - points against
51.9 - field goal %
Keep an eye on:
Suns ball movement: Connecticut bring the most efficient, productive offense to DC where the Mystics play host. The key to their offense is the outstanding ball movement. Connecticut, thanks in large part to guard Jasmine Thomas who is fourth in the WNBA in assist at 5.8 per game, lead the WNBA as a team in assist, averaging 24.5 per game. Second on the team in assist is leading scorer and former Terp Alyssa Thomas who averages 4.3 assist a game with three other players averaging 2 or more assist. Bottom line, Washington will have to be disciplined defending on ball and helping out or the Sun will pick them apart.
Defend 3-point line: While the focus and headlines center around the front court with leading scorer and Eastern Conference player of the week Alyssa Thomas, Chiney Ogwumike and Jonquel Jones, the Suns x-factor, is their three point shooting. Connecticut is second in the WNBA in three point percentage at 40.5, with SEVEN players shooting 36 percent or better, led by forward/center Jonquel Jones 71.4 percent shooting from deep. Washington will have to run the Sun off the three point line and constantly be aware of where everyone is. If they make mistakes defending the three point line, it will get ugly in a hurry.
REBOUND: Mystics must control the boards in this match-up, they can’t afford not to. Connecticut is second in offensive rebounding (10.5), so when they miss, they clean it up with put backs or second or more possessions, which drains teams defensively. With injuries to Delle Donne and Cloud, it will have to be a group effort all night to win this battle. Whoever won this battle between the two teams in previous match-ups usually won the game.
