Here are some of my thoughts on the 2012 playoffs.
ATL vs. IND
KEYS:
1.Attack DeSouza:
Make her play post defense to potentially get her in foul trouble and this will keep her from
getting in the open court and running the floor hard in transition.
2. Contain dribble penetration:
No ATL lay ups or FT. Make them earn their point scoring over your defense. Lin Dunn’s team rotate defensively very well and invert on BLOBS and SLOBS (baseline out of bounds and sideline out of bounds). Communication and solid defensive fundamentals important.
3. Shot Selection for Indy:
Good offensive execution and shot selection will allow Indy to send 3.5 to boards on
offensive and allow 1.5 to get back. Poor offensive execution cannot lead to break out transition
opportunities for ATL. Poor shots can’t lead to ATL offense.
4. Force Angel McCoughtry into the defense, into screens and don’t let them clear it
out for her to go 1on1. She’s too talented as the leading scorer in the WNBA.
CONN vs. NY:
KEYS:
1.NO Catch Cappie: Limit Cappie Pondexter’s catches in or out of her scoring zone. 80% of the NY offense is in Cappie’s hands. She makes the offensive decisions and is dangerous.
Try to keep the ball out of her hands and over the course of a 40 minute game, NY doesn’t have enough to win.
2. CONN Balance: Their balance is on display when they dictate and play their
tempo. They are smart and conservative in transition. This is not a high risk, high reward team and that’s why they are good. They don’t foul and don’t turn it over maximizing what they can
control. You have to attack them.
3. ATTACK: NY has to win the FT stats making more than CONN. Spread CONN out and
drive the gaps. Make them guard laterally. Play off the bounce not the pass.
4. Healthy Jones to ponder: Do you think CONN misses her face up game more than her offensive rebounding ability? I say them miss her offensive rebounding more. Jones has missed 14 games. Jones’career 3pt makes has never been over single digits in any given season. Her offensive rebounding numbers the best of her career to this point in the season. She is averaging more offensive rebounds in this limited season than any other in her career.
5. Playoff Experience: I keep hearing CONN has players on their roster that have limited playoff experience. That may be true. What they have is strength up the middle with Tina Charles at center and a good point guard in Kara Lawson. Any good baseball team has to be good up the middle (battery). And, of the 24 wins by CONN to this point, 15 have been by single digits. They know how to win.
LA vs. San Antonio
KEYS:
1. Rebounding:LA record vs. San Antonio in regular season 1-3. LA won the overall rebounding battle. Rebounding is a staple of their defensive philosophy and will be important to their transition game which is when they are at their best. The one game they did beat San Antonio they scored
over 100 points. That’s extra possessions created by their defense. Toliver 10-14 FG didn’t hurt!
2.Transition Defense for LA: LA must keep Danielle Robinson on one side of the court in
transition. Do not let her slice it up and play downhill. LA doesn’t have the guard foot speed to keep up with her and San Antonio runs to spots on the floor in transition. DRob knows the 3 w’s of
a good point guard: who, when and where with the ball and personnel!
3. Close Outs on Defense: San Antonio has the best offensive spacing in the league. LA must close down angles, maybe flood strong side and rely on help and recover on the weak side of
their defense. Got to play good 1on1 defense without a lot of gimmick to win this series.
MINN vs. Seattle:
1. LJ: Lauren Jackson didn’t play in any of the previous matchups and that could be potentially good and bad. I think it’s good for Seattle because of her versatility and ability to play in
transition. How does Minnesota guard her and with who? If rested and healthy
Sue Bird, interesting 2 man game.
2. Minnesota Transition Defense: Make them play in transition and play their game. Too much balance and experience on Minn and they are going to play up tempo anyway. Make them
guard in transition so Sue Bird can find the mismatches and exploit them with early offense.
3. OFFENSE: I love an efficient, unselfish offensive team. Minnesota shoots
it well, no one beats them. Seattle has to counter with the same tools. This will be an interesting
series.