The Connecticut Sun just capped off an unbeaten August. Now the real work begins.
Their recent nine-game win streak dates back to before the WNBA All-Star and Olympics break to count as the franchise’s longest undefeated stretch since 2006. They’ve dropped just one game at home all season and have the best overall record in the league.
So with five games left in the regular season before the playoffs get underway, this is no time to let up the gas. Because despite their dominance all season, Connecticut is +310 to win the WNBA Finals, trailing the Seattle Storm (+275) and odds-on favorite Las Vegas Aces (+200) whom the Sun have beaten three times this season.
Why aren’t the Sun getting more respect than this?
Connecticut’s defense has locked up the opposition all year, and honestly, its starting five make a compelling case to all be named the WNBA’s All-Defensive First Team. Usual starters Jonquel Jones, DeWanna Bonner, Brionna Jones, Briann January and Jasmine Thomas all rank in the WNBA’s Top 6 for defensive win shares — a statistic that credits a player for their ability to prevent opponents from scoring. Their 93.4 defensive rating is the best in the league, too.
While going undefeated in August, the team held their opponent to fewer than 70 points three times and have done that on 12 occasions this season. They’ve also accumulated 15 wins by a margin of 10 points or more with a Top 5 field goal percentage (44.5 percent).
The Sun are in a great place, with an upcoming slate of games against the Dallas Wings, Los Angeles Sparks, Phoenix Mercury, New York Liberty and Atlanta Dream. They’ve gone 10-0 against those teams this season and should use this as an opportunity to get in a grove with perimeter shooting.
Some improvement from 3 to go along with their lockdown D can take them all the way.
Here are some other notes from the CT Sun’s week
— The Sun shined bright in August. Along with their undefeated record last month (7-0), there were also some accolades to acknowledge.
Coach Curt Miller capped the month off with a victory over the Washington Mystics — accounting for the 400th win of his coaching career and 110th in the WNBA.
Meanwhile, Jonquel Jones claimed the WNBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Month award after dropping 18.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 1.86 assists and 1.14 steals per game while shooting 51 percent from the field. She’s the only player in the WNBA to earn the distinction twice this season.
— Some more on the odds-on favorite for the WNBA Most Valuable Player.
She leads the league in double-doubles this season, averaging 20.3 points and 11.0 rebounds a game so far this year. The game against Washington marked her seventh double-double of the season.
That impact on both sides of the ball has been Connecticut’s bread and butter, and no one does it better than her, for real.
She is the only player in the WNBA who ranks in the Top 3 in both offensive (3.3) and defensive (2.1) win shares, according to Basketball reference.
We hope you placed a bet on her back in June (like we told you to) when her odds were -110 to win MVP. She’s still the favorite at -300 per DraftKings Sportsbook, but now you’d have to wager $300 to make $100.
— So that campaign for Brionna Jones to win WNBA’s Most Improved Player award? The Sun’s social media team made a full blown Covergirl commercial for her.
— The WNBA named its 25 greatest players of all time in honor of its 25th anniversary season. Two former Connecticut players, Tina Charles and Lindsay Whalen, made the cut.
— The first game of the rest of the regular season is on Tuesday, with tip-off between the Sun and Wings at 8 p.m. ET live from Dallas.
