Drop Off: Mercury win 3 straight playing through big 3

The Phoenix Mercury are winners of three straight. All three wins came on the road in response to a three-game losing skid that had been highlighted by a 103-95 loss to the Elena Delle Donne-less Washington Mystics, who were on the second night of a back-to-back.

Last week I wrote about the schedule challenges the Mercury would be facing this month. They play two back-to-backs and have to play three games in five days three different times. Nine of the team’s 13 games in June are on the road.

Brittney Griner, Diana Taurasi and DeWanna Bonner have scored 196 (77 percent) of their team’s 253 points in this three-game stretch. The Mercury star trio has accounted for 218, or 86 percent, of the team’s total scoring output.

This all starts with Griner. It’s only becoming more clear over time that in year six, one of the two tallest players in the league has a tremendous skill level to go with her physical tools. Griner’s turnaround jumper over her right shoulder is entirely unguardable for most teams. In this stretch, she’s working into favorable position (sometimes with the help of a mean Taurasi cross-screen) and getting right into that shot in one smooth motion, right after the catch.

My most common reaction to these shots in laughter. What else are you supposed to do?

Griner’s comfort level with that shot really stood out from the left block-extended area. Against Atlanta and New York, she showed that she can get to that same shot from the middle of the floor when flashing across the lane.

That’s something you truly have no answer for as a defense. These looks show you Phoenix has it humming on offense. Eyes are looking inside to Griner, and the Mercury ball reversals are in sync with her movements across the paint.

Griner’s right hook is another weapon that she can unleash beyond what’s known to be the normal range for most players. Get caught fronting or leaning on her right shoulder to take away that turnaround jumper, and you’re just asking her to drop step right into it:

Phoenix can’t just play through Griner all the time. They’d get stagnant. And we often forgot how much work goes into establishing great position in the post. Griner doesn’t always need it, which probably explains the occasional oversight. Slips and rolls to the rim are just as devastating. The Mercury put the defense on high alert anytime Taurasi and Griner are involved in the same screening action.

Whether it’s a down screen to free Taurasi up off the ball or a standard pick and roll, this duo forces the defense to make really tough decisions. Do we send two bodies to Taurasi to take away the three? How do we cover up such a big target rolling to the rim? Then how will we recover if we manage to take those two options away? 

Take note of where Camille Little is on the floor in that clip — right in Taurasi’s line of sight. She and the starter at the four spot, Sancho Lyttle, are the players teams will want to help off of, so Little turns into a perfect outlet once Taurasi sees two bodies. Little then gets to make the read in a four on three situation.

Bonner is the critical third capable shot-creator that Phoenix dearly missed last season. And at 6’4 with long arms, she has the reach to be more creative around the basket than your average starting wing. Even if she is the third option, simply being able to run a pick and roll to get a good shot changes how teams have to prepare for the Mercury.

Her three-point shooting is an element that could swing the entire postseason. She’s a 30 percent carer shooter in the regular season from deep, and has canned just 26 percent of her 116 playoff attempts. When Bonner is hitting, it becomes even tougher to double Griner. Saying you’ll double then rotate out is always easier said than done, too. Bonner is skilled enough to feast on anything but a sound closeout.

Bonner can also scrap together easy buckets that we don’t always remember in the grand scheme of things — a back cut, a slipped screen. Those add up. They also lighten the burden on the team’s three stars to create everything off the dribble with an entire defense locked into their every move.

A tip of the cap to head coach Sandy Brondello is also in order. In addition to the challenge of incorporating all three stars, the Mercury have a brand new starting point guard and a rookie backup center.

The biggest oversight with regard to the Mercury offense is Taurasi’s passing. There’s this idea out there that she can’t take over a game as often as she once did. The whole point seems moot — this team has enough good players that she doesn’t and shouldn’t need to, at least in the regular season. Still, there are plays that show you she’s got complete awareness of where all 10 players are on the floor, and at times, understanding of what they’re going to do next:

Taurasi’s ability to pull a three at any moment, even off the dribble, almost feels unrivaled. (I wrote earlier this week about one rookie that may quickly join that same rare air.) Give her a good screen in the halfcourt or transition, and she’s going to get a good look off.

As with Bonner, the stuff she gets from moving away from the ball will continue to indicate how well Phoenix is playing. Another potential scoring action can take place at the same time to stretch a defense to its limits. It also increases the likelihood of a breakdown, netting the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer an open jumper or backdoor layup.

A few notes…

• Let’s be clear. It isn’t all roses for the Mercury. As of Wednesday, they rank third in offense but tenth in defense. Their stars have been brilliant, but a reliance on outscoring teams won’t result in the championship they’re chasing.
• As mentioned, this month’s schedule is not kind to the Mercury. How many minutes will their stars be able to play throughout the course of the season? They still have some things to figure out up front when Griner rests.
• Phoenix ranks last in both offensive and defensive rebound rate. It’s relatively easy to make sense of the offensive rebounding — Griner does a lot of damage 12-15 feet out and their power forwards are usually spaced out to that same range. They’re playing with fire on the other end. It’s tougher to paint with a broad brush there. The bigs, starting and ending with Griner, need to clean up more. But by my count, New York’s guards ran right around their matchups to fly in for at least six easy offensive boards on Tuesday. How much of that has to do with Griner, Lyttle and Little?

Links I like

Here’s Kia Nurse in an interview with Ben Ennis and JD Bunkis on Sportsnet 590 The Fan.

Here’s Rob Knox on Betnijah Laney earning a roster spot with the Sun.

Here’s the next installment from the Gabby Williams ‘View from the Sky’ series as told to espnW’s Sean Hurd.

Here’s Doug Feinberg on the connection between Jordin Canada and Sue Bird that started well before Canada’s name was called on draft night.

Related Story: Tuesday Drop Off: 5 early-season 3PT shooting observations

Here’s Joseph Zucker on Jewell Loyd’s strong start to the 2018 season.