Brittney Griner and Liz Cambage faced off in Dallas, and here’s what happened when they did.
DALLAS — The Phoenix Mercury extended their six-game win streak this week when they took on the Dallas Wings. Liz Cambage and Brittney Griner, two of the best centers in the league, went head to head. Griner had the upper hand in a 75-72 win.
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In the first half, Phoenix limited Cambage’s presence on the inside, forcing her to get her first points behind the arc. She was visibly frustrated with Phoenix swarming defense, Griner’s length and the refs. Griner collected half the team’s points in the first quarter with 8 points, but played limited minutes in the second quarter after picking up 2 quick fouls.
Griner had 12 points for the half. Cambage had 7 points going into the half, and she would only score 3 more points the rest of the game.
The second half wasn’t kind to either center, both of whom would eventually fouled out. Glory Johnson stepped up big in Cambage’s absence, pressuring Griner defensively in the fourth quarter. Griner fouled out with 1:29 left in the game, scoring only 5 points, 3 rebounds in the second half.
Cambage fouled out with 10 points, 3 rebounds, well below her season average. If the Wings hope to go deep into the playoffs they’ll need more from Cambage, particularly offensively. After the game, the Wings locker room was deflated. Cambage said simply, “I guess we’ve just got to do better.”
Meanwhile Griner walked out the Phoenix lockeroom all smiles excited to see her family and friends. When speaking of Cambage, Griner spoke of her game in high regard.
“She’s big, and I’m saying that,” Griner said, smiling, to High Post Hoops. “I’m glad she’s back in the league, she uses her body well, you saw her hit that three.” Griner finished the contest with 18 points and 5 rebounds.
“We knew we had to pack the paint, they’re a very athletic team,” said Griner. “Skylar and Liz have a great chemistry, her coming off and finding Liz, so we had to keep packing it in and make them work.”
Phoenix did a great job of disrupting Cambage’s flow and touches, better than any team so far this season. Consider Cambage finished the first half with only one rebound—one rebound for a player who averages almost 10 rebounds a game.
“Liz is a great talent but we have BG (Griner),” said Mercury head coach Sandy Brondello. “We wanted to crowd her as much as possible.”
Both teams were noticeably upset with the officiating all evening. Fans erupted when Cambage picked up a questionable flagrant type one foul in the closing seconds of the second quarter.
Ultimately, games with Cambage and Griner, called too closely, resulting in both players seeing limited minutes and nights ending early, are detrimental to players, teams and fans alike.
But a league with regular Cambage-Griner battles? That’s a win for all.