Sun-Sky semifinals series heads to Connecticut

The Connecticut Solar are lastly returning dwelling after spending nearly two weeks on the street.

The Solar will host the Chicago Sky for the following two video games of their WNBA playoffs semifinal sequence, which is tied 1-1. Recreation 3 is Sunday and the fourth recreation is Tuesday.

Connecticut went to Dallas within the first spherical and beat the Wings within the decisive Recreation 3 to advance to the semifinals. As an alternative of coming dwelling, the Solar flew to Chicago to prepare for the sequence with the Sky. Connecticut gained the opener earlier than falling 85-77 in Wednesday’s Recreation 2.

Now, the group has had an opportunity to sleep in their very own beds and can play in entrance of their dwelling followers Sunday.

“It’s an enormous recreation, alternative for us.” Solar head coach Curt Miller mentioned. “We perceive what Recreation 3s appear to be round our league.”

For the Solar to achieve success, they’re going to have to determine a strategy to decelerate Candace Parker, who has been dominant on each ends of the court docket throughout the first two video games of the sequence — averaging 20.5 factors, 11 rebounds, 4.5 blocks and a pair of.5 steals.

“She’s had so many various nice video games. Even when she’s having much less stats, she’s nonetheless doing so many nice issues on the court docket like being an awesome chief,” Chicago’s Emma Meesseman mentioned of Parker. “I don’t suppose there’s sufficient phrases. I feel that’s your job to seek out them.

“To only describe what she’s been doing on the court docket, she’s in all places. Protection, offense. Off-court, she has been very vocal. I’m comfortable to be along with her on this sequence as a result of going towards her just isn’t enjoyable, I feel.”

Listed below are a couple of different storylines for Recreation 3:

AWARD WINNER

Brionna Jones was honored because the league’s Sixth Participant of the Yr on Thursday. She acquired 53 of 56 votes from a nationwide media panel. Chicago ahead Azura Stevens received two votes and Washington’s Myisha Hines-Allen the opposite one. Jones got here off the bench in 29 of the Solar’s 36 video games and averaged 13.8 factors, 5.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

TURNNG BACK TIME

Parker is aware of how tough it’s to win a championship — she received her first title in 2016 with Los Angeles and gained her second with Chicago final season.

“It took me 9 years to get to the Finals,” she mentioned. “You will have a chance. This group has a chance so we will’t not seize the chance. If we’re not going to do it, let’s not do it as a result of they’re simply means higher than us. And so let’s exit and simply play basketball. And I feel that’s the way in which that we lead is that we simply should have the fitting mindset coming in and we’ve got to be those that set the tone.”

The 36-year-old ahead is making an attempt to guide the Sky to a repeat — one thing that hasn’t been carried out in 20 years. She scoffed at the concept she’s enjoying higher now than when she was youthful.

“I don’t suppose so,” Parker mentioned after the Recreation 2 win. “I feel youthful CP within the playoffs was extra dominant. However I feel simply mentally understanding moments and issues that I didn’t perceive once I was combating to get to the Finals or combating to win within the playoffs.”

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AP freelance author Gavin Good contributed to this report.

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Extra WNBA playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-playoffs and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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