The high-scoring Connecticut Sun, the only undefeated team in the WNBA, visit
the offensively-challenged Atlanta Dream on Tuesday in a battle of clubs off to
opposite starts this season at McCamish Pavilion.
The Sun (5-0) are off to their best start in franchise history. They’ve eclipsed
100 points in three of their five wins. Six players are averaging double figures
in scoring, led by Alex Bentley and Jasmine Thomas.
Connecticut is coming off an 88-64 rout of the Washington Mystics on Sunday.
Thomas broke out of a shooting slump to score a season-high 25 points, including
four 3-pointers, in the win.
“My teammates were telling me to take my shots confidently,” Thomas told
reporters Sunday. “I had been struggling the last few games. They were going
under on screens, and I was looking for my shot.”
Connecticut coach Curt Miller credited the Suns’ rebounding for allowing them to
get off to a quick start. The Sun outrebounded the Mystics 45-31.
“That allowed us to get the tempo that we wanted, scored 30 points in the first
quarter, set the tone playing against a team that was playing their fourth game
in six days,” Miller told reporters after the win.
The Dream are going to be challenged to keep up with Sun, especially if they
can’t figure out how to create more offense.
Atlanta (2-3) managed just two field goals in the second quarter of a 78-71 loss
at home to the Phoenix Mercury on Sunday. The Dream have eclipsed 80 points only
once in five games and are averaging 75.2 per game. The Sun are averaging 97.4
points per game.
“We have to find a way to get points when we’re not making shots,” Atlanta guard
Renee Montgomery told reporters after the game. “We’re still learning each
other.”
First-year coach Nicki Collen knows that her roster lacks shooting and has hoped
to make up for it with athleticism, but it wasn’t enough against Phoenix.
“My biggest takeaway from the game is that we battled,” Collen said. “Our
execution wasn’t always so good and at times we looked a little uncomfortable.”
Tiffany Hayes and Angel McCoughtry lead the Dream in scoring. Hayes is averaging
16.4 points per game and McCoughtry is averaging 16.2 per game.
The Sun won two of three games against the Dream last season.
