Eliav Gabay
This contest ended the same way it started – with a Brittney Griner post up that led to an open shot.
“The play was drawn for [Diana],” Kahleah Copper said. “She was like ‘Nah, we gon’ run it for Kah. She gon’ score.’… It was a moment…I was super locked in. I was ready to make a big play.”
“We made a good connection in training camp and it’s gonna continue to grow,” Griner said. “I love setting screens for Kah…She can come off, she can score it, she can get to the rim, explosive…she’s legit a dog out there. I would not want to bring the ball up against her.”
Phoenix sealed the victory on the next possession, taking down the high-powered Lynx, 81-80.
KAHLEAH COPPER. STOP IT. PHOENIX UP 1 WITH 0.7 TO PLAY.@Sports360AZ pic.twitter.com/9owHRbAhcd
— Eliav Gabay (@eliavgabay) June 8, 2024
Since starting the season 3-1, the Mercury went 1-5, needing to shake the injury bug ahead of this matchup.
After 10 games, the team’s prayers were answered as Brittney Griner (left big toe fracture) came back along with Rebecca Allen (concussion protocol), who’s missed five games so far.
Griner’s return gave the X-Factor an extra boost and that electricity reverberated throughout Footprint Center ahead of their matchup against the West-leading Lynx.
“It felt great,” Griner said. “I was just chomping at the bit to get in there…We’re just gonna keep building…Gotta get my timing down…Credit to the team. They held it down. They didn’t crumble.”
Copper on Griner’s impact:
“It’s huge – literally,” Copper said with a smile and Griner laughing next to her. “Defensively, no one’s going down there in the paint…Offensively, it just opens up things for us. Nobody can guard her one-on-one on the block. You send the double, now we got shooters spaced around her.”
On the first play of the game, the Lynx doubled Griner in the post, which led to a Bec Allen corner trey.
Less than a minute later, the extra attention Griner gets essentially every offensive possession helped Diana Taurasi get an easy step back jumper to fall.
Creating space is great, but it doesn’t mean much if you don’t knock down shots.
Let’s get into some stats.
Despite holding Minnesota to 39% from the field, PHX shot a rough 35% from three (9/26).
Phoenix made just four shots from downtown all night, and then the fourth quarter happened.
The Mercury put up five three-pointers in the final period, and it all came together.
Defending the three has also been an issue for this squad, even though holding the Lynx to 18 points in the paint was massive (shoutout to Griner).
“Even on the jump ball, when [Griner] walked out there, I was like, ‘Wow – we’re big again,’” head coach Nate Tibbetts said. “Our best basketball is ahead of us.”
We finally got a look at what this team is like [mostly] healthy, and given the dominance of Phoenix’s dynamic duo of Kahleah Copper and Griner on both ends – it’s appointment television.
We’ll see how Griner and co. progress as the next matchup is on the road against a big Dallas Wings squad on Sunday at 1 PM.
