Playoff bid is getting closer for the Sun ... and it's all in the details as Wings visit on Friday
Aug. 17—The Connecticut Sun played much better the second time around with All-Star DeWanna Bonner hobbled, Aug. 12 at Dallas, than it did two days before in Phoenix with Bonner limited to one minute due to a back injury.
Going forward, with the Sun needing just one victory to clinch a WNBA playoff berth, head coach Stephanie White would like like to see those adjustments made a little bit quicker, on the fly.
"I think the biggest thing is for us to continue to harp on the details," White said during her monthly coach's show Wednesday night ahead of Friday's rematch against Dallas at Mohegan Sun Arena (7 p.m., ION).
"Certainly when you think about the playoffs ... efficiency is the key. You've got to be efficient. You've got to be able to make tweaks. You've gotta be able to make changes and do it mentally.
"You might not be able to rep some of the changes that you want to make but you've got to be disciplined enough and have awareness enough on the court to do it without repping it. All those things matter. Every game, every possession, everything matters.
"Great teams, championship teams, they take advantage of it if you make mistakes. You've really got to be playing your best basketball."
The Sun (21-9) return home following a four-game road trip. Connecticut won the first two games of the trip at Indiana on Aug. 4 (88-72) and in Seattle on Aug. 8 (81-69).
Bonner injured her back in the first minute at Phoenix, with the Sun falling 90-84. Connecticut lost back-to-back games for just the second time this season as it fell to Dallas in the next game 91-81.
Bonner, the Sun's leading scorer at 17.8 points per game, is no longer on the team's injury report, although 6-foot-10 center Betty Hatar is listed as probable due to health and safety protocols.
Connecticut All-Star Alyssa Thomas (15.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 8.1 assists) scored a season-high 26 in the loss to Dallas to go with 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Tiffany Hayes had 19 points and Natisha Hiedeman 15.
Satou Sabally led Dallas (16-14) with 28 points, going 9-for-9 from the free throw line. Arike Ogunbowale averages a team-best 20.9 points per game.
The Sun, ranked third overall in the league standings behind Las Vegas (27-3) and New York (24-6), play seven of their last 10 games at home, with the playoffs beginning Sept. 13.
Eight of the WNBA's 12 teams qualify for the playoffs and will be ranked by record, regardless of conference. The first round of playoffs is a best-of-three format with semifinals and finals moving to best-of-five. That is a change from previous seasons, which featured single-elimination games in the first two rounds.
"We're happy to be back in the friendly confines of home," White said. "It's tough. Anytime you're traveling in this league it's hard. Playing on the road is tough to begin with but being on the road and having to try to find time to practice and get work in, find time for recovery.
"Being able to adapt is important. I think from a coach's perspective, we just try to control the things we can control, manage our bodies the best way we can and really challenging our team to focus a lot more mentally.
"We were fortunate we had a couple days in Seattle we were able to get some practice in which was good for us. Changing time zones and all that stuff, getting your body ready, but that's what these women do. They're used to that with playing in the league and playing overseas and really just having to be ready to go."
