Like Serena Williams, Candace Parker is turning back the clock in WNBA playoffs | Opinion

Candace Parker was “hyped” as she walked back onto the court after halftime. Not by the Chicago Sky’s ruthless dismantling of the Connecticut Sun, which would even their semifinal series.

But by another game, one half the country away.

“I’m a Serena Williams fan,” Parker said. “To watch her dominate and play in this fashion, to beat the No. 2 player in the world, that’s crazy.”

No less crazy than what Parker is doing.

As Williams continues what could be her final run at a major championship at 40, an age when her peers have long since left the court, the 36-year-old Parker is playing some of the best basketball of her stellar career.

“When you have generational talents, they’re just too good and too dominant,” Sky coach James Wade said. “With the experience, it’s like Napa Valley. Great wine just ages well, and you can say the same thing about those two icons.”

Candace Parker lets playoff stats do the talking

Parker’s 22 points on Wednesday night led the Sky, who had all five starters score in double figures, and her three blocked shots were as many as the entire Sun team had. It was her 25th 20-point playoff game, trailing only Diana Taurasi (43) and Maya Moore (28).

Parker is averaging 16.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists in the playoffs, an output over five games that only Brittney Griner has matched in the WNBA’s 26-year history. She leads the playoffs with 2.8 blocks per game, is second in rebounds, fifth in assists and ninth in scoring.

“It just talks about the mentality you have in the game, the mental strength. I know you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but we can better our tricks a little bit,” Parker said.

“I think the game slows down,” she added. “I think it’s working on the things you’re really good at, and playing more that mental game. I didn’t get to see (Williams’) whole game -- I’m going to go back and probably watch the whole match – (but) it’s impressive to see what she’s been able to do at this age.”

Parker is not as physically dominant as she was at Tennessee, where she led the Lady Vols to consecutive NCAA titles while winning Player of the Year honors in 2007 and 2008. Nor is she as overpowering as she was early in her WNBA career, when she was the MVP as a rookie in 2008 and again in 2013.

But she is, in many ways, even better. She has slowed, or staved off, the inevitable physical decline that age brings with added focus on her off-the-court work.

“Her fitness and strength and the intangibles she’s added late in her career is impressive,” said Connecticut Sun coach Curt Miller, who coached Parker when he was an assistant with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2015.

“It’s not to talk about in ‘15 she wasn’t,” Miller said. “But she is really fit and plays with a really high motor and is physical. Again, she doesn’t take plays off anymore. It’s impressive to watch, and I think it’s a big credit to her commitment to her fitness, nutrition, strength and conditioning.”

Knowing what it takes to win a championship

Parker’s experience also gives her a master class-level knowledge of the game, an understanding of what it takes to win a championship that she didn’t have earlier in her career.

Being the best player on the floor isn’t enough. She also has to lead before and after the games. In practice and in shootarounds. In the film room and in the training room. That, as much as her stats, is what makes her indispensable in this, the 14th year of her WNBA career.

“I don’t think there’s enough words. I think that’s your job to find them,” Sky center Emma Meesseman said.

Though Parker does not know how much longer she’ll play – she'll let her body tell her that – she knows she is closer to the end of her career than the beginning. But the urgency she feels has less to do with her age and more with knowing how precious these opportunities are, for any player.

It took Parker nine years to win her first WNBA title, and another five to win her second last year.

"This time of year is my favorite," Parker said. "I remember being in college and coach getting mad at me in the regular season because I was like, `I just can’t wait until the NCAA tournament.' Same thing for the WNBA playoffs. It’s so fun.

“There’s only four teams playing. Everybody has to watch us.”

There are players we watch, and those who command our attention. Even in the twilights of their careers, Williams and Parker are putting on the best show there is.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour. 

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Candace Parker, like Serena Williams, turns back time in WNBA playoffs