It is becoming glaringly obvious that the Washington Mystics are lacking in the low post -- a weakness that continues to be exposed by their opponents.
The Mystics are having trouble defending opposing centers and are routinely being outrebounded by their opponents. Much of Washington's recent skid can be attributed to the poor production the Mystics are receiving from their front court.
|
_____Mystics at Cleveland Rockers_____
• Where: Gund Arena.
• When: 7 p.m.
• Radio: WRC-1260.
• Records: Mystics 2-6, Rockers 4-3.
• Probable Starters: Mystics: G Annie Burgess, G Coco Miller, F Stacey Dales-Schuman, F Chamique Holdsclaw, C Murriel Page. Rockers: G Merlakia Jones, G Helen Darling, F Penny Taylor, F Lucienne Berthieu, C Chasity Melvin.
• Injuries: Mystics: Holdsclaw (strained right hamstring) is expected to play; Zuzana Zirkova (lower back strain) and Helen Luz (right calf strain) are on injured list. Rockers: C Pollyanna Johns Kimbrough (calf) is day-to-day; C Jennifer Butler (knee) is on injured list.
|
| |
_____2003 Preview_____
•
A team-by-team look at how the 2003 WNBA season breaks down.
|
| |
|
Washington (2-6), which has lost six of its last seven games and three in a row, plays at Cleveland (4-3) tonight. The Mystics need a much stronger effort from their post players if they are to defeat the Rockers, who beat them, 63-53, at MCI Center on June 6.
"We're struggling to find a go-to low block player," Mystics Coach Marianne Stanley said.
It hasn't helped that all-star forward Chamique Holdsclaw has missed half the games with a strained right hamstring. But even with Holdsclaw back in the lineup on Wednesday night against Sacramento, Washington had no answer for Monarchs center Yolanda Griffith (22 points, 9-of-14 shooting).
"I never thought I'd say this . . . [but] Vicky Bullett is a great basketball player," Holdsclaw said. "I try not to think about it too much, but we miss her. . . . She would shut people down."
Bullett, who played and started every game during her three-year career with the Mystics, retired at the end of last season. The Mystics have not found anyone to fill the void she left. Murriel Page, who took Bullett's place in the starting lineup, has been inconsistent. Jenny Mowe, taken by Washington in the dispersal draft, is no longer with the team.
Asjha Jones is a solid offensive player, but is not a strong rebounder. Rookie free agent Nakia Sanford is foul prone. Aiysha Smith, the team's first-round draft pick, is having trouble adjusting to playing at this level.
If Holdsclaw's stats are taken out of the mix, the Mystics' front-court players are contributing only 36 percent of the team's points and 40 percent of its rebounds.
The Mystics are being outrebounded 36.1 to 33.3. Cleveland outrebounded the Mystics 41-28 earlier this month. Detroit beat them up 45-30. Washington did grab more rebounds than Sacramento 38-32, but 18 were on the offensive end.
Without a player who can consistently score inside, Washington has been tempted into taking outside shots. The Mystics went 3 of 20 from behind the three-point arc against Cleveland and missed 15 of 23 three-point attempts against Connecticut.
"Right now, myself as well as the team, we're not shooting the ball particularly well," said Holdsclaw, who shot 6 of 23 in her return against Sacramento. "That's kind of depressing."
The key for the Mystics will be not allowing the frustration they feel from the losing to affect their performance. So far, the players and coaches say they remain optimistic. "We've just got to not be discouraged and keep plugging," Stanley said.
