By Katie Carrera
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, July 27, 2008

Since she was named the Washington Mystics' interim head coach, Jessie Kenlaw has constantly been asked whether she is looking forward to the WNBA's month-long hiatus for the Beijing Olympics, which begins after the six games across the league today. And each time the question comes up, Kenlaw sighs.

While she will be grateful to have more time to plan game strategy, Kenlaw quickly contrasts that perk with the reality that, after today's game against Connecticut, the Mystics have just eight regular season games remaining.

"There really isn't a lot of time," Kenlaw said after practice this week. "That's why with most of our preparation [for recent games] we aren't worrying about the other team so much as we're worrying about the Mystics, and what we need to do to reinforce the defense, the discipline, the intensity, the effort. All those things are what will really determine how we do."

The Mystics entered July knowing how they performed during the busiest month of the season would play a large role in determining whether they would reach the playoffs for the fifth time in franchise history.

Washington (10-15) is 4-6 so far this month, but the Mystics are only 1 1/2 games behind fourth-place Indiana (11-13) for the final playoff spot because several Eastern Conference teams, including the Fever and Sun (15-10) hit mid-season snags.

"Somehow we're still in it," veteran forward Taj McWilliams-Franklin said. "It's good and sad at the same time, that considering everything we've been through and the incomplete efforts we're still in it."

Kenlaw is adamant that a full-court running game will become Washington's new identity, and the players like the athletic freedom that comes with it. Gone are most of the slow-moving, half-court offensive sets that often chewed up 15 seconds of the shot clock before Washington looked to take its first shot. In their place are fast-breaks that use the Mystics' speed to negate some of their inexperience and inconsistencies.

Reserve guard Coco Miller, in her eighth year with the Mystics, is benefiting from Kenlaw's system. Miller's high energy and defensive style are exactly what Kenlaw said she is looking for from the entire team, and Miller is being rewarded with more playing time.

"I love the style of play that Jessie's bringing to the team," Miller said. "I don't think I've ever been on a team where it has been as much up down like this, but it's definitely a lot of fun.

"We're so athletic and we have a lot of speed on the team that we can use to apply different pressures and exploit the transition in ways we weren't doing before. It's allowing us to be more aggressive and definitely think it will put us in a better position to make the playoffs."