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Photo via Connecticut Sun Twitter
The Connecticut Sun went home probably the most disappointed of any team last season. After barraging through the regular season and ending it on a 14-game winning streak. They fell short of their goal of a championship, losing to the eventual champion Chicago Sky in just four games in the semifinals. They played well below their standard and the way they played in the regular-season.
They drafted Nia Clouden at number 12 and brought Courtney Williams back. It is mostly the same team, with only Briann January departing. Connecticut hasn’t been able to have a season with Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas, and Dewanna Bonner yet. Although Thomas did return from an Achilles tear that occurred in January (months ahead of schedule) in the playoffs. Thomas and Jones didn’t exactly mesh, and Bonner wasn’t at her best.
Will Jonquel Jones be on the hunt for back-to-back MVPs? Can all three players fit together? Bri Jones took a huge leap last season, making her first All-Star appearance and winning Most Improved Player. With Bonner, both of the Jones’, and both Thomas’, there’s not a whole lot of spacing. Bri Jones and Alyssa Thomas aren’t shooters at all, while Bonner, Jonquel, and Jasmine Thomas can shoot it. They play differently without Alyssa, so it will be interesting to see how they run their offense.
Can Connecticut get over the hump? Can they make their regular-season success matter? They’ve come up so close multiple times. Losing the Finals in 2019 and in 2020 going in as a seven seed, winning two elimination games, and then losing to the one seed Las Vegas Aces in five games. They held a 2-1 lead and eventually lost game five by just three points.
They’ve added good pieces every year that they’ve gotten close to winning it all. Bringing back Courtney Williams gives them another perimeter scorer who can create for themselves. They will be at the top of the league once again due to their talent on offense and how great they are defensively.
The regular season no longer matters. It’s Finals or bust for the Connecticut Sun.
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