PHOENIX – To Corey Gaines, his commitment to X's and O's has reached the addiction stage.
“That’s what I do all day, every day,” the Phoenix Mercury coach said in a recent interview.
The study of schemes and tactics is taken to an even greater degree for any coach when he or she experiences an upgrade in options.
“As a team,” Gaines said, “we have more options than we’ve ever had.”
That’s not exactly a revelation, of course. Phoenix now suits up rookie powerhouse Brittney Griner, and superstar guard Diana Taurasi is back up to physical speed.
But while that’s a pretty formidable inside-outside tandem for any WNBA franchise, the other options available to Gaines are what could make this Mercury season truly special. Measure the word “special” against franchise history, and that’s nothing to lightly dismiss.
For starters, Phoenix now has Candice Dupree (limited to 13 games last season) back and eventually will have Penny Taylor (out the entire 2012 season) lining up with the aforementioned needle-movers.
While they and Taurasi were out last season, more responsibility was assumed by 6-foot-4 DeWanna Bonner and rookie point guard Samantha Prahalis. Bonner averaged 20.6 points per game during the Mercury's season-long struggle, while Prahalis (11.6 points and 4.5 assists) was playing her way to All-Rookie status.
Their accelerated growth -- combined with Griner’s presence and some healthy returns -- should make the Mercury even more difficult for opposing defenses to deal with.
Looking at efficiency rates, however, suggests that having those elite options should make Bonner and Prahalis even better. Without her talented teammates to balance defensive attention, Bonner made just 36 percent of her shots from the field last season.
Prahalis checked in at 35 percent.
Taurasi’s ability to stretch the floor and Griner’s potential impact in the lane should leave the rest of the WNBA in a pick-your-poison crisis. To keep help defenders at home and prevent a logjam around the low post for Griner, Gaines plans to put his rookie in plenty of pick-and-roll situations.
With Griner on the move into the post, Prahalis and Taurasi will have an easier time finding her in scoring position with minimal defensive occupation. When Prahalis has the ball in pick-and-roll, Taurasi can spot up in the adjacent corner or wing, pretty much eliminating help-side interference when the second-year point guard turns the corner toward the hoop.
“We never really did pick-and-roll (in college),” Griner said of her usage at Baylor. “It’s just different, but I’m excited about it. It’s going to lead to some dunks.”
When defenses make adjustments to at least limit some of Griner’s inside-out flow with Taurasi, their talented teammates will have more room to play to their own strengths.
Having players the caliber of Taylor, Dupree, Bonner and Prahalis reminds us that there’s no shortage of reasons to be all in on this season’s Mercury.
Dupree had 14 points and nine rebounds in the Mercury’s 87-64 exhibition triumph over the Japan national team. Bonner went 4 for 6 from the field in that tune-up, while Prahalis had eight dimes (offset by an unsightly six turnovers).
And Gaines has spent more than enough time explaining how Griner’s ability to alter shots and control the defensive boards can be a boon to the Mercury’s quest to generate a fast tempo. But don’t expect Griner to chuck outlet passes and join the party later if the fast break fails to produce a bucket.
“She’s very fast, very quick,” Gaines said of Griner, who had 18 points (on 6-of-10 shooting) and eight rebounds in the aforementioned exhibition with Japan. “She moves like a gazelle to be so big.”
Although Taurasi also has been quick to acknowledge Griner’s potential to make a positive impact on the offense, the veteran guard won’t mind having tremendous rim protection behind her.
“She’s going to change the way teams play offense against us,” Taurasi said. “How? I don’t know yet.”
Taurasi does know that winning an WNBA championships requires more than talent and lining up options on a dry-erase board.
“It would arrogant of us to assume we’re going to be really good,” she said. “You can’t be really good if you don’t work hard every day, doing the little things before and after practice.
“We definitely have the chance to be a really good team, but if we don’t do the little things and work hard every day, it isn’t going to happen.”
