Kara Lawson and Nicole Powell have combined for a reliable outside presence.
By Melody Gutierrez -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Monday, September 4, 2006
The Bee's Melody Gutierrez can be reached at (916) 326-5521 or mgutierrez@sacbee.com.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/monarchs/story/14317350p-15234925c.html
There it is, a goose egg where 22 points sat in the WNBA Finals opener. Kara Lawson knows she can't lead the Monarchs every game, especially when she's being relentlessly guarded. So, she's trying to make the best of it, drawing out defenders and allowing Sacramento to dominate in the paint.
"We're going inside until they stop," Lawson said. There's no point in shooting three's when we can run it inside."
Lawson was 0 for 2 on three-point attempts. That's quite a decline since she dropped six three-pointers for a Finals record in the opener on Wednesday.
"It's nothing new to have me not score," Lawson said with a shrug after being the only Monarchs player to finish scoreless in the 89-69 win Sunday.
Lawson played the most minutes (26) of any Sacramento player and was 0 for 5. However, she has been instrumental in the playoffs, returning from an illness that left her chronically fatigued at the start of the season.
Her return coincided with Nicole Powell peaking, giving Sacramento an edge on the perimeter. Powell's performance has heightened after Sacramento's posts found their footing.
With DeMya Walker adding another dimension inside and Lawson hitting her shots, Powell was no longer a primary focus for defenders.
"She's worked very hard to improve her body and get leaner and play our defense better," Monarchs coach John Whisenant said. "She's still getting better all the time. She is offensively aggressive and that's critical."
Whisenant said he traded for Powell in 2005 with the intention of having two effective wings.
In Game 1, Powell and Lawson combined for 10 three-pointers, a Finals team record.
Detroit returned to Game 2 with the intention of limiting their production behind the arc. Whisenant said he didn't feel his team attacked Detroit's new game plan properly by going inside.
That wasn't the case Sunday, when Sacramento outscored Detroit 38-26 in the paint. Powell still was able to sink 2 of 3 three-point attempts and finish with 14 points.
"We told our players not to take bad shots," Whisenant said. "They came out to guard (Lawson and Powell) and that's what our system does. It creates opportunities.
By Melody Gutierrez -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 12:01 am PDT Monday, September 4, 2006
The Bee's Melody Gutierrez can be reached at (916) 326-5521 or mgutierrez@sacbee.com.
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/monarchs/story/14317350p-15234925c.html
There it is, a goose egg where 22 points sat in the WNBA Finals opener. Kara Lawson knows she can't lead the Monarchs every game, especially when she's being relentlessly guarded. So, she's trying to make the best of it, drawing out defenders and allowing Sacramento to dominate in the paint.
"We're going inside until they stop," Lawson said. There's no point in shooting three's when we can run it inside."
Lawson was 0 for 2 on three-point attempts. That's quite a decline since she dropped six three-pointers for a Finals record in the opener on Wednesday.
"It's nothing new to have me not score," Lawson said with a shrug after being the only Monarchs player to finish scoreless in the 89-69 win Sunday.
Lawson played the most minutes (26) of any Sacramento player and was 0 for 5. However, she has been instrumental in the playoffs, returning from an illness that left her chronically fatigued at the start of the season.
Her return coincided with Nicole Powell peaking, giving Sacramento an edge on the perimeter. Powell's performance has heightened after Sacramento's posts found their footing.
With DeMya Walker adding another dimension inside and Lawson hitting her shots, Powell was no longer a primary focus for defenders.
"She's worked very hard to improve her body and get leaner and play our defense better," Monarchs coach John Whisenant said. "She's still getting better all the time. She is offensively aggressive and that's critical."
Whisenant said he traded for Powell in 2005 with the intention of having two effective wings.
In Game 1, Powell and Lawson combined for 10 three-pointers, a Finals team record.
Detroit returned to Game 2 with the intention of limiting their production behind the arc. Whisenant said he didn't feel his team attacked Detroit's new game plan properly by going inside.
That wasn't the case Sunday, when Sacramento outscored Detroit 38-26 in the paint. Powell still was able to sink 2 of 3 three-point attempts and finish with 14 points.
"We told our players not to take bad shots," Whisenant said. "They came out to guard (Lawson and Powell) and that's what our system does. It creates opportunities.
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