Friday night marks another special one for the Connecticut Sun and especially for their former star Brionna Jones. After building her entire WNBA career with the Connecticut Sun, she returns to Uncasville once more. This time also, she’s wearing the red and navy of the Atlanta Dream. The question lingers, though. Can she, Brittney Griner, and the whole Dream squad replicate their previous success?
The last time these two clashed, it was a night the Sun would probably rather erase from their memory. The Dream came out swinging and handed them a rough 79-55 blowout. That was Brionna Jones first game against her former squad. So yes, double sting for the Sun to be defeated at the hands of their former star. But now, the Sun have a shot at redemption and they’re going to want it bad. Let’s break it down completely…
Injuries and predicted starting lineup
The Connecticut Sun:
Injury report
Lindsay Allen: Out (Left hamstring injury)
Leïla Lacan: Out (An overseas commitment)
Predicted starting five
Olivia Nelson-Ododa
Tina Charles
Bria Hartley
Marina Mabrey
Saniya Rivers
The Atlanta Dream:
Injury report
Jordin Canada: Out (Knee injury)
Holly Winterburn: Out for Season (Injury)
Predicted starting five
Brionna Jones
Brittney Griner
Allisha Gray
Maya Caldwell
Rhyne Howard
Will Brittney Griner and the Dream replicate May 25th-win
Since their last loss to the Dream, the Sun have managed to narrowly win against the injury struck Fever, out of the 3 teams they played. And frankly, that singular 2 point win couldn’t do much to erase the memory of that 24-point beatdown Atlanta handed them on May 25. The last time these teams met, Connecticut had one of their roughest games of the season.
They ended up shooting just 33%, got crushed on the boards, and only managed 8 assists all game. Meanwhile, Atlanta has been on a roll since that 79-55 blowout win. They are now riding a four-game winning streak. And are showing the exact balance and chemistry that coach Karl Smesko was brought in to cultivate. Allisha Gray has also been on fire. She is dropping 21 points a night and just won Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.
Brittney Griner’s defense has really locked things down for the Dream too. And after being absent from the last game, she is all set to give everything to this one. Moreover, Brionna Jones knows is an insider who knows Connecticut’s whole system from her years with them, and that showed last game when she controlled the paint for Atlanta. She’s been solid all year, putting up 12 points and 8 rebounds lately.
On the other side, Connecticut’s dealing with major injuries, absence and a broken confidence. Lindsay Allen remains out with a hamstring injury, and Leïla Lacan is yet to join the roster due to overseas obligations. She won’t be returning before July. They are missing key guards and relying too much on Tina Charles and Olivia Nelson-Ododa up front, that hasn’t really gotten them anywhere till now.
We think that with Atlanta playing this well and Connecticut shorthanded, the Dream should be able to keep their streak going by controlling the tempo and dominating the game again, that too, in the Sun’s home ground, the Mohegan Sun Arena.
The post Connecticut Sun vs Atlanta Dream: Injury Report, Starting 5, & Prediction as Brittney Griner Looks to Extend Winning Streak appeared first on EssentiallySports.