The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Sun relishing their role as underdogs
UNCASVILLE — Courtney Williams remembers mostly everything about the first two games this season between the Connecticut Sun and the Washington Mystics.
It’s the third and final regular season meeting that she’s chosen to forget.
“I even don’t remember that. I don’t remember that,” she said jokingly, following Wednesday’s practice. “I remember the first two. I don’t remember that one.”
Here’s a quick refresher: After losing twice earlier in the season in Connecticut, the Mystics returned the favor June 29 in the nation’s capital, handing the Sun one of the most lopsided losses in league history, 10259.
It didn’t matter that the Sun were amidst a losing streak or that the Mystics were the popular pick to reach the Finals. Williams, Connecticut’s emotional lightning rod, took that loss personal. She hates to lose, just like her teammates hate to lose.
“We don’t want to get scored on,” Williams said. “We don’t like to lose.”
Neither do the Mystics, who will welcome the Sun back to D.C. for the WNBA Finals. Game 1 of the bestoffive series tips off Sunday at 3 p.m.
The Mystics have been knocking on the door of a
championship for years, but like Connecticut — the only team in the league to finish in the top four each of the last three seasons — they’ve never broken through. Washington was swept by the Minnesota Lynx in the semifinals in 2017, and also lost in three games to the Seattle Storm in last year’s Finals. Connecticut, meanwhile, lost each of the last two seasons in the second round to the Phoenix Mercury.
Despite those failures, Williams didn’t lose her faith. She expected to compete again for a championship, and nothing less.
“Yeah, definitely,” she said. “I think we expected this last year, too, and the year before that. If you’re not expecting to win a
championship, what are you on the court for? You know what I mean? I think it was all written. Now, it’s all coming to light.”
Throughout the playoffs, the Sun have embraced the role of the underdog and used it as motivation. It’s fueled them all the way to
their first Final since 2005. Waiting for them is the league’s No. 1 overall seed, an offensive juggernaut led by a transcendent player. And?
“No one still has picked us to win,” Sun center Jonquel Jones said Saturday. “It’s OK, though. This is our
motivation right now, and we still feel like we have a lot to prove.”
Elena Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points and 8.2 rebounds during the regular season and was a nearunanimous selection for league MVP. The Mystics were tops in numerous offensive categories, including scoring (89.3). But the Sun aren’t fazed.
“They have the best player in the league, and you can argue that they have the deepest team,” Sun coach Curt Miller said. “We’re embracing that underdog role. Not a lot of people think we can pull this upset.”
The Sun certainly do. “We’re amped up. We’re excited,” Williams said. “This is what we’ve been working for.”