How the Silver Stars succeed
Similar to how their brotherly counterparts in the NBA seem to be, the San Antonio Silver Stars don’t have a bunch of stars, but they have a set of complimentary players to build around Sophia Young and Becky Hammon. Q from the outstanding blog “Rethinking Basketball” did an in-depth analysis of the Stars following their back-to-back against LA and Phoenix this week.
The Silver Stars embody what people mean when they say that WNBA basketball is “basketball the way it should be played” or any number of variations on that statement. It’s not flashy, it can seem dull at times, but when they get into a rhythm it’s a beautiful thing to watch.
There’s no better example of that than their performance in their back-to-back road games against the aforementioned Sparks and Mercury. Winning the second game of a back-to-back after such a brutal loss in the first game is not easy and a testament to the character of this team.
So what attributes of this team allowed them to leave Phoenix with a win after such a brutal loss to the Sparks?
A well balanced rotation, outstanding execution, and faith in their system allow the Silver Stars to remain effective despite bad matchups, off nights, or fatigue. Most importantly, their players complement each other extremely well, which allows them to find a rhythm and stick with their strategy even when they’re struggling.
Q goes on to talk about the chemistry of the team with Young, Hammon and Ann Wauters. A very good read, a very good blog.
