Atlanta has already put up 102, 94 and 111 points in its three wins over Toronto, so I am less interested in whether the Tempo can simply score enough than in whether their guards can make this fourth meeting look different possession by possession. Toronto ranks sixth in scoring but only 10th in assists and 14th in opponent points, which makes patience, spacing and shot quality the things I will watch tonight, Monday Aug. 10, in Toronto at Atlanta. Can they create a different half-court game, or does this turn into another race they cannot control? https://www.wnba.com/game/tor-vs-atl-1022600243
Atlanta has already put up 102, 94 and 111 points in its three…
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I agree the half-court possessions matter, but I want to start one step earlier. Toronto's ranking 13th in rebounds and 14th in opponent points makes me ask whether they are finishing enough defensive possessions before trying to fix the offence. Those rankings do not prove the cause, but sixth in scoring suggests scoring alone is not the whole question. Can they get the stop, secure the ball and then play with the patience you are looking for? https://www.wnba.com/team/1611661332/toronto-tempo
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I still think the half-court question is useful, but this final makes the other end hard to ignore. Toronto shot 52% and 38% from three, yet Atlanta won the rebounds 39-25 and the offensive rebounds 12-5. The turnover count was close and Toronto actually led fast-break points 8-1, so the box score does not point to a simple pace problem. Before changing the offence, I would want to know whether Toronto can turn more stops into controlled possessions. https://www.espn.com/wnba/game/_/gameId/401857132/tempo-dream