WNBA Finals Film Room: Can Mercury’s Pick-and-Roll Help Them Even the Series?

As Alyssa Thomas initiates as the ball handler, Monique Akoa-Makani is setting the step-up screen, a screen with her back to the baseline. 

Las Vegas is a switch-heavy team, and here, Dana Evans switches onto Thomas, times the swipe, and causes a jump ball.

The Aces show the same defensive coverage here.

This time, it’s a big-to-big pick-and-roll. DeWanna Booner sets the step-up screen for Thomas, and Evans greets Thomas on the other side again. Evans takes the contact to the body to disrupt Thomas’ rhythm before Chelsea Gray gets into the gaps for an easy steal from behind.

Phoenix has shown success at times when they have Thomas as the ball handler in pick-and-roll.

Another inverted pick-and-roll allows Thomas to split the double team. On the weak side of the floor, the low helper, Gray, reacts to the dribble penetration, leaving Young to defend two on one.

Thomas hits Kahleah Copper in the shooter’s pocket for an open 3-pointer. 

Here’s another inverted pick-and-roll that didn’t work initially, but it flowed into other options for Phoenix.

Akoa-Makani starts with another step-up screen for Thomas, which Wilson cleanly gets over. They flow into Thomas as the screener (for Satou Sabally) in pick-and-roll. 

Thomas’ defender gets caught on the high side of the switch, so that forces help and leaves Natasha Mack open in the dunker spot. They generate a clean look, but Mack misses a push shot on the near baseline.

What Works For Phoenix to Get Back Into the Series

When Las Vegas switches screens, it’s Phoenix’s opportunity to punish their guards with their bigs.

Whitcomb takes a dribble handoff from Thomas, and the Aces switch the action in response. This leaves a guard on Thomas.

Phoenix immediately fed Thomas in the post, and Las Vegas sent a second defender at her. This leaves a two-on-one advantage on the weak side of the floor for Phoenix.

Kathryn Westbeld recognizes the advantage and sets a pin-in screen to free up Copper for a wide-open 3-pointer.

Here’s another example of Phoenix destroying Las Vegas’ switches:

Las Vegas switches the empty side pick-and-roll, leaving a guard on Thomas. Again, Las Vegas swiftly sends a help defender to prevent a size advantage for Thomas. 

For Las Vegas, the closest defender (Gray) to the help defender has to help the helper and protect the rim. Gray doesn’t get there quickly enough, and this time, Mack finishes inside for an easy deuce.

As history shows, no team has ever come back down 0-3, so for Phoenix, Game 3 should feel like a Game 7. While for Las Vegas, a commanding 3-0 lead will have them knocking on the door for their third chip in four years.