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Indianapolis Star
June 5, 2011
Fever use defense to get win in opener
By David Woods
When Tangela Smith was in Phoenix, the Mercury won two
WNBA titles because of 90-points-per-game offense. The style is
different in Indianapolis, although Smith fits in just fine.
"We played defense in Phoenix, but not like here in Indiana," the
6-3 forward said after her Fever debut. "Everybody plays hard, and
I love it because the defense brings the offense. Once you get
stops, you can easily get the offense."
The Fever hope it evolves that way after beating the Chicago Sky
65-57 in a season opener Saturday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Fever couldn't locate the rim with GPS. They shot 25 percent
over the final three quarters and 30 percent for the game.
Zoom
They would have been advised to let Smith and Katie Douglas cast
away from the 3-point line. Those two were a collective 6-of-9
from there. Douglas finished with 19 points and Smith with 16.
It's difficult to find fault with the Fever on defense, however:
They limited 6-5 Sylvia Fowles, the U.S. national team's center, to
five shots and 10 points.
They converted 12 steals and 18 Sky turnovers into 16 points.
They did not allow a two-point basket in the first quarter.
They allowed just six offensive rebounds by the Sky and held a 39-
36 rebounding edge. Tamika Catchings had nine rebounds and
Douglas seven.
Fever center Tammy Sutton-Brown made four steals, a career high,
and blocked five shots.
The Fever broke ahead 10-1 and never trailed. Douglas contributed
to all of the Fever's first 14 points, scoring seven and delivering
three assists for seven more.
The Sky closed within 33-29 at halftime and 57-54 in the fourth
quarter but could not sustain any comeback. Epiphanny Prince led
Chicago with a career-high 20 points, featuring four 3s.
Douglas scored eight consecutive Fever points near the end. Two
came when Catchings won a jump ball and, with her back to the
basket, tossed the ball toward the rim for a Douglas layup.
"Last year, we would just get so down on ourselves if our defense
wasn't working," Douglas said. "I think tonight, we had the
mentality on the next possession on defense to really get after it
and disrupt what they were doing. We did a good job of taking
them out of their sets."
Running the Fever offense was now full-time point guard Briann
January. She had four assists, a career-high four steals and only
one second-half turnover. Yet she shot 0-of-11.
Fever coach Lin Dunn said she has challenged January to be a
shooting point guard and said the third-year pro missed shots she
usually makes.
"The more aggressive I am, it makes it easier to get my team a
wide-open shot," January said. "I have all-world Katie Douglas
and all-world Tamika Catchings on both wings, so they have to
worry about them. They also have to worry about me."
The Fever weren't worrying about offense. After flops in the past
two home openers -- losses to Washington 72-65 in 2010 and
Minnesota 96-74 in 2009 -- this represented improvement.
"Down the stretch, when we needed to execute, we did," Dunn
said.
Etc.
The Fever's six-game winning streak over Chicago is their longest
ever against a WNBA opponent. The Fever lead the all-time series
17-4. . . . The Fever have won nine in a row at home over Chicago.
. . . Smith's four 3s were one off her career high. . . . Sky G
Courtney Vandersloot, a rookie from Gonzaga, had seven assists in
her pro debut.