Mystics-Liberty Game 1: Mike Thibault's help-the-helper technique destroyed NYL's PnRs

It turned out to be a classic at the Mecca. The Washington Mystics fell to a deep hole early in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals clash with the New York Liberty, but once they were able to settle, it was a see-saw affair which needed two overtimes to settle.



The Mystics brought it, and they won the opener, 86-83 to take a 1-0 series lead plus a chance to close it at home on Sunday.

Now for the main takeaway:

We know the Liberty goes to a lot of pick and roll plays to create space and open the lanes for penetrations. But Mystics head coach Mike Thibault had the perfect technique to counter all those pick and roll plays and stop the Liberty from wreaking havoc.

It came with the realization only Tina Charles and Epiphanny Prince were doing the damage for the Liberty. With that in mind, the Mystics seemed to dare anyone else not named Charles/Prince to beat them.

Here's the help-the-helper strategy Thibault had for his team's pick and roll defense.


Normally, when teams defend the pick and roll, there is someone to help the helper, and that is another big who will show up to try and stop the PnR roll man.

That is aside from other strategies like fighting through the screen or icing the pick and roll.

Anyway, in Thibault's version of the help-the-helper for Game 1, the guard/wing player defending the weak side wing/elbow is the one who will dive inside and try to prevent the PnR roll man (Tina Charles) to... well, roll.

This was because Liberty weapons like Tanisha Wright or Swin Cash were -- for most of Game 1 -- non-threats, so the Mystics' wing players (Kara Lawson, Tayler Hill, Natasha Cloud) offered help and were not hesitant in doing so.

After the screen, New York's pick and roll ball handler (usually Epiphanny Prince) was funneled to Emma Messeeman, who stepped out/showed up to cut Prince's penetration. This also blocked Prince's vision, plus a crosscourt pass would be more difficult to execute and takes more time to do so the weak side defender can recover back.

Prince was torching the Liberty with dribble-pull up jumpers prior to this technique so it shut the space between her and getting a good attempt.

Washington's other big, LaToya Sanders, stayed in the paint. So that gave the Mystics someone to protect the rim while not allowing space as the lanes are clogged from the start.

We also did not see a lot of pick and rolls involving Kiah Stokes or Carolyn Swords, who both dive to the hoop very well. Bill Laimbeer went almost exclusively to Charles and it did not take Thibault to figure out how to stop it.

And unless Cash, Wright, and the rest of the Liberty step up to make it more difficult for the Mystics' defense, this help-the-helper strategy from Thibault will likely be used again in Game 2.

Absolute brilliance from the three-time Coach of the Year.

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