Why Marina Mabrey makes the difference for Sun in the WNBA playoffs

Why Marina Mabrey is a difference maker for Sun in the WNBA playoffs originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

All eyes were on Caitlin Clark in the Connecticut Sun's first-round game against the Indiana Fever on Sunday, but one could argue that the storyline with greater WNBA playoff implications lay on the other side of the court.

The Sun won 93-69 at Mohegan Sun Arena thanks to a historic performance by defenseman Marina Mabrey, who set the WNBA record for most points scored by a substitute player in a playoff game with 27 points.

Mabrey was red-hot from beyond the three-point line, sinking 5 of 12 three-pointers to help Connecticut pull away and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. That's not bad for a player who joined the team in July via a midseason transfer from the Chicago Sky.

In a new episode of On your signal On the podcast, Sun live commentator Brendan Glasheen spoke with NBC10's Hannah Donnelly about the impact Mabrey has had since arriving this summer and how she could change the equation for Connecticut this postseason.

“Her shooting technique after ball screens is truly exceptional,” Glasheen said. “…The way Marina Mabrey gets around ball screens and uses them so effectively to create space to throw the ball is incredibly impressive.”

“…But I also think that people who watch her play underestimate her because she's played with good point guards in her career – she's an excellent playmaker and allows the Sun, when they go out and run, when they're in their own half, to have someone who can handle the ball, organize the offense and stay in their system.”

To Glasheen's point, Mabrey ranked second on the Sun in assists per game (3.4) this season, second only to Alyssa Thomas, so she's more than just a goal scorer. But make no mistake: Mabrey's offensive impact is a key factor for a team that, while excellent defensively, has lacked offensive firepower in recent years.

“They have a ball handler, a fantastic shooter that they desperately needed the last few years to complement DeWanna Bonner, (DiJonai) Carrington and Ty Harris. She was everything,” Glasheen said.

“That's why (the Sun) said, 'We're going to trade those chips to take advantage of the window.' Very similar to what we see with the Boston Celtics: It felt similar to what they did when they got (Jrue) Holiday or (Kristaps) Porzingis. That kind of move by the Sun in July was very similar.”

Whether Connecticut can follow in the footsteps of the NBA champion Celtics remains to be seen. But in at least one postseason game, Mabrey has proven she is an X-factor for the Sun.

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