Sylvia Fowles knew how much better it could be. That's why she showed up in Minnesota a couple weeks before Lynx training camp even began.
Sylvia Fowles flourishing in second season with Lynx
The Lynx center has two double-doubles already.
May 22, 2016 at 11:34PM
Things were already pretty good. Acquired from Chicago in a midseason, three-team trade in 2015, the 6-6 Olympic center jumped right into the mix. And, after a monthlong adjustment period, Fowles' got more and more comfortable once the playoffs began, ultimately winning the MVP award in the WNBA Finals.
But she knew it could get better.
"That's why some of us came in early, to get that time in," she said.
Guards Lindsay Whalen, Renee Montgomery and Jia Perkins were there with Fowles, working together, getting more comfortable with each other. And then, once camp began, the Lynx coaches and players really focused on integrating Fowles into the mix.
The results, so far, have been impressive.
Yes, it's only a two-game sample. But in two one-sided victories over Phoenix and Chicago — two teams considered to be contenders for the league title — it has become clear how much impact a fully-integrated Fowles can have on the Lynx offense.
In two games, Fowles is averaging 20.5 points and 13.5 rebounds while shooting 63 percent from the field. All three numbers are way over her career averages.
But it goes beyond individual stats.
Because her teammates know where and when she likes to get the ball, Fowles has become even more of a threat, which has drawn additional defenders into the post, which has resulted in more space for everyone else on the floor.
"We've seen things in the first two games that we didn't necessarily see before," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said. "It's liberating when you have choices."
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Fowles presence has had a ripple affect all through the Lynx offense, which has always been about ball movement anyway. In two games the Lynx have averaged 96 points and an impressive 25.5 assists per game while shooting 52.8 percent.
Drawing defenders, Fowles has created space for Maya Moore, who is off to a strong start in scoring (24.5 points per game), shooting (56.7 percent) and assists (8.0).
"It was more of us getting a comfort level with her," associate head coach Jim Petersen said. "Because we've never had a weapon like that before.
"We've been looking for a center who can rim run, go from end to end quickly. You know, someone who you can just throw it up anywhere near the rim and she'll lay it in.
"We've never had that before."
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