Defense. Commitment to detail. Execution. Watching play between the Minnesota Lynx practice squad and the team on the floor, mostly newcomers, it was easy to see that those requirements were being met. The bucket didn’t matter. Everyone misses shots. How you get there is the key. Is what is being taught becoming more evident? Yes. But then this training camp is really no different than any other.
Some teams may have their starting five returning from last season, some are rebuilding, and some, like their Lynx, are retooling.
Vets, rookies, and everyone else vying for so much where there are so few opportunities. Could every coach field two teams from their training camp? Probably. They certainly would have no problem filling a roster of fifteen, which is precisely what it should be. There are just too many good players out there. Even three more roster spots would allow every team to not have your starters play 40-minute games.
Starters come from free agency, and sometimes the draft. In fact, on draft night, it is apparent who among these rookies will start, and who won’t, at least not immediately. All the available videos can have an inkling of the chemistry that is being built. Yet, these mini-movies are nothing more than teasers, designed to create excitement for the fans. Playing against practice squads doesn’t give you a fair assessment of what players can do, at least not fully.
Observations from the Minnesota Lynx Scrimmage
No one wants to get hurt, and the practice squad is not going to defend as an opponent would in a real game. However, it does allow the players to focus on what they are being taught, the culture in which they will play, and what it takes to build chemistry overnight. Such a compressed process does not allow for a great deal of time to think, understand, and absorb.
But even after three days, it is visible. Even with the teams that are returning much of their previous roster, there are still new elements that the vets will have to understand. Where player X was last year is now occupied by player Y, and while schemes may be the same as the previous year, someone else is executing them. Defense, which is a large part of this training camp, is not solely an individual responsibility.
FIRED UP. pic.twitter.com/nzXpg8nod8
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) April 30, 2024
The offense is thwarted by a series of defense moves, as is a chess game. Unfortunately, there is no time to sit back and think, and so I go back to defense, commitment to detail, and execution. All done within a split second. It is, in some ways, a Herculean task, but that’s the job, and no one gets a free pass.
Final Thoughts
The biggest difference that I see from the first day is the attack with which everyone is approaching the task at hand. Interviews post practice only give you an overview, from the coach as well as the players. What I appreciate about Minnesota Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve is that, from my perspective, she is a bona fide straight shooter. She tells you as much as she can but directly and honestly.
Whereas last year she talked about the season being less focused on winning and more on learning (my words), this time around her observation is that they are farther ahead at this point than they were last year. From what I’ve seen so far, I’d say that is more than accurate. Wednesday is Media Day, so smile everyone, you’re on candid camera.
And that, my friends, as they say, is that.’ — Martin Ruben.
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