re: Smyha Smith was a huge loss

A few things about HVL:

1. She is greatly improved since the beginning of the season. She is in game shape, and has better lateral motion both offensively and defensively than I've seen all year.

2. She is short, and has kind of a shot-put motion on long shots. So, she needs room to get those off, and that's tough to come by at the 1 instead of a spot up 2.

3. As she has gotten into better condition and grown into the PG position, she seems to have quickly become more ambidextrous, and maybe this is what CKM saw in her the first place.

I will say, though, I don't like the off handed (right for her) bounce passes into the paint from the top of the key. Far too many of those are intercepted, deflected, or out of synch.

I'm thinking John Stockton here: if you're going to bounce pass your way into the post from the top of the key you need to dribble your way into an angle (or see that is isn't there and just pass to a wing) and then make that entry pass crisply, quickly, accurately and authoritatively with the dominant hand.