In the context of a fatiguing 40-game WNBA season, depth is somehow touted as both a luxury and a necessity. A luxury in the sense that meaningful bench contributors don’t grow on trees. A necessity in the sense that, without them, starters will bear a load too heavy to contend.
Neither the New York Liberty nor the Minnesota Lynx have struggled with depth this season. The handiness of players like Kayla Thornton and Leonie Fiebich on the Liberty’s side and Natisha Hiedeman and Myisha Hines-Allen for the Lynx has helped tow each team to a prized Finals berth. But since the series started, reserves have become less than an afterthought.
Efficiency or uninvolvement?
Through eight quarters and a thrilling Game 1 overtime, the Lynx and Liberty starters have put 297 points on the board. The benches? Only 37. Less than 12 percent of total points scored in the series.
A mostly-lopsided Game 2 loss saw only five points from the Lynx bench. Natisha Hiedeman notched all five in 18 minutes, while three others…
