What must Rose do to end their three-game losing streak against Phantom?
After starting the season with an impressive trio of victories, Rose, the reigning champions of Unrivaled, find themselves on a downward spiral, having lost three consecutive matches.
So, what’s really going on here? Were those initial wins, achieved in increasingly dramatic fashion, a true reflection of Rose's capabilities? Or has this recent slump revealed the team’s underlying weaknesses?
Skepticism surrounded Rose as they celebrated their early-season success. Following a comfortable victory over the Lunar Owls on opening day, the team relied heavily on remarkable comebacks, driven by the clutch performances of their star player, Chelsea Gray, to narrowly defeat Vinyl by two points and Breeze by four points.
While thrilling, depending on Gray to continually deliver such standout performances is not a sustainable strategy—even if she is often hailed as one of the greatest of all time in Unrivaled.
This concern was confirmed in Rose's first two losses. Although they made a valiant attempt to rally against Hive in the fourth quarter, they ultimately fell short, losing by four points after trailing by twelve. In their next game, they faced off against Laces, a team with a wealth of experience, and lost by just two points. However, on Friday night, Rose encountered their first overwhelming defeat of the season, suffering an 18-point loss to Mist, who showcased superior shooting skills.
These defeats highlight Rose's reliance on Gray's exceptional abilities. Her shooting performance has declined recently; she managed only 6-for-16 and 6-for-15 in her last two games, a stark contrast to her earlier outings where she consistently shot over 47 percent. In the match against Mist, even strong contributions from Kahleah Copper and Shakira Austin weren't enough to compensate for Gray's struggles.
However, the more pressing issue for Rose lies on the defensive side of the court. After limiting their opponents to no more than 69 points in their initial three games, they have allowed 78, 70, and 89 points during this losing streak. Both Laces and Mist capitalized on their three-point shooting, while opponents have also shot better than 57% on two-pointers across all three losses. This pattern indicates that Rose is frequently allowing their adversaries to find their shooting spots and execute comfortably.
A potential solution could involve reinstating the double-big lineup featuring Austin and Azurá Stevens, which could bolster Rose's defense. Since Copper's return to the roster, the pairing of Austin and Stevens has seen reduced playtime, which seems to limit the contributions from Stevens, who is one of Rose's most versatile players.
Furthermore, the return of Lexie Hull, who missed the last game due to illness, would also benefit Rose’s performance.
On Sunday afternoon, Rose faces the daunting task of halting their losing streak against Phantom, a team that is currently riding a wave of positive momentum (2:15 p.m. ET, truTV).
As for the matchup between Vinyl and Mist, it promises to be an intriguing encounter. Vinyl, also grappling with their own two-game losing streak, will go up against Mist, who recently enjoyed their most comprehensive win of the season (1 p.m. ET, truTV).
This game features a showdown between Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray, both of whom are standout scorers in Unrivaled. Gray is averaging nearly 24 points per game, making her just the second player in Unrivaled history, after Chelsea Gray, to surpass 400 career points. While her impressive average includes over seven attempts from beyond the arc each game, she also excels at capitalizing on driving opportunities.
Howard's shooting from long range has been even more spectacular, as she takes nine three-point shots per game, hitting 46.3% of them—a remarkable balance of volume and efficiency!
Nevertheless, when facing a familiar opponent, Howard tends to amplify her aggressive driving style, which can vary throughout the season. When matched up against Gray, expect Rhy to push towards the basket. Similarly, anticipate Howard’s defensive prowess coming into play when she guards Gray, as she averages around 2.5 steals and blocks combined per game.
The Vinyl vs. Mist matchup also sets the stage for exciting head-to-head battles, including a clash between Unrivaled’s tallest players: 6-foot-9 Brittney Griner and 6-foot-7 Li Yueru.
After bouncing back from a tough loss to Breeze, Mist appears to have found their rhythm, whereas Vinyl is still searching for answers. While Vinyl certainly possesses the talent necessary to compete with Mist, it seems more likely that Mist will leave Vinyl grappling with a third consecutive defeat.
