\n<\/p>\n
With the Indiana Fever eyeing their first-round playoff matchup against the reigning-champion Las Vegas Aces, veteran guard Sophie Cunningham is changing gears from trying to find her offense to acknowledging what she brings to the court out on the floor.<\/strong><\/p>\n Cunningham was in the midst of a cold stretch on offense heading into the playoffs.<\/p>\n Sophie Cunningham\u2019s numbers took a turn for the worse in the last five regular season contests, where she scored only 3.4 points per game on 30% shooting and 23.5% shooting from three-point range.<\/p>\n That is countered by her impressive overall numbers through all 43 games, where she averaged 7.9 points per game on a 46% clip from the floor and 41.9% shooting from three.<\/p>\n WNBA star discussed how she copes with the frustrating feeling of not getting enough touches or those low-volume shooting nights on her No Hesitation podcast with Drew Hanlen:<\/p>\n Control the Controllables \u2013 Maintaining a \u201clocked-in\u201d mindset by focusing on things that can\u2019t be scored on: voice communication, defensive positioning, deflections, rebounding.<\/p>\n Utilizing rotation when needed (in limited minutes, under 20 per game) by tracking as a function of high-effort plays, not total points.<\/p>\n Providing an emotional fix and vocal leader for Indiana\u2019s anchor five on both sides of the court.<\/p>\n Why Cunningham\u2019s Role Matters Against Las Vegas<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course, the headlines will be about Clark and Mitchell on the offensive end, but the ability to counter Las Vegas\u2019 deep team will be a challenge for Indiana.<\/p>\n The Fever will need the floor-stretching shooting of Cunningham and her physical defense.<\/p>\n Through defensive effort and vocal identity, Cunningham seeks to give the stability necessary in high-leverage situations playoff game when perimeter scoring may go cold. Series Game 1 scheduled for Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n