Katie Douglas On The Other Side Now

No review of Connecticut Sun playoff history is complete without acknowledging the central role Katie Douglas has played in it.

Douglas, named to Connecticut’s All-Decade team this year, was a crucial component of Connecticut’s WNBA finalists in 2004 and 2005. She played in 27 postseason games in her five seasons with them (2003-07), averaging 11.4, sinking 45 threes with her trademark left-handed shot put release.

In her final game with Connecticut, a Game 3 loss at Indiana in the 2007 Eastern Conference playoffs, she fought valiantly, scoring 27 points in an overtime loss.

But times change; circumstances and uniforms as well.

Thursday at the Mohegan Sun Arena, Douglas and the Sun are together again in a pivotal playoff setting when the Sun and Fever play the deciding Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final [ESPN2, 8:30 p.m.]

However, Douglas is on the other side now, trying her best to get the Fever to its first championship, just as she did for so many years for the Sun.

Neither has won one.

Scoring 51 points in the first two games, Douglas has been using many of the offensive tricks taught to her by Sun coach Mike Thibault.

“I’m trying to toy with the defense,” Douglas said after scoring 24 points in Monday’s Game 2 win in Indianapolus. “I’ve been playing so many years, give Coach Thibault the credit.  He taught me the pick and roll.  He’s definitely made me into a pick and roll player.”