Monarchs Insider: Lawson figures she'll shoot better in playoffs

After missing what she calls "great looks," Monarchs guard Kara Lawson is finding motivation these days in the law of averages.

"For me, it's percentage-wise been my worst year as a player as far as I can remember," Lawson said.

In her fifth season, Lawson is shooting a career-worst on field goals (37.4 percent) and three-pointers (33.6 percent). While Lawson knows she's being guarded more tenaciously, she still can't help but feel disappointed in her low efficiency.

"If I can be over 50 percent, I'm happy," said Lawson, who is averaging a career-high 11 points coming off the bench.

So, why is the Law of Averages giving "K-Law" so much comfort?

"I should end the season and play well in the playoffs," she said.

Whether the doctrine will pay off for all of the Monarchs' shooting woes has yet to be seen. The Monarchs are shooting 40.6 percent from the field, third-worst in the league.

Top of the class

Many names have been mentioned for Coach of the Year -- including Phoenix's Paul Westhead, San Antonio's Dan Hughes and Detroit's Bill Laimbeer -- but there are two other coaches making their cases.

Chicago's Bo Overton has more than doubled his team's wins from last season's 5-29 record. Interim Mystics coach Tree Rollins has taken a team that started the season 0-8 and managed to remain in the playoff race.

Richie Adubato resigned June 1 after the Mystics started the season 0-4. Rollins also hit a 0-4 roadblock in his first games as interim head coach before the Mystics recovered to win their first game on June 13 against the Mercury. From the team's 0-8 start, the Mystics are 14-8 and are holding on to the fourth and final playoff spot in the East.

Washington heads to Sacramento to face the Monarchs with the second-best win streak in the WNBA after winning four consecutive games. Detroit has won five consecutive games.

Speaking of awards, Monarchs guard Chelsea Newton is among the players nominated from each team for the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award. All ballots are due Aug. 20.

In memoriam

Minnesota Lynx players are honoring victims of the Aug. 1 bridge collapse in Minneapolis by wearing "35W" decals on their shoes. While the idea was to wear the simple black and white mark for Tuesday's game against Seattle, team officials said Friday that players will likely wear it for the remainder of the season.

The team is also planning to host the kids from the school bus that was on the bridge when it collapsed. Dozens of children were on the bus for a summer field trip, and while some were taken to the hospital, all survived.

The kids are scheduled to attend the Lynx's final home game Aug. 19 against San Antonio, said Jon Erickson Jr., Lynx public relations manager.

On their way out?

Comets forward Tina Thompson has told reporters she is "maybe 70 to 30 percent sure" she will not play next year, while teammate Sheryl Swoopes has defused rumors that she has already retired.

Swoopes has not played since suffering a back injury three games into the season.

Westhead, the Mercury's coach, is being mentioned for an assistant coaching position under P.J. Carlesimo with the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics. However, Westhead has said he won't consider any options until after the WNBA playoffs, which coincide with the end of his two-year contract.

"There's nothing going on," Westhead told the Arizona Republic. "The day the season ends, I would have to contemplate what my future is to be. When this ends, I'll think about -- and I hope others will think about -- what I'm going to do."

About the writer:

• The Bee's Melody Gutierrez can be reached at (916) 326-5521 or mgutierrez@sacbee.com.