What to watch when Unrivaled’s 3×3 season resumes

After a 10-day interregnum for the 1-on-1 Tournament, which was one won by co-founder and Lunar Owl Napheesa Collier, Unrivaled’s 3×3 season resumes Tuesday, Feb. 18, with the final set of Week 4 games.

At 7:30 p.m. ET, Rose and Vinyl meet, followed by Phantom and Laces facing off at 8:30 p.m. ET. Both games will be broadcast on TNT.

Because of the cancellation of their scheduled Week 3 matchup due player health concerns, Laces and Vinyl have had even more time off. Laces last played Feb. 1, while Vinyl’s last game was Feb. 3. Will the extended break result in freshness or rust? As both teams are riding losing streaks, they’re certainly hoping for the former. Injuries had over-extended Laces, resulting in them dropping two-straight games. Vinyl has lost four in a row, having gone winless since Week 1. Fortunately for Vinyl, they meet Rose, one of the teams they’ve defeated. Laces, likewise, will look to reprise their win over Phantom from Week 1.

Will Vinyl quit record scratching against Rose?

After struggling to score for much of the season, Rose appeared to be finding an offensive groove in their last two games, wins over Laces and Mist. A more aggressive approach from Kahleah Copper, in particular, boosted Rose, with the quick guard posting back-to-back 21-point efforts while grabbing 17 rebounds across the two games.

Copper assuming the star offensive responsibilities slots Rose’s other players into their optimized roles. Chelsea Gray can give precision point guard play. Angel Reese will rebound relentlessly. Azurá Stevens offers her gap-filling versatility. Lexie Hull exudes 3-and-D expertise. It’s a formula that can help Rose become greater than the sum of their parts, especially if a recharged Brittney Sykes can return from the injury that has limited her to four games.

Vinyl, in contrast, has become less cohesive over the course of the season, with head coach Teresa Weatherspoon experimenting with different starting lineups in an effort to unlock the best version of her team. So far, the will of Dearica Hamby has been the only consistently positive force Vinyl, as the play of both Arike Ogunbowale and Rhyne Howard has waxed and waned, with their impact too dependent on if their 3-pointers are falling. Yet, there’s also a downside to Hamby’s excellence, as her substantial time on the court has resulted in the minimization of Aliyah Boston, meaning the club is getting almost nothing from one of its talents. It seems some more experimentation will be required for T-Spoon to keep her squad from losing five-straight games.

Can Phantom give Laces more than a scare?

It’s hard to prognosticate how this game will play out, as both of these clubs have dealt with significant injuries and absences. For Laces, only Jackie Young was deemed healthy enough to participate in the 1-on-1 Tournament, even as she still seems to be dealing with the lingering effects of a knee injury. Phantom’s Natasha Cloud also withdrew from the tournament to manage an injury, while Marina Mabrey still has yet to make her Unrivaled debut.

Optimistically, let’s hope both sides are fully healthy. As Sabrina Ionescu said of her club, “A healthy Phantom is a scary Phantom.” And we already know that’s true of Laces, as the club was undefeated and rivaling Lunar Owls as the league’s best before injuries struck. Last time, Laces lit up Phantom, scoring 83 points and holding the Ghost Gang to 48. Regardless of who is or is not available, expect a more competitive game this time around.

Looking back on the first matchup, the lack of involvement for Brittney Griner is striking. She had just seven points on seven shot attempts for Phantom, despite playing a team-high 33 minutes. The club has been at it’s best when it has established BG as a post-scoring threat. Whether its Alyssa Thomas or Stef Dolson attempting to defend her, Griner should be able exploit her size advantage.

Conversely, through Thomas’ transition play and/or Dolson’s spacing, Laces will work to run Griner off the floor, making this matchup a potentially interesting battle between differing styles and strategies.

Game information

Rose BC (3-4) vs. Vinyl BC (2-4)

When: Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Wayfair Arena in Medley, FL

How to watch: TNT

Phantom BC (2-5) vs. Laces BC (4-2)

When: Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 8:30 p.m. ET

Where: Wayfair Arena in Medley, FL

How to watch: TNT