Sun have answered questions ... so far

Mohegan - Before every season, Connecticut Sun coach Mike Thibault scribbles down what he calls a "hopeful number" of wins for his team.

"I wrote down 21 wins the first time," Thibault said. "I wrote 20 the second time, and I also put in parentheses, 'whatever it takes to make the playoffs.'"

Connecticut was one of the WNBA's great mysteries headed into the 2011 season. A combination of injuries and inexperience resulted in a 17-17 record last year. Its coaches didn't know what to expect.

The Sun fulfilled Thibault's wishes and, after a two-year absence, qualified for the playoffs.

Connecticut will play host to the Atlanta Dream Friday in Game 1 of the best-of-three Eastern Conference semifinals (Mohegan Sun Arena, 7 p.m.)

"I thought for this team, as young as we were, that if we won 20 games this year we'd have a heck of a year," Thibault said. "And we exceeded it by one.

"Our best basketball for this team and franchise is still ahead of us, hopefully in the next three weeks."

Few teams began the season with as many question marks as the Sun. Asjha Jones was slowed last season after surgery on her left Achilles' tendon. Kara Lawson battled through injuries, too. Sandrine Gruda and Anete Jekabsone-Zogota both decided to take the year off. And six of the team's 11 players were 24 years old or younger before this season began.

Connecticut finished 21-13 and second in the East. It tied the Indiana Fever and the Seattle Storm for the WNBA's second-best record.

"I definitely thought we'd make the playoffs," Lawson said. "I didn't know where we'd sit, but I thought we'd be ready to make that next step and be two or three games better than we were a year ago. … I didn't know where we'd be maturity-wise at the end.

"I'm telling you, 20-plus wins (in the WNBA) is like winning 10 games in the NFL. It's hard to do. It's something to be proud of."

Second-year center Tina Charles set a WNBA record for double-doubles this year (23) and played like an MVP candidate.

Guard Renee Montgomery, in her second year with the team, was selected to her first all-star game.

Jones and Lawson played like their old selves.

Tan White and the newly acquired Kalana Greene have been defensive sparks.

"Our feel for one another and how we play and read off of each other (is better)," Lawson said. "We understand when things break down how to play off of that."

Thibault said, "I'm happy, but I don't think any good coach is completely satisfied unless you walk out winning a championship. We're in a society where you measure success based on championships. Yeah, that's the ultimate success, but we've been successful this year. I'd like to build on it with a great playoff run.

"There's still more growth, which is good to know."

n.griffen@theday.com