Game (thread) of the Night: Seattle Storm (11-2) vs. Indiana Fever (8-4)

http://www.sportspagemagazine.com/content/bb/wp-bb/art-wp-bb/will-officiating-affect-the-storm-fever-matchup.shtml?40805

On Catchings’ improved field goal percentage: The biggest reason why she’s improved this season and an off-season focus of hers. “She just worked at it.”

On team chemistry, in response to this article: “I just think with women that’s a real plus and these players enjoy playing with each other, they enjoy playing together, and they seem to have a pretty good time off the court.”

Keys to beating the Storm:

1. “Score more points, that’s one.”
2. “I just thought we did some things defensively that bothered them, but I expect them tonight to counter those things. It’s like a chess match: we were able to protect our home court and now we’re coming in here and they plan to protect theirs and I think they’ll make some adjustments and then we’ll have to counter those adjustments.”

“No not really,” said Catchings laughing a guilty laugh. “It was a nice day in Seattle, we don’t get to come here very often. So maybe later. We gotta take advantage of the sun, ok.”

She does watch the Pacers when she’s not playing overseas.

[Editorial note: give the Pacers’ performance over the last two years, I find her response justified…]

Haven’t seen much of that before.

Fever bench is up and cheering HARD like every time something good happens…

Zellous and Morris are among the most energetic…

Great intensity/pace to start the game, which is good to see.

Big crowd out for the combination of Pride Night/bobbleheads/the Fever in town…

The Storm are running a bit – 4 fast break points out of 15 and a few more stopped… best way to the beat the Fever no doubt.

YMCA playing for the Fan Dance… need more Michael Jackson though.

One thing that’s noticeable is how hard the Fever are attacking the basket. The last team I recall getting to the rim so much was the Mystics, who had Lindsey Harding’s speed on their side. Will be interesting to see how the Storm adjust to this element of the “chess match”.

When asked on Wednesday about the differences between the Fever and Storm defenses, Brian Agler mentioned that one different is that the Storm tend not to pressure/trap quite as much as the Fever do.

Well… that’s exactly what the Storm are doing tonight and so far it’s been impressive, even when it results in fouls like the one Wright just committed on Douglas. Robinson came in earlier than usual as well and added to the pressure using her 6’5" length and athleticism.

Will be interesting to see a) if the Fever adjust to this and b) if the Storm keep it up.

On the bench with left leg elevated, getting taped by trainer

Nice veteran performance to draw that whistle.

as they have too

had some interesting lineup info from the last matchup:

http://www.feverweek.net/2010/06/statistical-noise-or-basketball-truth.html

Tully with starters was best, January with Starters was worst.
Douglas with Bench was best, Catchings with bench was worst

Defensive intensity is great, both teams are attacking the basket… but it’s hard to beat this team when LJ is hot from the 3p line…

She held the ball too long and she’s telling the bench that Morris should have given it up earlier

The Storm are shooting 58.3%…the Fever are shooting 63.5%…

Who will go cold first… and who will plummet further?

Crowd is enjoying it.

Playing a little atomic dog.

Like the song.

This was supposed to be a defensive battle.

And it is.

But if you would have told me the Fever would be at 64.3% shooting and the Storm at 57.1%, I would have laughed and called you a liar.

Lauren Jackson currently 6-6 and 4-4 from three point land for 17 points.

Fever guard Katie Douglas shooting 6-7 and 2-2 from 3 and 5-6 from the charity stripe for 19 points.

Somebody has to cool off…on offense. Wouldn’t anticipate a defensive drop off anytime soon.

Douglas left the court smiling about the last play as the crowd called for travel…

And a tech against Agler… yikes…

Morris, January, and Zellous rushed out onto the floor to meet Jene Morris after the Storm called a timeout…

Again, big bench support on and off the court…

Looks like I voted for the wrong team. ;)

about what she did to deserve a tech, by her body language at least.

crumbled under key arena pressure

Wow this is a good game….

We were chatting on press row about when the last time was that I saw a game this good… there were a lot of those last year with all those overtimes… but what’s different about this one is that neither team has gone through a complete lapse as the score changes. Both teams have played at an extremely high level for most of the game.

A note on Zellous: she is not happy with the refs.

I think this game clearly says which team is “tougher”, but it may not answer which team is “best”.

This game is by far the best WNBA game I’ve seen all season.

from my notes:

3p Bird
fg Douglas contested
3p Bird
3p Tully, catch shoot off Catchings drive and kick…

These are not defensive breakdowns… this is the best executed game I’ve seen all season for two teams, hands down.

More of the same.. just great basketball… unbelievable…

Bird with a huge 3 from the corner over Tully to get what I believe is the Storm’s first lead of the game…

Agler is hyped up on the bench. I want him to let out a Howard Dean style YEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! if they win this game. I won’t prod him. Promise.

The team defense often leaves outside shooters a little open. Tully needs to blanket Sue and not help anymore..

Who calls that?? On Swin, but that is tight.

but we don’t know which side they are playing on.

Indiana can win, Seattle can win, all at the refs capricious whims

No disrespect to either team.

Indiana burns their final timeout.

From the media row vantage point, the foul that sent Catchings to the bench was questionable at best…

I can’t stand the suspense.

Seattle – Indiana. Nothing resolved.

That needs to either be a foul… or Fever ball….

Wow… player of the game is…?