Open Thread: Phoenix Mercury vs LA Sparks
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 10:00 PM EDT
in WNBA
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PrintI think there are still Beat LA signs in the trash bins surrounding US Airways Center left over from the Suns-Lakers Game 6 last week.
Of course, in this game it's going to be the Sparks looking for revenge after getting beat in the opening game of the season, not to mention they are 1 and 4 which isn't something they can be too happy about.
The Mercury, at 2 and 3 aren't exactly feeling great either, in fact they are admittedly mad about losing their last two games. Whether that anger translates into a better start to the game, fewer turnovers and a better rhythm for Candice Dupree....we shall see.
For the Sparks it all comes down to Candace Parker who is playing out of her mind with 21.8 ppg and 11 rebounds per game. The rest of her team is sketchy at best on the offensive end only shooting 41.9% but they also are giving up 44.1% on the defensive end compared to 40.7% for the Mighty Mercury defense.
Expect the Mercury to use even more of the Rover zone than normal to combat Parker and force the 33% three-point shooting Sparks to try and beat them from outside.
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Teams are going right at
Tangela Smith on the defensive end….seems like the exact same thing as last season where I complained about her defense all season until the playoffs when she stepped it up to another level
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Bonner in for Dupree
that’s didn’t take long….did I mention the other day that at practice she was on the bike and sitting out of some stuff. She had a her right quad wrapped due to a “minor strain”
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Have I mentioned yet
how good DeWanna looks this season?
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Interesting line up
Smith, Ohlde, Bonner, Taurasi, Swanier
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Loved that...
Ohlde screwed up on defense, Corey yelled at her, then immediately called her number on the other end for a post touch and she scored
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So was that
An actual defensive foul on Lennox? Looked like 50/50 from up here.
Betty Lennox
Lowest bball IQ in the league?
Here comes a Captain Obvious statement
Sparks look way better tonight when Ticha’s on the floor.
And an injured ankle will not help this team any...
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Definitely not
She has 10 of LA’s 11 assists in the first half! :o
by just checkin on Jun 4, 2010 10:44 PM EDT up reply actions
That's how they need to get Dupree
touches – on the move like that and not just w/ post ups
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Have you discussed this with Gaines at all?
How he wants to set her up?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
No - just noticed it
he hates talking about stuff at that level of detail though
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 10:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I am surprised that they haven't played her facing the basket more. Did her jump shot
disappear over the winter?
I'm looking forward to some shot charts or percentages by position for Dupree...
I’d guess it’s much, much different from last year. Shes not even attempting the same types of shots…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
There are three types of lies:
Lies, damn lies, and statistics… ;)
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Official report
is Ticha turned ankle but likely to return
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Mercury might
win this game but the offensive execution is still broke. They are hanging in w/ talent and….well it was defense in the 1st quarter (39% shooting for Sparks) but now…
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For some
Fairly spectacular screw-ups, there’ve been some spectacular flashes too
I'm not sure I'm convinced Dupree loves Might Mercury
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I'm not sure I'm convinced Dupree loves anything
She makes Ben Stein seem effervescent. :/
by just checkin on Jun 4, 2010 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
No one looks
Particularly happy in a Merc uniform these days; Penny frequently looks down right disgusted
(DB the exception)
Penny looks
tired to me…constantly
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I would say more mentally
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by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe it's time
For Tan to try getting a leeeeetle bit closer to the basket
or maybe closer to the bench
like on it
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions
A time when +/- works wells
Smith: -12….
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
I was just thinking that
in this game the +/- perfectly matches what we are seeing. Bonner leads Merc w/ +9. Smith worst -11
Ticha +17
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Sparks only
shot 41% in the 1st half…Merc defense not that bad. 13-5 in 2nd chance points and 5 of 12 from 3 for Sparks why they lead
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
I didn't see what happened there
but DT and Milton-Jones seem to have got tangled up a bit
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The common theme?
DMJ..
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
DB cracks me up
she has a pissed off look on her face walking across the court and she couldn’t help but dance a little to the music being played
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Riley that is
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Seeing Riley matched up with both Swanier and Johnson
has made me realize just how small Riley really is.
To her credit...
She did a surprisingly good job defending Sue Bird…
Wait, she shot again…?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Taylor getting into the game here
just abused Candace Parker
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
I heart DeWanna Bonner
I just can’t pretend any more…the secret it out….serious crush on her game.
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The secret was out last year ...
With your rookie of the year talk ;)
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
she's like
50% better this year….last year it was all energy and hustle, now she’s just smooth and brilliant too (and energy and hustle)
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Totally agree
What’s interesting — and I can’t recall this happening in the NBA fwiw — is that I cannot recall two top rookie of the year candidates (3 if you toss in Zellous) who were such strong defenders as well as offensive players…
I think we might have only seen the tip of the iceberg for her defensively…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
"Live an onion, peeling back another layer of her game"
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Pretty sure the Merc
have stopped trying to run the offense through Dupree
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
whether that's due to
Parker defending her or just a smart adjustment to take some pressure off it’s working. Dupree only has 4 points but she’s playing better
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions
They are using her in the screen and roll w/ Taurasi
and forcing the Sparks to bring help to defend her roll which is opening up Smith who finally is hitting shots…offense looking more fluid
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 4, 2010 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions
THAT'S what I've envisioned for her...
She has to play off someone…p&r, flares, spot up 3s whatever…
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Maybe that's why
She looks a bit more comfortable? (at least from up here)
Gillom wanted a time out there
but Lennox hit the shot too soon
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Please tell me
The Merc finally found themselves and this isn’t just a temporary reprieve…
A win will go a long way to reinforcing this behavior...
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Sparks hitting the three
got give them credit for making their shots
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
That was horrible clock management
Ticha’s injury just complicates matters. Those back-ups don’t do anything else except shoot the ball.
And an 8-second call as well!
Heal up soon Ticha…for LA’s sake! :/
by just checkin on Jun 5, 2010 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions
For some silly reason
I thought that Parker wasn’t having a good game. She’s 9-18, 24 pts and 11 reb.
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
Posting up Quinn
in a late game situation….hmmmm. I mean I know she’s got a mismatch w/ TJ but still
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Wow - Johnson might have just saved
the game w/ that hustle! She dove in there for that loose ball
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nope
but Bonner’s rebound and then Taylor fighting for the miss off the missed FT
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by Seth Pollack on Jun 5, 2010 12:05 AM EDT up reply actions
Can you hear what she's saying?
Child friendly?
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
Not child friendly
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
by Seth Pollack on Jun 5, 2010 12:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Merc doing all the little things to win the game
LA self-destructing due to lack of leadership on the court
uh oh
so the Merc can’t inbound the ball w/ a one point lead and 13 sec….gonna have to get a stop to win this game
It would be a fun one if it weren’t so sloppy
Blogging Suns Basketball . twitter: @sethpo
DMJ missed a very good look
Bonner w/ the final rebound (of course)
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ha!
Tangela Smith says , “F U Swish Appeal thread!!!”
SwishAppeal.com, women's basketball...covered SBN-style... twitter: @qmccall3
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