FanPost

Glory Johnson's All-Star Play

Glory Johnson's defensive ability is as much a part of her All-Star resume as anything else. - Photo by Troy Littledeer.

This past weekend, Glory Johnson and the Tulsa Shock played some tough games against two of the top teams in the league. The Minnesota Lynx and Phoenix Mercury found out that the Shock is no team to roll over on.

Last Friday's game against the Lynx, it appeared the Shock were headed off to a slow start, but the team fought back.

Johnson played the most minutes of any Shock player in a physical battle against Rebekkah Brunson, who is averaging a double-double. You could see Johnson's effectiveness against the talented Lynx, whether it was her rotation on defense to hassle Maya Moore--held to 10 points--or her pressure on the Lynx defense.

Johnson showed off her versatility, especially on defense by guarding the post and the perimeter. She led all scorers with 22 points, shot 47.4% from the field, and grabbed 9 boards.

On Sunday against the Phoenix Mercury, the Shock put up a serious fight against a preseason favorite to win it all. The Shock overcame a slow first quarter to play a very competitive game, as the teams traded baskets. Johnson, herself, fought off a stinger after hitting the ground hard in the first quarter.

During the previous week, she only took 11 shots each game, averaging over 16 points in each of those games. Keep in mind that last season's MVP Tina Charles is taking 17 shots or more each game.

The Shock got her going early against the Mercury and she continued her excellent play throughout the whole game. All the while, she relentlessly battled a very good front court that included Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, and Candice Dupree--all capable of posting double-doubles.

Johnson grabbed 12 offensive rebounds against that front court. She scored 22 points through the first three quarters. Not to mention, she hit all of her free-throws, including a clutch pair in overtime.

She recorded a career-high double-double, finishing with

32 PTS
12-23, 52.2% FG
7-7, 100.0% FT
15 REBS, 12 OFF

The Shock have played competitive games this season thanks in large to Johnson.

VOTE GLORY JOHNSON TO THE ALL-STAR GAME