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gia · Guest

Well, one Phoenix loss or one Portland win officially eliminates the Mercury from the playoff picture. Whether it's tonight or next week is a moot <sp> point.

With that in mind, should they still go all out to win, or just experiment with youngsters, line-ups, and plays? Do they play for a draft pick or pride?

I'll probably opt to watch this one at home on TV. :shock:

Katie Smith is the most versatile, most underrated player, most ignored by the league player in the WNBA. I'd trade ANYONE to see her in a Mercury uniform.

Gaucho_Don · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 223

I think Sharp already made that decision in the game Saturday... Whatever happens the rest of the way, we will see a lot more of lineups and a lot more of the youngsters...

We will go from one extreme to the other... Jen, who commonly played mid to upper 30's will probably not exceed 25 minutes, same with Lisa.

But hey, maybe we'll actually see some lineups where all 5 players are playing their proper positions :!:

mb · Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2002 9:49 am Post subject:

Gia brings up one of my favorite players, Katie Smith.

How about offering Harrison, Williams, and Reid, for Smith and a pick?

Not that I don't like those players, or wish to see them go...yet I'd make that trade in a second.

Perhaps we've started this discussion elsewhere...who is expendable and what are our needs?

The Tribune reported the other day that Fallon and Stepanova have both said they plan to return next season. Contrary to popular opinion, I beleive is will happen.

The players I would love to add to our roster are Katie Smith and Lauren Jackson. While I'm dreaming Yolanda and Sheryl would be nice.

Next season holds promise, yet LA, Houston, and Sacremento (with nice draft pick) will be formidable foes.

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1564 Location: Phoenix

I'd trade 3/4 of our team for Katie Smith...and you can have the whole team for Yo Griffith!

I think we need to really experiment these last games to define roles better and find the players that work well together.
We really need the 1st or 2nd pick in next years draft too...but I do want to beat Minnesota tonight!

Yeah, Maria will be back but will she be the same after giving birth?

LoveTheMerc · Guest Joined: 16 Jul 2002 Posts: 18 Location: Chandler, AZ

Sharp is really playing the team for next season. Article on AZCentral.com outlines it. See link:
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/mercury/0729mercury0729.html

I'm pretty convinced that Sharp is not who we need in the head coach spot. She lacks the leadership it takes to pull this team together. However, she does have other strengths. It's too far into the season to even hope for a playoff spot. So, she's doing what she can to prepare the team for next year. She's working the bench players more on the court to give them more experience. Some of our bench players are good and with more experience can become really good to great. Kayte, Saunders, Bonfiglio, etc.

I've also heard here and there that Fallon and Stepanova will be returning next season. If that does happen and we can get a top 3 draft pick, we'll be poised for a playoff spot next year.

My opinion as far as trades go, we can easily loose Moises, and Tuvic. Moises is fast but can't control the ball. Tuvic is tall but doesn't get the rebounds that's expected of her at all and she fouls a lot. Oksana is new on our team, but can't seem to get it together at all. She was horrible in Saturday's game against the Monarchs. Trade her off too.

I completely agree with everyone about Katie Smith from Minn Lynx. She is a very good player with hardly any recognition... But she did make the All Stars! Highly doubt that the Lynx would trade her out at all. She's their only real strength. We'll see tonight against them.

Gaucho_Don · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 223

I agree that Tuvic should be one worth offering up for a price... Don't know about Oksana... haven't seen enough yet, but I'm sure we will.

The scary thing I read (at Full Court Press) was speculation that starting Veal was an attempt to get her more playing time and exposure to raise her value on the trading block. I hope that is errant speculation.

What does everyone think the odds of us not only making the playoffs, but winning a championship next year are? I'm sure I could get shot for this, but what about trading Jen? We could get a decent prospect in exchange for Jen from a team who needs her for the extra boost to knock off LA/Houston. We may make ourselves better in the long run to sacrifice some next year. And maybe Jen would get a championship! Of course I'd hate for our team to have to play her!

About tonight's game, Hopefully there is a happy middleground of time for Jen and the other first-liners between the mid 30's they were playing and the 20 or less they got Saturday. (Once we are eliminated, I'm all for resting them virtually entirely for next season, but until then -- hopefully not tonight, we should use the first-liners for their abilities).

Gaucho81 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 147 Location: Ventura, CA

Yeah :!: :lol: :!:

Halftime: Merc 28 - Lynx 25

And to think it was an ugly 2-16 in the first 5-6 minutes.

Nice Half. Great finish for the half.

Christensen, Saunders, Moises off the bench sure kick-started it into gear :wink:

That's the way to play. We've got Minnesota on the ropes.
Let's open the second half the way we finished the first half.
Kevin Ray mentioned we went on a 26-9 run to finish the second half. Nice. Minnesota is having a hard time holding onto the ball :( :cry: :( :) :D :wink:

Sure wish I was courtside :!: Sounds like a lot of fun.

Come on Mercury, 20 minutes to go. You've got the Lynx number this game. You bet you can, you bet you can :twisted:

Keegan · Guest Joined: 13 Jun 2002 Posts: 977

Miami must be loving this... each time the Lynx lose, they get closer to a top 2 pick. And they might be a playoff team this year...

Gaucho81 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 147 Location: Ventura, CA

Ah :!: How sweet it is :lol:

More importantly, a solid batch of play for the final 34 minutes.

Way to go Mercury :!: :!: :!:

Nice Job :wink:

Hey, let's start the season over. All in favor....

Gaucho_Don · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 223

Congrats Merc :!: :!: :!:

Sounds like we finally heard the music after the 16-2 sleepwalk.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could keep it going :?: and maybe Portland and Seattle started losing :) :D

We can still hope.

The breakdown by Lineup Tonight:
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ .....For .....Against .....+/-
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..... ..... .....
Harrison.... Moises...... Christensen. Saunders.... Williams.... ....0 ....0 ....0
Harrison.... Moises...... Christensen. Saunders.... Gillom...... ....2 ....0 ....2
Harrison.... Moises...... Christensen. Grubin...... Williams.... ....4 ....0 ....4
Harrison.... Moises...... Christensen. Saunders.... Williams.... ....6 ....4 ....2
Harrison.... Moises...... Williams.... Grubin...... Gillom...... ...13 ....5 ....8
Harrison.... Moises...... Williams.... Saunders.... Gillom...... ....4 ....6 ...-2
Harrison.... Veal........ Christensen. Saunders.... Williams.... ....6 ....3 ....3
Harrison.... Veal........ Gillom...... Grubin...... Williams.... ....2 ...16 ..-14
Harrison.... Veal........ Williams.... Saunders.... Christensen. ....6 ....3 ....3
Harrison.... Veal........ Williams.... Saunders.... Gillom...... ....0 ....2 ...-2
Saunders.... Moises...... Christensen. Grubin...... Gillom...... ...10 ....4 ....6
Saunders.... Moises...... Williams.... Grubin...... Gillom...... ....4 ....2 ....2
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ...57 ...45 ...12

And by +/- points while each player was on the court:

Moises 22
Christensen 20
Saunders 14
Grubin 6
Harrison 4
Williams 4
Bonfiglio 0
Gillom 0
Tuvic 0
Zakaluzhnaya 0
Veal -10

PS sorry bout the formatting

Gaucho81 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 147 Location: Ventura, CA

Gia--
Hopefully, you didn't opt out of the live game :wink:

Wow, the fans came through the feed nice and clear (what an X-factor)!

Saunders and Moises were awesome :!: Kayte played superb defense :!:

I really enjoyed the ovasion the X-factor gave Kayte when she came out of the game in the second half. You guys are great :P

I do wish Veal would have gotten more minutes. It sure couldn't have helped her confidence any from the pattern tonight, especially not starting the second half after starting the first. Veal's minutes are the only area I can complain about on tonights game. But I will take the win :)

I can't wait to get the live accounts from the game here on the board when you lucky fans return home :wink:

Now, let's use the same tactics against Indiana on Wednesday :!:

kharris · Posted: Mon Jul 29, 2002 9:31 pm Post subject:

OK kids, can I see a show of hands from those of you who still want to "sell the farm" for Katie Smith? :wink: I think those demons that have possessed the Mercury for the last several weeks decided to take over her body tonight. :twisted:

Great win! Here's hoping the intensity we saw in this game carries over for the remaining seven.

Gaucho81 · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 147 Location: Ventura, CA

Gaucho Don--
Thanks for the comparisons.

It's nice to see that the top three in +/- category are the three that kick-started the team out of their doldrums (sp?). We knew it by listening to the game, but your stats give solid support to the same :wink:

Kharris--
You may be right about Katie Smith. She sure had one "off" game. And she almost came up empty :lol:

Okay, now we will only trade half the team for Katie instead of the whole bunch :wink:

gia · Guest

I did opt out of the live game. I really liked watching it on TV! I even got to see Hannah wearing a nun's habit! :o

Lisa's defense on Katie was great but we're also lucky she had an off shooting night. She did put up 15 shots. though some were desperation tosses. I think she averages about 13 FGA's per game and she's @ 40% FGM. I'd still take her in a heartbeat. :)

Kayte showed she's pretty limber! ( - See Pic here - Yes, that's her foot up by her hip!). Twice she was on the floor bent completely backwards on her knees with her back touching the floor and was able to hang onto the ball and pass out. Kayte, Jay, Moises, Williams made the difference tonight in pulling off what ended up being about a 35 point turnaround.

They showed an interview with Grubin during halftime. She's not very impressed with the current coaching staff when K Ray asked her about the Sharp, Cooper, and Timms combo. "They're doing their best. I really miss Cynthia." Seemed like she was completely caught off guard with the question and couldn't wait to get away from the mic.

caune · Guest Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1564 Location: Phoenix

I would like to take a small bit of credit for Katie Smiths shooting night :twisted: I put her on my VGM team, which is always a curse for a good player;)

Gia, you wouldn't have happened to tape this game?????
and have a copy for a basketball junkie :wink:

gia · Guest

Yes, I taped it for Sister Hannah ;) I can make a copy for you (I think!) or else Hannah would love to I'm sure.

Interesting article this morning about how Sharp had the players state what they bring to the team in front of the other players before the game.

Quote: In part because of a therapeutic pregame meeting during which coach Linda Sharp had each player say out loud what she most contributes. Many did exactly what they verbalized, including Saunders, who tied her career high with 12 points, and Adrain Williams with her second double-double in three games and fourth of the season.

Williams said, "That's why we won, we played as a team. You're accountable for it. You say it, you've got to do it. You don't say you're going to be a leader and then you're not a leader. You'd better bring it."

Full Story Here

cbibat · Guest Joined: 14 Jun 2002 Posts: 232

give Harrison some credit for Katie's 'off-night' - Katie's 2 worst scoring nites - 2 pts in each game came against the Merc with Harrison on her most of the game both times

gia · Guest

No doubt Lisa caused Katie to take some forced/changed shots. I did give her credit :) ......and pointed out she was still able to take 15 shots. You could see she was thoroughly frustrated but she didn't admit it ;)

Quote: ``It's great to get a home win and see the team play with such passion,'' Mercury coach Linda Sharp said. ``I thought we played really hard tonight. We set some records, we held Minnesota to their season-low, and Katie Smith, one of the best shooters in the league, didn't get a basket until close to the end.''

Saunders and Lisa Harrison took turns guarding Smith, who was scoreless until she made a layup with 1:41 to play, cutting Minnesota's deficit to 53-43.

``I got some good looks,'' Smith said. ``I just didn't knock them down. They didn't do anything different to me. This has just been a different year.''