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Mercurymaniac · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 1197 Location: Scottsdale

Let's go for a 4-peat!

Keys to a win

Rebounding Keeping Catchings and Williams off the offensive boards will be crucial. Williams has made a career of offensive put backs. We control the boards, we can run an up tempo game

Taking care of the rock We got lucky winning having 20 turnovers, lets not try to push it. Make them earn their baskets.

Score more points than the Fever We take high percentage shots and not try to force the offense, we will win. Let's try to shoot 60% from the field again.

It's going to be another tough defensive night. Indiana likes to control the pace of play and work out of half-court sets. If we can get out and run, contolling the tempo, we'll be just fine.

It would be nice for the Sharks to beat them up a bit, keep the game close and lose. Why not have some tired Fever players to feast on.

Go Mercury!

kitkat310 · Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 303

Also, Keeping Diana is some sort of protective armor might be a good idea..I'd wager that Catchigns will guard her..and well, as Diana says "She always hurts me.." So, I fully expect Diana to get run over in this game..And I don't know if Phoenix will get lucky enough to win without their point guard against a very good team, again...

I agree, on the rebounding..it seems that it was something Graf made the team work on...they need to stay focused on rebounding and taking care of the ball..Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to play Lisa some and have her tail Catchings, (Maybe to give Anna, Diana or Penny a break...) if Lisa can slow down Swoopes..she can slow down anyone..(also, she certainly slowed down Powell too..)

Mercurymaniac · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 1197 Location: Scottsdale

Quote: Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to play Lisa some and have her tail Catchings,

I would love to believe that Lisa can slow down Catch, but I think she'd have trouble with Catch driving on her. I think Catch will eat her lunch. I'd loved to be proven wrong.

Dee's going to get banged around that's just the nature of the game. However, if we have balanced scoring from all of our starters as we have over the past couple of games. They won't just be able to key on her.

CamrnCrz1974 · Joined: 16 Jun 2003 Posts: 1689 Location: Central Phoenix

The problem with Lisa is that she gives up what she stopped. Lisa's turnovers last night didn't cost us because of the big lead, but she gave nothing offensively and nothing in terms of rebounding or assists.

If the other four players aren't picking up the offensive slack, not just their numbers but also making up for Lisa's lack of offense, then Phoenix cannot win. It is a lot to ask of the other players, especially if a player can be defended without disrupting the offensive slow.

kitkat310 · Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 303

LOL, well you can't really blame her for all of her turnovers...it's not her fault she had to play POINT GUARD...(that, I have to say, was not one of Carrie's better ideas..although, at one point in the game..of course, with Diana out..the only person I wanted to ever touch the ball was Penny..but that's a whole other story isn't it.. :D )

kjg · Joined: 20 Feb 2004 Posts: 83 Location: NE Wisconsin

I agree with Cam that Lisa didn't contribute much in the way of scoring, rebounding, or assists last night. On the other hand, in the recent games much of what Lisa has contributed has been out of the stat categories unless you look at the low numbers of whom she has defended have put up. She must be getting her minutes because of the other things she does (i.e. defense on top players, etc) and the coaches obviously must feel more comfortable with her playing than others. While she had 4 turnovers, this works out to about 1 per 4 minutes last night which is about what DT had and far better than the 1 per minute that Belinda had. It would be wonderful to have Sandora and Belinda living up to their pre-WNBA reps, a healthy Shereka & Angelina, and Ashley doing more offensively, but it just isn't happening and hasn't happened. As a result, Lisa has filled that needed 5th spot whenever called upon and has played a major role in getting some starters some rest and she has not been a liability because the other 4 have picked it up offensively. Lisa's contributions have probably meant one or two wins for the Mercury which have greatly enhanced the team's playoff hopes. Give her the props she deserves because no one on this board would have thought Lisa could be such a positive contributor. On the downside, Lisa will not be able to make up for Maria's absence. Despite the game-and-a-half lead over the Lynx & LA, going 5-3 without Maria is going to be a challenge and the rest of the reserves have got to make greater contributions. It's going to be a game-by-game battle to make the playoffs but without Lisa's contributions, we might be sitting at 11-15 and kissing the 2005 season "good-bye" already.

SportsFan48 · Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1124

I think Catchings will pose a defensive challenge tonight, but she does that to everyone. The key is not letting her take over the game and control it. That is something I think Lisa could do if called upon. There are things that Lisa does offensively that don't show up on a stat line like setting picks, boxing out and keeping her person away from the boards to allow a teammate to get the rebound, clock management, etc. Things that a veteran player would do. I do wish she would take the shot more when open but I do feel she does more than the stats show.

It comes down to choices. If you are Graf are you going to put someone in that may give you 4-6 points as opposed to a defensive stopper who will shut down their offensive weapon and take potentially 10+ points away from the opponent.

Maniac, I like your "score more points than Indiana" key. That is my theory too.

As far as the turnovers go, if we can create as many as we make, then it will usually be a wash....and if we an do a better job of converting those turnovers to points we will come out ahead, IMO. Against Sacramento, we had 19 TO to Sac's 20, but 11 fast bread points to their 2.

kitkat310 · Joined: 20 Jun 2005 Posts: 303

Well turnovers and fouls killed the Mercury in this one..

Diana Taurasi 6 fouls
Penny Taylor 6 fouls
Kamilla Vodichkova 6 fouls

Tamika Catchings 0 fouls :roll:

ThatGAgirl · Joined: 08 Jun 2004 Posts: 118

kitkat310 wrote: Well turnovers and fouls killed the Mercury in this one..

Diana Taurasi 6 fouls
Penny Taylor 6 fouls
Kamilla Vodichkova 6 fouls

Tamika Catchings 0 fouls :roll:

Can't wait for the game reports from this one. I've never heard so many charge calls...and how the hell does Catch play an ENTIRE game with ZERO fouls?? :roll: As much as I love Tamika, thats next to impossible!!

Still, Merc failed at the line...there's the game. ugh! :evil:

Mercurymaniac · Joined: 04 Aug 2002 Posts: 1197 Location: Scottsdale

It was an ugly game and we didn't seem ready to play. To me this game is an example of what totatlly frustrates me about them. We're in a playoff race and we don't come out with any intensity, playing a team coming in on the second game of a back to back.

Yes, the refs sucked and the charging calls were from Mars, but we never adjusted to the way they were calling the game. But 20 turnovers and 8 missed free throws, there's the ball game. Indiana couldn't hit the broadside of a barn, except when they got to the line.

Indiana played some tough defense, but we had a lot of standing around and soft passes which were intercepted. For the past couple of games, we've been trying a play to feed into the post, it hasn't worked yet, so maybe back to the drawing board. :?

Kayte made a good point on the post game show about mixing up the line-ups in practice so the starters get used to playing with the bench. Tonight showed our glaring lack of depth and I only think teams will exploit it as much as possible.

This was a game that got away and now we have to get ready for Detroit and their deep bench.

SuziQ · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Phoenix

Horrific officiating - you're right to be skeptical that TC didn't foul anyone! Less than a minute left in the game, Anna goes to shoot the 3-pointer, Catchings elevates and comes down on her. Right in front of the ref. No call. "My Fault" Refs!

Yes, the missed freethrows hurt, and there were definately some lackidasical (sp?) passes. But I still say that the refs had more to do with the outcome of this one than they ever should have. 3 of our starters wind up fouling out? Unheard of, and I refuse to believe they played THAT badly! Unfortunately, we'll never know what might have been on this one.

Shook hands w/ Katie Smith walking into AWA (she looks better in person, dressed casually, than she ever has in any WNBA promo photo!). Got to meet Caune and Cam and Librarygeek. And the cousin of Tamika Catchings sat next to us - clapping very discreetly! Ahh, all those brushes w/ fame in one night! Could only have been better if we'd won.

caune · Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1558 Location: Phoenix

Pleasure meeting you too suziq.
Last night was a veritable who's who, the detroit players, jenn, bridget, Tasha Butts, the entire deforge family. We are at the place to be seen;)

game wise, our free throws sukd and so did the refs, but if we had hit our shots we would have won :oops:

SuziQ · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Phoenix

It was an honor and a priviledge, Caune. Just wish I could be there to cheer on our Mercury tomorrow night. This'll be the first game I've missed all season :( And to have to go to CA on top of it all (I really don't like SoCal at all, except Coronado Island) - well, it just seems like insult to injury!

Has anyone heard if Diana will be fined/disciplined in some way for the comments she made in the morning's AZ Republican? She was quite outspoken ("They were stupid."), and I doubt even she'll get away with it. Even if she was right.

Dunkin' Dan · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 3:12 am Post subject:

SuziQ wrote: ledge, Caune.
:D

1carol · Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 1032 Location: Phoenix AZ

SuziQ wrote: Horrific officiating - you're right to be skeptical that TC didn't foul anyone! Less than a minute left in the game, Anna goes to shoot the 3-pointer, Catchings elevates and comes down on her. Right in front of the ref. No call. "My Fault" Refs!

Yes, the missed freethrows hurt, and there were definately some lackidasical (sp?) passes. But I still say that the refs had more to do with the outcome of this one than they ever should have. 3 of our starters wind up fouling out? Unheard of, and I refuse to believe they played THAT badly! Unfortunately, we'll never know what might have been on this one.

Yes we could have won if we hit our FTs, but.... I still heartily and loudly object to the officiating. It wasn't just "STAR Catchings" getting away with way too much (I still luv ya Catch). Natalie Williams at 6'2" 210 pounds was busting up the post and got called for only 2 fouls?? :evil: The biggest influence was the timing of the fouls. We were called for many fouls early and in the 1st half. IMO the refs had us so rattled we couldn't close in to defend & it effected the other aspects of our game.

This late in the season I refuse to take off my rose colored glasses :lol:

caune · Joined: 12 Jun 2002 Posts: 1558 Location: Phoenix

Quote: Meanwhile, there were no reported sanctions Monday on Diana Taurasi for her outspoken rip of the officiating in Sunday's loss to Indiana. Taurasi, who called the officials "stupid," was one of three Mercury starters who fouled out. Unlike the NBA, the WNBA does not announce fines, but one was expected.

so far no fine...from azrepublic article

1carol · Joined: 17 Jul 2003 Posts: 1032 Location: Phoenix AZ

"Stupid" was probably the only descriptive word Diana said that could be printed in the paper :shock: :twisted:

SuziQ · Joined: 17 Apr 2004 Posts: 288 Location: Phoenix

Glad you caught that, Dan. That's exactly what I meant!

And the "My Fault" was a reference, too. I read on one of the other boards (was it you? I think it was....) that maybe that's what DT said instead of another MF phrase. Ahh, the things we learn online....

potd41 · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:35 am Post subject:

1carol wrote: "Stupid" was probably the only descriptive word Diana said that could be printed in the paper :shock: :twisted:

You hit the nail on the head....LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dunkin' Dan · Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2005 4:31 pm Post subject:

SuziQ wrote: And the "My Fault" was a reference, too. I read on one of the other boards (was it you? I think it was....) that maybe that's what DT said instead of another MF phrase. Ahh, the things we learn online....
Heh heh - d'oh - that reference slipped straight past me. I blame my extreme tiredness yesterday.
I'll be keeping an eye on you from now on, SuziQ.

taurasi2156 · Posted: Wed Aug 17, 2005 6:27 am Post subject:

i guess im way lost but i usually jus browse now and read up on some stuff and ur guys comments ont he games now when i can ... what was all this stuff Dee said because i read in the other thread that she said some stuff too?!