Playoffs: Sparks at Minny - 8:00 p.m. EST

[VAMike23]

PREVIEW

Minny will have to step up the consistency of their interior defense against L.A., but then again they will have an easier time scoring against L.A., too.

Should be a good one!

Go Maya

 

[MilfordHusky]

Can they defend Tolliver?

Seimone is due for a big game.

Go Maya!!

 

[VAUConnFan]

LA is a team that has improved considerably during the season with the continued development of Nemkadi Ogwumike. Right now, the edge would have to go to LA. For Minnesota to win, the torch is going to have to be passed to Maya right now. She represents Minnestoa's best chance for improved performance. She scored 17 points in the first half of the deciding game against Seattle; 3 points thereafter. Did Minnesota stop looking for her? That would be a losing proposition against a better team.

 

[rocky rococo]

LA is a team that has improved considerably during the season with the continued development of Nemkadi Ogwumike. Right now, the edge would have to go to LA.

I agree. Between the development of Nneka and Toliver, and the spectacular return to form of Alana Beard, LA is now my favorite to win this year's championship. Would have been my favorite for next year as well until the results of the draft lottery were announced. Suddenly there will be somebody that can play with LA. (It's going to be a very very long time before an eastern team is competitive for the championship.)

 

[wire chief]

I agree. Between the development of Nneka and Toliver, and the spectacular return to form of Alana Beard, LA is now my favorite to win this year's championship. Would have been my favorite for next year as well until the results of the draft lottery were announced. Suddenly there will be somebody that can play with LA. (It's going to be a very very long time before an eastern team is competitive for the championship.)

No fair picking a team w/o a UConnite. Much of recent history is on our side--Diana, Sue, Swin, Maya.

 

[VAMike23]

Minny has had games this season where turnovers are a real issue. Can't have that tonight. They will have to take care of the ball against L.A. and shoot a high percentage -- which they are certainly capable of doing. Whalen's injury is certainly going to hurt them. She may get a lot of minutes and may get some painkiller injections, but how durable is that wrist? I can't see her having her normal effectiveness, but she is a bulldog and may prove me wrong.

Minny will probably have to score 85-90 points tonight to win. If they lose tonight, I think they are swept out in L.A. Tonight is a must win. I hope that playing an offensive-minded uptempo team will get them in a better rhythm than they were in against Seattle. Seattle can really make you play ugly.

Right now I would say advantage L.A., overall.

 

[VAMike23]

Good defensive for Minny to open things but Parker gets off a shot that falls. Now 'Mone at the other end....

could be a high scoring affair....

 

[VAMike23]

Taj using her body , scores on CP3

 

[VAMike23]

Brunson is just a rebounding machiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

 

[VAMike23]

Minny is playing well but they still seem to be a half-step slow. Not sure why I say that, just looks that way.

 

[VAMike23]

Amber sighting -

 

[MilfordHusky]

I wouldn't call L.A. the favorite to win it all, but they are a dangerous team.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Nneka and Kristi with 14 points combined. L.A. can't win that way, even with a big game from Candace.

Maya has 16, 4, and 5. Seimone has 16, 6, and 6. Balance, baby!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Minnesota wins by 17. Maya leads with 20 points on just 13 shots.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Minny has had games this season where turnovers are a real issue. Can't have that tonight. They will have to take care of the ball against L.A. and shoot a high percentage -- which they are certainly capable of doing. Whalen's injury is certainly going to hurt them. She may get a lot of minutes and may get some painkiller injections, but how durable is that wrist? I can't see her having her normal effectiveness, but she is a bulldog and may prove me wrong.

Minny will probably have to score 85-90 points tonight to win. If they lose tonight, I think they are swept out in L.A. Tonight is a must win. I hope that playing an offensive-minded uptempo team will get them in a better rhythm than they were in against Seattle. Seattle can really make you play ugly.

Right now I would say advantage L.A., overall.

Was 94 enough?

 

[msf22b]

Not being able to catch the game from China, parusing the box score gives some indications of Minny's dominance in game one: Assists: 22-13, a big indication of superior team ball, another superior performance from Maya, with Seimone almost as good, with some indications (both +18) that they shared the floor (and the ball), much of the night and both with big assist numbers.
When both of these ladies go off and the defense and rebounding are solid; its difficult to beat this team.

 

[NoelAustin]

Most telling stat of the game is offensive rebounds 13-4 in favor of the Lynx. Rebekkah Brunson had more offensive boards than the entire Sparks team. LA is going to have to do something about that if they want to take the series to a third game.

 

[OneTrickPony]

When Minnesota cranks up the defense, they have the answers for the Sparks' offense...the reverse just isn't true at the moment.

 

[VAMike23]

Awesome game plan by Reeve & Co.

Obviously players win the games on the court, but this was also a great job by the staff. They went all in on harassing Toliver and pressuring the perimeter players to make it difficult for the Sparks to get good looks inside. They rotated hard, trapped and doubled aggressively - just a great defensive performance for at least 3/4 of the game.

On offense they shot a pretty good % but more importantly they took care of the ball. Only 8 T/Os vs. 14 for L.A. And as already mentioned, they killed L.A. on the glass.

Maya looked smooth and much more comfy in a game where the shot opportunities were not quite so dear as they were against Seattle.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Maya looked smooth and much more comfy in a game where the shot opportunities were not quite so dear as they were against Seattle.

I think Delisha Milton riled Maya up with some very physical play and woke up the lion...

 

[UCONNfan1]

Minny destroyed LA. I'll admit I was one of the fans who was worried that Minny's "lack" of post play would come back to haunt them. The thing about that (at least to my amateur eyes) was that LA doesn't have much of a post game either. Milton-Jones and Parker enjoy playing on the perimeter too and aren't typical "big" back to the basket centers.

And by "not much of a post game" I simply mean that they don't have a power center like Charles, Braxton, Fowles, Davenport, Vaughn, etc. Anosike is a true post player but she's a reserve. And you have to appreciate what Harris brought to the team off the bench. I did not realize she was injured (or sick - I forget which). She's not a power center either, but she has size and beef.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Minny destroyed LA. I'll admit I was one of the fans who was worried that Minny's "lack" of post play would come back to haunt them. The thing about that (at least to my amateur eyes) was that LA doesn't have much of a post game either. Milton-Jones and Parker enjoy playing on the perimeter too and aren't typical "big" back to the basket centers.

And by "not much of a post game" I simply mean that they don't have a power center like Charles, Braxton, Fowles, Davenport, Vaughn, etc. Anosike is a true post player but she's a reserve. And you have to appreciate what Harris brought to the team off the bench. I did not realize she was injured (or sick - I forget which). She's not a power center either, but she has size and beef.

Anosike seemed to be the only effective player inside...albeit much of the time against reserves...what surprised me was Neka's modest impact...?