Congratulations Stef and Azura! WNBA Champs!

[MilfordHusky]

For anyone who didn't watch, both came up huge in the series on both ends. Especially Stef down the stretch today.

Stef had the go-ahead bucket and then the next one.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Didn't think of that, Dolson is the only Olympic Gold Medalist/WNBA Champ this year, right? Phoenix would've had several, as would Las Vegas.

Stef had the best summer of anyone! When colleges were recruiting her, who thought of her as an Olympic Gold Medalist and WNBA Champion?

 

[MilfordHusky]

As a reminder, Stef and Kahleah were part of the trade for EDD. Elena won her championship in 2019, and Stef and KFC got theirs this year. Over the last few years, there has been a shortage of quality small forwards, as players were injured or retired (Catch, Maya, EDD, Angel). Team USA reflects this shortage. Maybe KFC should be in the pool for next year. She's almost unstoppable off the dribble. KFC has separated herself from Diamond on the Sky.

 

[hoophuskee]

DT definitely dishes out as much cheap shots as any one else. She is even allowed to push refs too, with a fine instead of being suspended a game.

However, from college and on throughout the WNBA, I know that teams felt the best way to defend her was to prevent her from getting around picks, thus they try to slow her movement. By slowing movement one thing you do is grab. When she was in her prime you never wanted to give DT space. And if she puts the ball on the floor, the defender wanted to get into her chest and use their arms to put their hands on her waist to slow her down. It's not as prevalent now that she is 39 but in the past the idea was to deny and/or be physical and use your hands on her. To counter that DT uses her own physicality. On the flip side, it's probably why Katie Lou struggles to get shots as an example. She can't counter the defenders physicality with her own like DT can.

So it goes both ways. DT needs to be more physical to counter the defenders own "dirty play/physicality” with her own. At the highest level pros are desperately looking for an advantage.

 

[jchusky]

I congratulate Stef. I am still unapologetically bitter about Z. Wish I were a better person. Wish she was too.

what did Azura do bad?

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

So it goes both ways. DT needs to be more physical to counter the defenders own "dirty play/physicality” with her own. At the highest level pros are desperately looking for an advantage.

Many, many years ago I heard / read an interview with Sue Wicks, where she spoke about being a veteran player including overseas play. One of the things she spoke about was about how it really is all about grabbing and holding players without being seen doing it. Well, maybe not all about - but it is one of those advantages you mention. IIRC, Rebecca acknowledged Wicks' assistance in developing with the Liberty.

 

[nwhoopfan]

what did Azura do bad?

I'm guessing it's just bitterness she didn't play a 2nd year at UConn.

 

[oldude]

Stef had the best summer of anyone! When colleges were recruiting her, who thought of her as an Olympic Gold Medalist and WNBA Champion?

I suspect the short Italian guy had an inkling that Steph could become really, really, really good.

 

[Dokey]

The key play to the Sky championship came not during the playoffs but at the end of the regular season when Breanna Stewart injured her foot. Asterisk, anyone?

 

[Geew1992]

The key play to the Sky championship came not during the playoffs but at the end of the regular season when Breanna Stewart injured her foot. Asterisk, anyone?

No, no asterisk!! The Storm weren't playing well since the Olympic break. Please stop trying to lessen this win by the Sky

 

[Geew1992]

I congratulate Stef. I am still unapologetically bitter about Z. Wish I were a better person. Wish she was too.

Did she steal your crayons or something??!!

 

[Lynx23]

Kia being unavailable was HUGE for the series. I thought maybe Vandersloot might have been MVP. She made it all happen.

I agree, not so much where her offense is concerned as much as her defensive play. The perimeter defense was porous against Chicago IMHO, with Vandersloot seemingly making shots at will once she got hot. Much is said about the Big Three, but it has more to do with their offense than defense, which didn't impress me much as Chicago often went right to the basket unguarded. It's been said that Diggins usually guards the other team's best shooter, but I saw Phoenix switching off players defensively a lot while Kia was healthy, and effectively so leading into the playoffs. Even Lobo remarked about Kia's defensive prowess and renewed confidence during the semi-finals. We'll never know whether or not her presence in the finals would have made a big difference, but it certainly would have helped. That being said, Phoenix missing three lay-ups in a row down the stretch (one each by the Big Three if I recall correctly) was ridiculous. That didn't help either. Congratulations to Chicago on winning the championship. And like Parker or not, her leadership in the huddle, calming her team down when it appeared they might lose control of the game, was impressive.

 

[Dokey]

No, no asterisk!! The Storm weren't playing well since the Olympic break. Please stop trying to lessen this win by the Sky

Sorry. It stays. Yes, the Storm slacked off after Olympics but they might have escaped single elimination round had Sue and Stewie not skipped two games. And even with Stewie sidelined they took that single elimination game into overtime. But it does say something about parity in WNBA when a 16-16 team can win the championship and argues in favor of expansion.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Just for fun, the scores allowed by Phoenix in playoff games before Nurse got hurt--82, 80 (OT), 96, 91. Got hurt 1 minute into the game where they only gave up 60, following that 93, 84, 91, 86 (OT), 86 and 80. So...the Mercs defense sucked the entire playoffs, before and after Nurse got hurt. Aces guards were lighting up the Merc about the same pre and post injury. Gonna have to say this "Phoenix would've won the Championship if they had Nurse" narrative isn't holding much water for me.

 

[jchusky]

idk why ppl don't realize that the Sky had injuries all season. They were not a 6 seed, they were a top 2-4 team when healthy.

 

[Plebe]

Just for fun, the scores allowed by Phoenix in playoff games before Nurse got hurt--82, 80 (OT), 96, 91. Got hurt 1 minute into the game where they only gave up 60, following that 93, 84, 91, 86 (OT), 86 and 80. So...the Mercs defense sucked the entire playoffs, before and after Nurse got hurt. Aces guards were lighting up the Merc about the same pre and post injury. Gonna have to say this "Phoenix would've won the Championship if they had Nurse" narrative isn't holding much water for me.

It's not as simple as just rattling off the scores from the previous playoff games. It's not arithmetic that make fights, it's matchups. A Phoenix team without Nurse is clearly a much different matchup than a Phoenix team with Nurse. Even if you declare Nurse to suck at defense, she was still the team's #4 scorer at 10 ppg.

But ultimately it's idle speculation as to how much of a difference it would have made, and injuries after all are part of the sport.

Congrats to Stef! Congrats to Azurá! Congrats to Sloot! Congrats to Quig! Congrats to Kahleah Copper on your well-deserved Series MVP!

 

[Centerstream]

I congratulate Stef. I am still unapologetically bitter about Z. Wish I were a better person. Wish she was too.

I hope many here on the BY wish you were too.

 

[UConnCat]

The point of this thread was for UConn fans to celebrate two more alums winning a WNBA championship.

Alas, seems we can not have nice things here anymore.

Carry on.

 

[Centerstream]

what did Azura do bad?

For some I believe it is because she did not return for her final year of eligibility. Some here are still fuming about her decision. I WAS one of those but it didn't last long and I got over it easily.

 

[UConnCat]

Only one other UConn alum won Olympic gold and a WNBA championship in the same year. Sue Bird in 2004. Remarkably, none of Maya's 4 championships were in Olympic years.

 

[Reypl21]

Sorry. It stays. Yes, the Storm slacked off after Olympics but they might have escaped single elimination round had Sue and Stewie not skipped two games. And even with Stewie sidelined they took that single elimination game into overtime. But it does say something about parity in WNBA when a 16-16 team can win the championship and argues in favor of expansion.

I don't think anyone, except you, is delusional enough to put an asterisk on this championship. Injuries are apart of the game, Stewie getting hurt had more of an impact on Phoenix' path to the final. Chicago clipped the Wings and Minnesota in the single round eliminations. And then they closed out the number 1 seed Sun in 4 games.

 

[Fore!]

Congrats to Steph.
Though sad that it had to mean a title for those “other” folk.

Unfortunately, Phoenix had "other folk" too. Either way, the "others" would get their due.

 

[Plebe]

 

[Plebe]

 

[enigmatic]

Regardless of the outcome between the Sky and Mercury, a UCONN alum still would've won a title this year. Congrats to all!