Congratulations Stef and Azura! WNBA Champs! | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Congratulations Stef and Azura! WNBA Champs!

hoophuskee said:
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.
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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.
 
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?
 
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vballcoach said:
Kia being unavailable was HUGE for the series. I thought maybe Vandersloot might have been MVP. She made it all happen.
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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.
 
Geew1992 said:
No, no asterisk!! The Storm weren't playing well since the Olympic break. Please stop trying to lessen this win by the Sky
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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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
nwhoopfan said:
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.
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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!
 
FridaFriend said:
I congratulate Stef. I am still unapologetically bitter about Z. Wish I were a better person. Wish she was too.
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I hope many here on the BY wish you were too. :mad:
 
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jchuskie said:
what did Azura do bad?
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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.
 
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.
 
Dokey said:
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.
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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.
 
Vowelguy said:
Congrats to Steph.
Though sad that it had to mean a title for those “other” folk.
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Unfortunately, Phoenix had "other folk" too. Either way, the "others" would get their due.
 
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enigmatic said:
Regardless of the outcome between the Sky and Mercury, a UCONN alum still would've won a title this year. Congrats to all!
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A total of five six UConn alums between the two teams:
Chicago: Dolson, Stevens
Phoenix: Taurasi, Nurse, Hartley, Walker

Have there ever been this many UConn alums in the WNBA finals?
 
Was at the game and was so happy to have so many UCONN Huskies to cheer for. Being born and raised in Chicago, I was leaning towards the Sky, but still gave Dee a little clap every basket. :)
 
UConnCat said:
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.
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Maya had that "odd year" thing going--2011, 2013, 2015, 2017. But it meant that she won a major championship of some sort pretty much every year.
 
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Congrats indeed!! Big mama Stef and Z. Both played huge roles in this Championship series. Z with her defense on BG and Stef with her ability to pass & shoot from deep. Plus being the greatest teammate possible! Allowing herself to come off the bench and embrace that role throughout the playoffs. Those are keys to being a great team and teammate. Bless you, Stef. Bless you, Z. Congrats, Chicago Sky and Candace Parker!!
 
Dokey said:
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?
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If you're playing that game, the Storm's title last year has a big asterisk for so many players sitting out due to covid. Give credit where it's due.
 
nwhoopfan said:
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.
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Agreed. Especially since two of the games were blowout wins, and the one game the Merc won was in OT and required ample luck in the form of Deshields not getting off a 3 in time and some home cooking by the refs. Sky were clearly the better team across 4 games even if the best player in the series was Phoenix's Brittney Griner. I get the argument that Nurse could have made the series more competitive, but to say that injury decided the series is a major stretch IMO.
 
MSGRET said:
Not to take anything away from Steph but now I remember why I don't watch the WNBA anymore. The refs let so much contact that it's nothing like the way it's supposed to be played. In some States it would have been considered an assault on some of the players. DT got mugged, pushed, shoved, even got hit upside the head and no call. These refs shouldn't even be able to call grade school basketball.
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Serg, I agree that the refereeing yesterday and throughout the series was bad at times, and egregious at others. I love the WNBA. It fills the gap between May and November with women’s basketball. The men endure the same horrible calls as the women do. I watch the WNBA in spite of the refs. I thought Copper deserved the MVP award. She was “constant“ throughout the series. I remember her at Rutgers when she wasn’t the best player on that team. Fayonda Fitzgerald and Bitnijah Laney were. She certainly has matured and improved her game. Happy for her. The Sky don win that series without Quigly, Parker and her.
 
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oldude said:
Great for Steph & Z, although I must confess I was pulling for the GOAT to pull one more rabbit out of her hat.
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I wanted her to have a 4th before she hangs it up (it is getting close) to join Sue and Maya with that count. Beyond that, I expect Stewie, currently at two, to get there too.

Bad luck that Kia went down the round before, they could have used her perimeter defense.

But good that it added to the number of UConn WBB alumni to the roster of WNBA title winners - either way, it would have since Kia, Megan and Bria are on the other side.
 
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