Did Maya forget how to shoot? Is Team USA doomed...? (no,no)

[DavidinNaples]

After a "shocking" loss to France in an EXHIBITION game on Sunday, some on the BY were buzzing w/ righteous indignation. The loss was attributed to complacency, bad strategy by the coaching staff and poor shooting by Maya and DT. In Tuesday's bounce back win over the Czech Republic, Maya again had a "lousy" day, shooting 3 for 11 from the field. The BY erupted again w/ anxiety and hand wringing. Is Maya injured? Does she have "tired legs" or jet lag? Has she just forgotten how to score? The answer (as if we didn't know) is "no, no & no."

Consider for a moment that all of this "agita" comes from a sample size of 5 games, played in Paris, France and Prague, Czech Republic, after cross-Atlantic travel, w/ teammates that have been together for two weeks. So how bad is the problem?

From the free throw line, she is 11-13 or 85%. Ok, so no issue there. From the field, she is 14-45 or 31.1%. A further breakdown shows Maya is 13-33 from 2 pt range and 1-12 from beyond the arc. So from inside 3 pt range, she is hitting 39.4%. Not Maya-like production, but hardly worth the anxiety. Clearly, the only problem is the 1-12 from 3 pt range. Is this something that can be fixed or will correct itself? Yup.

So far, in four years of WNBA action, Maya has made 326 three point field goals in the regular season and playoffs. At UConn, she made 311 three pointers. Maya can shoot the three..!! In two seasons in China, she averaged 41.5 and 43.3 points per game. Ok, so her shooting touch is not restricted to the United States.

In the 2010 World Championship and 2012 Olympics, Maya went 15-50 or 30% from three pt range. Hardly worth discussing, especially considering that Team USA opponents only made 27.5% of their 3 pt attempts, in both tournaments.

Relax. Take a deep breath and remember, Maya didn't forget how to shoot & score. And she always seems to win the Gold..!!

Go Maya..!! Go Team USA...!!

 

[HGN]

No , I don't think Maya or DT has forgotten how to shoot the 3 , or how to shoot period. But what I think they have forgotten , since both played in the WNBA Playoffs , is to bring an extra set of legs. Tired and wornout legs will make you shoot and look bad. None of the players that played 'deep' into the WNBA Playoffs have looked that great. Many haven't played , or been in camp at all because of injuries sustained in the playoffs ( i.e., Fowles , EDD , BG , etc.).

So, not to worry my fellow BYers and fear not , REST is on the way. And when it arrives it has promised to bring 'Shooting' along with it.

 

[UConnCat]

I'm sure Geno has asked both whether they're ever going to make a shot again?

 

[ChicagoGG]

Thanks for the voice of reason, David! I'm not worried about Sue or DT or Maya or Dupree or Stewie...when the lights shine the brightest, so do they.

 

[reno tony]

Simple solution is to sit the two best WBB players in the world on the bench if they need rest. Let them work their way back into the line up.

 

[mrmojack]

Perhaps she is burned out. An WNBA season, then a season in China, then another
WNBA season, and now USA basketball. I remember Bobby Knight coaching
Indiana basketball, then coaching the Olympic team, and when the next season
stared at Indiana he started throwing chairs. I hope Geno doesn't start
throwing chairs this season. LOL

 

[easttexastrash]

When you get tired you throw chairs. When you throw chairs you get ejected. Don't become a guy that throws chairs.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Perhaps she is burned out. An WNBA season, then a season in China, then another
WNBA season, and now USA basketball. I remember Bobby Knight coaching
Indiana basketball, then coaching the Olympic team, and when the next season
stared at Indiana he started throwing chairs. I hope Geno doesn't start
throwing chairs this season. LOL

He has to throw CD first to get to a chair...

 

[geneticrex]

View attachment 6958
After a "shocking" loss to France in an EXHIBITION game on Sunday, some on the BY were buzzing w/ righteous indignation. The loss was attributed to complacency, bad strategy by the coaching staff and poor shooting by Maya and DT. In Tuesday's bounce back win over the Czech Republic, Maya again had a "lousy" day, shooting 3 for 11 from the field. The BY erupted again w/ anxiety and hand wringing. Is Maya injured? Does she have "tired legs" or jet lag? Has she just forgotten how to score? The answer (as if we didn't know) is "no, no & no."

Consider for a moment that all of this "agita" comes from a sample size of 5 games, played in Paris, France and Prague, Czech Republic, after cross-Atlantic travel, w/ teammates that have been together for two weeks. So how bad is the problem?

From the free throw line, she is 11-13 or 85%. Ok, so no issue there. From the field, she is 14-45 or 31.1%. A further breakdown shows Maya is 13-33 from 2 pt range and 1-12 from beyond the arc. So from inside 3 pt range, she is hitting 39.4%. Not Maya-like production, but hardly worth the anxiety. Clearly, the only problem is the 1-12 from 3 pt range. Is this something that can be fixed or will correct itself? Yup.

So far, in four years of WNBA action, Maya has made 326 three point field goals in the regular season and playoffs. At UConn, she made 311 three pointers. Maya can shoot the three..!! In two seasons in China, she averaged 41.5 and 43.3 points per game. Ok, so her shooting touch is not restricted to the United States.

In the 2010 World Championship and 2012 Olympics, Maya went 15-50 or 30% from three pt range. Hardly worth discussing, especially considering that Team USA opponents only made 27.5% of their 3 pt attempts, in both tournaments.

Relax. Take a deep breath and remember, Maya didn't forget how to shoot & score. And she always seems to win the Gold..!!

Go Maya..!! Go Team USA...!!

This a very lucid and well crafted dissertation.

Bottom line.........We are doomed.

 

[Uconnphann]

View attachment 6958
After a "shocking" loss to France in an EXHIBITION game on Sunday, some on the BY were buzzing w/ righteous indignation. The loss was attributed to complacency, bad strategy by the coaching staff and poor shooting by Maya and DT. In Tuesday's bounce back win over the Czech Republic, Maya again had a "lousy" day, shooting 3 for 11 from the field. The BY erupted again w/ anxiety and hand wringing. Is Maya injured? Does she have "tired legs" or jet lag? Has she just forgotten how to score? The answer (as if we didn't know) is "no, no & no."

Consider for a moment that all of this "agita" comes from a sample size of 5 games, played in Paris, France and Prague, Czech Republic, after cross-Atlantic travel, w/ teammates that have been together for two weeks. So how bad is the problem?

From the free throw line, she is 11-13 or 85%. Ok, so no issue there. From the field, she is 14-45 or 31.1%. A further breakdown shows Maya is 13-33 from 2 pt range and 1-12 from beyond the arc. So from inside 3 pt range, she is hitting 39.4%. Not Maya-like production, but hardly worth the anxiety. Clearly, the only problem is the 1-12 from 3 pt range. Is this something that can be fixed or will correct itself? Yup.

So far, in four years of WNBA action, Maya has made 326 three point field goals in the regular season and playoffs. At UConn, she made 311 three pointers. Maya can shoot the three..!! In two seasons in China, she averaged 41.5 and 43.3 points per game. Ok, so her shooting touch is not restricted to the United States.

In the 2010 World Championship and 2012 Olympics, Maya went 15-50 or 30% from three pt range. Hardly worth discussing, especially considering that Team USA opponents only made 27.5% of their 3 pt attempts, in both tournaments.

Relax. Take a deep breath and remember, Maya didn't forget how to shoot & score. And she always seems to win the Gold..!!

Go Maya..!! Go Team USA...!!

All the pundits and seudo Coaches have it all wrong. The issue is Geno is distracted. He is too close to Italy and suffering from Separation Anxiety.
He has given Maya mixed messages--when to shoot---how to shoot -- where to shoot and what games she is in. This is important--she was putting ENGLISH on her shots and she was in FRANCE.
Geno should have anticipated that--and brought her a gallon of good French wine.
If that wasn't bad enough Stewie has opted to sit on the bench rather than run around with the rest of the girls---her mother told her "not to run around with the wrong crowd" her mother meant the FRENCH TEAM. But she can run all she wants with the Chinese team. Kia Nurse is ok too--but she is not to speak French to Stewie.
So let us not dwell on MAYA---the fault remains with GENO.

 

[Uconnphann]

He has to throw CD first to get to a chair...

Geno is not about to throw chairs---the AD told him to throw the bull. But I do believe Geno should have thrown a few chairs during the regular season losses to ND, and hit three refs in the process.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Geno is not about to throw chairs---the AD told him to throw the bull. But I do believe Geno should have thrown a few chairs during the regular season losses to ND, and hit three refs in the process.

My personal theory is when Mulkey's crew (most especially her daughter) started shamelessly using the McGraw flop, she blew the whole thing for the Irish...just started looking a little too comical (even European "football" commentators were starting to comment!)...and there went the Irish run in the finals...