Liberty Being Blown Out. Shows How Crucial is Kiah Stokes

[Fairfield Fan]

Since she's been out, the New York Liberty, even with superstar Tina Charles, has looked extremely mediocre. And very beatable.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Kiah is a player whose contribution really can't be understood until she's out of the game.

 

[bschwartz]

Look. No one loves Kiah hyperbole more than me. I love FF's sentiment but it just isn't true, Libs have a limping at the end of the regular season. Awful at the end of last year.

No reasonable analysis could disagree that Kiah went through a severe sophmore slump especially in the second half of the season. Although in fairness, the rest of the team has been incredibly inconsistent save for Tina.

I am not getting my hopes up for the team in the playoffs. They are currently getting pushed around by the Wings. Having a hard time thinking they can string two or more good games in a row or in a series. I am hopefu; though. I would love to see them win. They just don't bring their A game enough. Kiah doesn't impact that too much-- Yet!

 

[EricLA]

Stokes is not a starter and comes off the bench, even if it's for starters minutes at times. NY was just awful right out the gate. A lot of 1 on 1 play, or a single pass and then a shot. No movement on offense, and a lot of standing around. Dallas looks like a playoff team and NY looks like one of the worst teams in the league (after the 1st half). Hopefully NY comes out and actually plays some basketball in the 2nd half...

I don't disagree that Kiah is sorely missed, but I don't think the reason NY is playing so poorly is because she's injured...

 

[msf22b]

I didn't see this game, but the last couple
Kiah's absence makes a huge difference
It almost seems that Carolyn Sword's starting minutes are used to get Kiah adjusted as to what she will face.
The NY football Giants used to do that (decades ago) for their QB Charlie Conerly...start the back-up.
Well , perhaps, not exactly parallel.

 

[Kaizen]

It is 68 to 73. Liberty still has time to come back....

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Look. No one loves Kiah hyperbole more than me. I love FF's sentiment but it just isn't true, Libs have a limping at the end of the regular season. Awful at the end of last year.

No reasonable analysis could disagree that Kiah went through a severe sophmore slump especially in the second half of the season. Although in fairness, the rest of the team has been incredibly inconsistent save for Tina.

I am not getting my hopes up for the team in the playoffs. They are currently getting pushed around by the Wings. Having a hard time thinking they can string two or more good games in a row or in a series. I am hopefu; though. I would love to see them win. They just don't bring their A game enough. Kiah doesn't impact that too much-- Yet!

Kiah Stokes is New York's leading shot-blocker and second-leading rebounder. She's also the team's fourth leading scorer. Since she's been out, the team has lost three games out of five. And this is the team that sports the third best won-lost record in the entire league. But "Kiah doesn't impact that too much"? Seriously?

Watch the Liberty games, and watch how many times the last five games the other team's front court players have just blown to the basket and scored. If Kiah is there, they get shut down. Period.

Just because Stokes doesn't score that much, don't think she's not a critical part of the team. The numbers prove otherwise. And their won-loss record since she's been out.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Stokes is not a starter and comes off the bench, even if it's for starters minutes at times. NY was just awful right out the gate. A lot of 1 on 1 play, or a single pass and then a shot. No movement on offense, and a lot of standing around. Dallas looks like a playoff team and NY looks like one of the worst teams in the league (after the 1st half). Hopefully NY comes out and actually plays some basketball in the 2nd half...

I don't disagree that Kiah is sorely missed, but I don't think the reason NY is playing so poorly is because she's injured...

Kiah comes off the bench because the coach feels that she's more effective coming off the bench. When Stokes was healthy, Swords started and played only about three or four minutes. Then in came Kiah, who played, as you point out, "starters' minutes." But the team picked up seemingly every time Stokes came in. Just a tact to hold her out of the starting line-up. No commentary on how important she is.

 

[Gus Mahler]

Kiah comes off the bench because the coach feels that she's more effective coming off the bench. When Stokes was healthy, Swords started and played only about three or four minutes. Then in came Kiah, who played, as you point out, "starters' minutes." But the team picked up seemingly every time Stokes came in. Just a tact to hold her out of the starting line-up. No commentary on how important she is.

Plus, she is usually in the game at the end of the game.

 

[Fairfield Fan]

And now it's Washington blowing out the Liberty. Looks like the fourth loss in six games after Kiah went down with the hip injury.

Any doubt now about the key to that team? Nice to see Dolson doing well, for sure. But would Washington even be in the game were Stokes in the middle? Doubtful. Very doubtful.

 

[triaddukefan]

And now it's Washington blowing out the Liberty. Looks like the fourth loss in six games after Kiah went down with the hip injury.

Any doubt now about the key to that team? Nice to see Dolson doing well, for sure. But would Washington even be in the game were Stokes in the middle? Doubtful. Very doubtful.

Its good to see Mr Stokes posting here on the Boneyard. I remember you when you were at Iowa.... part of the twin towers with Micheal Payne

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Its good to see Mr Stokes posting here on the Boneyard. I remember you when you were at Iowa.... part of the twin towers with Micheal Payne

Excuse me? I don't know who Michael Payne is, and the comment is rather snarky and not appreciated.

 

[VAMike23]

Excuse me? I don't know who Michael Payne is, and the comment is rather snarky and not appreciated.

[Michael Payne was a very rangey, 6'11" F/C who played alongside Greg Stokes. More of a forward really. Greg was the muscle inside.]

I think Triad was just trying to get your goat.

 

[triaddukefan]

Excuse me? I don't know who Michael Payne is, and the comment is rather snarky and not appreciated.

I didnt know that non-UCONN fans were not allowed to deliver snark But now I know you dont appreciate snark.... I wont point anymore snark in your direction

[Michael Payne was a very rangey, 6'11" F/C who played alongside Greg Stokes. More of a forward really. Greg was the muscle inside.]

I think Triad was just trying to get your goat.

That wasnt really my intention, but apparently it worked

 

[CocoHusky]

I didnt know that non-UCONN fans were not allowed to deliver snark But now I know you dont appreciate snark.... I wont point anymore snark in your direction
That wasnt really my intention, but apparently it worked

Not well played at all. You work that hard to get someone goat and then give it up? Personally I would have gone strait for the dome and mentioned the originators previous crusade to get KML more WNBA minutes because .........KML was a UCONN AA.