Minn. Lynx @ Dallas Wings 5-20-2017

[Striper69]

About as good a basketball game as it gets (including any men's game). In fact the two NBA Conference Finals have been sleepers.

The Wings gave the Lynx all they could handle with three rookies playing a big part. Allisha Gray is playing in a way she only hinted at in most of the SC games I watched. Amazing poise playing against one of the best teams in basketball (bar none). Davis has also been pretty solid but Gray has stood out so far. Saniya kept the team in the game and really helped them get the lead mainly with her assists and defense.

Dallas really could've won the game if Skylar had played decoy and kicked the ball out to Plasaince who has been hot from the 3 point line this season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I saw the last 2.5 quarters. Minny had a nice run when Dallas got in foul trouble in the 2nd quarter. Then, Dallas had a nice run in the 3rd quarter, scoring 31 points. The Lynx looked old and tired. Both Lindsay and Renee gave up turnovers when pressured on the dribble. Maya's shot looked good in the first half and awful in the second. Her shooting percentage needs to improve. Dallas is a talented, young team. I was impressed by Saniya. She played smart and effectively and looked as if she belonged.

 

[Roger G]

I am glad you guys saw Saniya the way I did. She may not be scoring a lot, but she is doing what she did this past year on UConn, facilitating. She really looked pro ready and like the consummate team player.

 

[Striper69]

I saw the last 2.5 quarters. Minny had a nice run when Dallas got in foul trouble in the 2nd quarter. Then, Dallas had a nice run in the 3rd quarter, scoring 31 points. The Lynx looked old and tired. Both Lindsay and Renee gave up turnovers when pressured on the dribble. Maya's shot looked good in the first half and awful in the second. Her shooting percentage needs to improve. Dallas is a talented, young team. I was impressed by Saniya. She played smart and effectively and looked as if she belonged.

I think the big differences were that the Wings pressured Whalen all game and took seconds off the clock so they didn't have as much time as they usually do to run their plays.

Also Christmas played great defense on Maya.

I'll be in St. Paul when the Wings come there this season. It'll be interesting to see how LA does against the Lynx this season.

 

[Shades]

I saw the last 2.5 quarters. Minny had a nice run when Dallas got in foul trouble in the 2nd quarter. Then, Dallas had a nice run in the 3rd quarter, scoring 31 points. The Lynx looked old and tired. Both Lindsay and Renee gave up turnovers when pressured on the dribble. Maya's shot looked good in the first half and awful in the second. Her shooting percentage needs to improve. Dallas is a talented, young team. I was impressed by Saniya. She played smart and effectively and looked as if she belonged.

The thing about Maya.... when her shot is off, she contributes even more in the other ways. She's the only forward in the Top 5 in assists

 

[UConnCat]

The thing about Maya.... when her shot is off, she contributes even more in the other ways. She's the only forward in the Top 5 in assists

Maya is the best passing forward in the league and a better passer than many guards in the league.

Maya played PF at UConn and led the team in assists as a junior (150) and as a senior (151).

As for the Lynx, the backcourt was very vulnerable to defensive pressure last season, particularly in the playoffs. That situation has not improved early in this season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maya is the best passing forward in the league and a better passer than many guards in the league.

Maya played PF at UConn and led the team in assists as a junior (150) and as a senior (151).

As for the Lynx, the backcourt was very vulnerable to defensive pressure last season, particularly in the playoffs. That situation has not improved early in this season.

Minnesota had over 20 TOs again tonight. Some of it was Lindsay dribbling into pressure. The Lynx have a number of things to clean up.

Seimone and Sylvia were the key scorers tonight. Maya's shot still looks off. I wonder if she is rusty, not having played in China.

 

[rjuconn]

The Lynx are getting older for certain. I'm not worried about Maya...she'll come around. And Seimone and Sylvia look as good as ever. But as a native Minnesotan, is the end coming for Lindsay Whalen, the greatest women's player ever out of the state?

 

[Striper69]

The Lynx are getting older for certain. I'm not worried about Maya...she'll come around. And Seimone and Sylvia look as good as ever. But as a native Minnesotan, is the end coming for Lindsay Whalen, the greatest women's player ever out of the state?

The Lynx just need to alter their inbounds tactics and pass the ball into frontcourt since teams are pressuring Lindsey.

I'm going to the game against SA Sunday and will be sitting right behind the Lynx bench. Whooppee!

 

[Shades]

The Lynx are getting older for certain. I'm not worried about Maya...she'll come around. And Seimone and Sylvia look as good as ever. But as a native Minnesotan, is the end coming for Lindsay Whalen, the greatest women's player ever out of the state?

The end has been coming for a few years now, but the Lynx don't have a great solution for somebody to take over for her. They've never been patient enough to develop a backup PG from the draft, and that might end up buying them longterm. Montgomery isn't really starter material. She's found her niche as a backup on a good team. It's hard to say what they have with Alexis Jones. She'll make plenty of mistakes along the way, and Reeve has like a zero tolerance for mistakes out of her PG, unless of course Whalen is making those mistakes. In Reeve's mind, Whalen has earned the right to make some mistakes and falter at tumes.