Minnesota Lynx @ Los Angeles Sparks - 6/03/18 | The Boneyard

Minnesota Lynx @ Los Angeles Sparks - 6/03/18

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40-38 LAS at the half

Parker 17 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast

Fowles 12 pts, 1 reb, 3 ast
 

Carnac

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Sparks win 77-69. In a game featuring two of the most "mature" starting 5 seasoned veterans in the league, the Lynx (2-5) have lost an unprecedented 4 games in a row. I've been following the Lynx since Maya's arrival in 2011.

I can't remember the Lynx losing 4 games in a row during that time. Same starting line up as last year for the Lynx, last year's WNBA champions. One reason for the Lynx's loss today was that Brunson, Augustus and Whalen only scored 10 points between them. That's not getting it done, and it's not feeding the bulldog. Humph, what happened? :confused:

They are getting long in the tooth and are definitely struggling. They have fallen back to the rest of the pack. That's good news for the rest of the league. Perhaps the league will crown a new champion this season. The Lynx have won the championship every other year since Maya's arrival. It could be somebody else's turn this year.

The Connecticut Sun appear to be the toast of the league thus far. They left the starting gate like they were shot out of a cannon. The Sun are the only undefeated team in the W at 5-0.
 
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HuskyFan1125

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Why is Minnesota struggling this year?


IMO it’s more about what they lost in trades particularly guard play from their bench. Danielle Robinson is a speedy PG but doesn’t have the outside shot Renee Montgomery had. Jia Perkins could create her own shot and was a veteran guard off the bench. Plennette Pierson could sub any of the post players and hold her own. The Lynx don’t have quality like that from the bench.....yet.
 

Fightin Choke

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IMO it’s more about what they lost in trades particularly guard play from their bench. Danielle Robinson is a speedy PG but doesn’t have the outside shot Renee Montgomery had. Jia Perkins could create her own shot and was a veteran guard off the bench. Plennette Pierson could sub any of the post players and hold her own. The Lynx don’t have quality like that from the bench.....yet.
The Lynx bench guards (Danielle Robinson and Alexis Jones) outplayed the starters (Whalen and Augustus) today. In fact, Whalen only played 7 minutes. The biggest offseason loss for the Lynx was probably Natasha Howard, who is tearing it up in Seattle.
 
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Sparks win 77-69.
-------------------------------------------They are getting long in the tooth and are definitely struggling. They have fallen back to the rest of the pack. That's good news for the rest of the league. Perhaps the league will crown a new champion this season. It's somebody else's turn this year. The Lynx have won the championship every other year since Maya's arrival.

The Connecticut Sun appear to be the toast of the league thus far. They left the starting gate like they were shot out of a cannon. The Sun are the only undefeated team in the W at 5-0.
You must have been either hibernating or out of the country in 2016 when the Sparks won the Championship.

The thing is that age sometimes shows it self very suddenly. I think Whalen is done as a marquee player. She is still a smart player and they will miss her floor leadership, but who ever she is guarding on defense just eats her up. The is why they took her out early. I think this last game against the Sparks was a make or break it game for them. If they could not give a stellar effort against the Sparks they will not bring it against other teams. I think Augustus knows that and was really ticked off at her teammates effort the entire game. Even if the manage to right the ship, they are so in he hole win wise that the chances of them getting a bye are very slim. A team as old as them needs a bye in the playoffs.
 

Fightin Choke

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You must have been either hibernating or out of the country in 2016 when the Sparks won the Championship.

The thing is that age sometimes shows it self very suddenly. I think Whalen is done as a marquee player. She is still a smart player and they will miss her floor leadership, but who ever she is guarding on defense just eats her up. The is why they took her out early. I think this last game against the Sparks was a make or break it game for them. If they could not give a stellar effort against the Sparks they will not bring it against other teams. I think Augustus knows that and was really ticked off at her teammates effort the entire game. Even if the manage to right the ship, they are so in he hole win wise that the chances of them getting a bye are very slim. A team as old as them needs a bye in the playoffs.
I think you misinterpreted Scoop's post. He wrote " The Lynx have won the championship every other year since Maya's arrival", meaning that the Lynx win it in off years. They won it in odd years (2011, 2013. 2015, 2017) but failed to win it in even years (2012, 2014, 2016) since Maya's arrival. This being an even year, the Lynx have a chance to break the pattern in a good way (winning the championship in an even numbered year), but their surprising start suggests the pattern may be broken in 2019 instead (losing in an odd-numbered year).
 

UConnCat

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The Lynx look like a team that has nothing left in the tank after last season's championship run. Whalen looks out of shape and slow(er). Sylvia looks like she doesn't have the energy to fight through the double teams. Maya started slowly again, though she looks to be playing better of late. There's little energy or talent coming off the bench.

If the Lynx are fortunate enough to make the playoffs the new format should help (1st 2 rounds are single elimination). The compressed regular season schedule is not helpful, however.
 
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Perhaps some day if I apply myself I might work my self up to the point were I can read.
He didn't state you couldn't read. He simply stated he thought you misinterpreted Scoop's Post. Perhaps some day, if you apply yourself, you might respond with less sarcasm.

Have a great day. :)
 

Fightin Choke

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He didn't state you couldn't read. He simply stated he thought you misinterpreted Scoop's Post. Perhaps some day, if you apply yourself, you might respond with less sarcasm.

Have a great day. :)
I didn't think willtalk was responding sarcastically, but rather trying to be self-deprecating. Regardless, his interpretation is totally understandable, as one could certainly understand "winning every other year" to mean winning every year except for that one. But knowing the history of the Lynx's championship seasons, I could see what Scoop meant in his post.
 

EricLA

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I was talking with @MilfordHusky and mentioned last week I would not be surprised to see the Lynx miss the playoffs (they way they'd been playing the first 5 games when they were 2-3). We sort of joked about it, but it's not a joke any more - it's a real possibility. Teams don't care if they start 4 Olympians - if they are a step slow, younger more energetic teams will eat them alive.

Early on it seems like the Sun and Sparks are the 2 best teams with Phx, Seattle, and Washington behind them - too inconsistent to be part of the top echelon... Hopefully Chicago and NY improve as some of their stars who were overseas early on become available...
 

Fightin Choke

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I was talking with @MilfordHusky and mentioned last week I would not be surprised to see the Lynx miss the playoffs (they way they'd been playing the first 5 games when they were 2-3). We sort of joked about it, but it's not a joke any more - it's a real possibility. Teams don't care if they start 4 Olympians - if they are a step slow, younger more energetic teams will eat them alive.

Early on it seems like the Sun and Sparks are the 2 best teams with Phx, Seattle, and Washington behind them - too inconsistent to be part of the top echelon... Hopefully Chicago and NY improve as some of their stars who were overseas early on become available...
I wouldn't count out the Wings on that second tier you mentioned. They have some adjusting to do with Cambage and they are missing some serious talent in Glory Johnson and Aerial Powers (and the less talented Theresa Plaisance). They are young/inexperienced but there biggest liability seems to be Fred Williams. Can they overcome his flawed coaching?
 

EricLA

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I wouldn't count out the Wings on that second tier you mentioned. They have some adjusting to do with Cambage and they are missing some serious talent in Glory Johnson and Aerial Powers (and the less talented Theresa Plaisance). They are young/inexperienced but there biggest liability seems to be Fred Williams. Can they overcome his flawed coaching?
True. It's early and I was just looking at records. Once they've all played 10-15 games, the tiers should sort themselves out. Then it will be interesting to watch the battle at the bottom to see who makes the playoffs.

Side note - the Sparks only loss came against the Sun when Parker was out. It will be interesting to see when both teams are at full power what the outcome is (Lexi Brown did not play either for the Sun...)
 

Carnac

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You must have been either hibernating or out of the country in 2016 when the Sparks won the Championship.

The thing is that age sometimes shows it self very suddenly. I think Whalen is done as a marquee player. She is still a smart player and they will miss her floor leadership, but who ever she is guarding on defense just eats her up. The is why they took her out early. I think this last game against the Sparks was a make or break it game for them. If they could not give a stellar effort against the Sparks they will not bring it against other teams. I think Augustus knows that and was really ticked off at her teammates effort the entire game. Even if the manage to right the ship, they are so in he hole win wise that the chances of them getting a bye are very slim. A team as old as them needs a bye in the playoffs.

No, I've not been hibernating. I said "The Lynx have won the championship EVERY OTHER YEAR since Maya's arrival in 2011". That is a verifiable fact, not an opinion! Here are the WNBA championship winners beginning in 2011. (Source: Wikipedia) Note - The Lynx have won 4 championships since 2011. 2011-2013-2015-2017 = every other year!! The only other WNBA team to win 4 championships was the now defunct Houston Comets.

2011 Minnesota Lynx 3–0 Atlanta Dream Seimone Augustus
2012 Indiana Fever 3–1 Minnesota Lynx Tamika Catchings
2013 Minnesota Lynx 3–0 Atlanta Dream Maya Moore
2014 Phoenix Mercury 3–0 Chicago Sky Diana Taurasi
2015 Minnesota Lynx 3–2 Indiana Fever Sylvia Fowles
2016 Los Angeles Sparks[c] 3–2 Minnesota Lynx Candace Parker
2017 Minnesota Lynx[d] 3–2 Los Angeles Sparks

Edit - I responded to your post BEFORE I realized others had beat me to it. When I read your post, I immediately responded without reading other's comments below yours.
 

Carnac

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WNBA transactions for June 3, 2018 -
Dallas - Breanna Lewis ~ Waived

Cayla-George-Wings-Headshot250.jpg

Dallas - Cayla George ~ Signed
 
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MilfordHusky

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The Lynx look like a team that has nothing left in the tank after last season's championship run. Whalen looks out of shape and slow(er). Sylvia looks like she doesn't have the energy to fight through the double teams. Maya started slowly again, though she looks to be playing better of late. There's little energy or talent coming off the bench.

If the Lynx are fortunate enough to make the playoffs the new format should help (1st 2 rounds are single elimination). The compressed regular season schedule is not helpful, however.
You may be right. I thought they had enough left for another run, but they are showing multiple signs of vulnerability. They are shockingly now in 10th place and out of the playoff picture. I though Eric was joking about them missing the playoffs, but Cheryl needs to turn things around or they will be in the draft lottery. I know Maya won't go down without a fight.
 

MilfordHusky

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I think the top 2 teams are clearly Connecticut and Los Angeles. L.A. is both older and more experienced. Plus they have a very good coach. All the other teams are a bit erratic and have question marks, in my view. There does seem to be a lot of parity.
 

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