Phoenix Mercury @ Seattle Storm - 8/28/18

[MilfordHusky]

A second jump ball in the last 7 seconds.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Sue grabs the tip and gets fouled. Nail-biter!

 

[MilfordHusky]

Oldest player in the league makes 2 clutch FTs with :04 left. Out of range from the GOAT??

 

[MilfordHusky]

Dee took a 3 at the buzzer and should have gotten the call, but got a no call. She stared at the ref as she left the court. They were down 4, so it would have been unlikely as the shot was far off.

 

[bballnut90]

DT spits on the court after the game...classless move. Absolutely incredible game though, was rooting for Phoenix. Phoenix has an uphill battle ahead, can’t believe they were in it at the end.

 

[Orangutan]

Dee took a 3 at the buzzer and should have gotten the call, but got a no call. She stared at the ref as she left the court. They were down 4, so it would have been unlikely as the shot was far off.

She's trying to lean in to Stewart and buy the call and everyone knows it including Stewart who makes sure her arms are perfectly straight up. You see that call given all that time but you never going to get it in an overtime playoff game when it is blatant that you are trying to create the contact to draw the foul.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Rebecca: "This is the GOAT doing what she does."

Amazing comeback by Phoenix, but Sue ices the game for Seattle.

 

[MilfordHusky]

She's trying to lean in to Stewart and buy the call and everyone knows it including Stewart who makes sure her arms are perfectly straight up. You see that call given all that time but you never going to get it in an overtime playoff game when it is blatant that you are trying to create the contact to draw the foul.

Dee would have needed to make the shot and the FT or make 2 FTs and hope for a tip-in on a miss. I agreed with Rebecca--put all the defense inside the arc. A 3-pointer would have taken the last 4 seconds and left Phoenix 1 point short.

 

[bballnut90]

She's trying to lean in to Stewart and buy the call and everyone knows it including Stewart who makes sure her arms are perfectly straight up. You see that call given all that time but you never going to get it in an overtime playoff game when it is blatant that you are trying to create the contact to draw the foul.

I’m just surprised they played any defense at all that last possession....I would’ve challenged the inbounded and placed everyone else 30 feet from the basket. Nothing to gain and they easily could have called that foul. Plus knowing DT anything is possible and it could’ve gone in. Tough reffing down the stretch for Phoenix. Griner played a very strong game but that last foul cost them big time, especially considering the offense went completely stagnant with DT playing one on one and their inability to corral rebounds.

 

[Orangutan]

Odd game. Seattle was waxing them and then just stopped playing basically and suddenly Taurasi couldn't miss.

Loyd made several hustle plays at the end. Drew an offensive foul on Bonner. Drew the sixth foul on Griner (I think). Drew the loose-ball foul on Taurasi. Drew the foul on the jump ball.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Odd game. Seattle was waxing them and then just stopped playing basically and suddenly Taurasi couldn't miss.

Loyd made several hustle plays at the end. Drew an offensive foul on Bonner. Drew the sixth foul on Griner (I think). Drew the loose-ball foul on Taurasi. Drew the foul on the jump ball.

Yes, Jewell drew the 6th foul on Griner by cutting across the lane.

 

[UConnCat]

Most of the game I'm wondering where's Jewell Loyd. She made some huge hustle plays down the stretch.

 

[BigBird]

That was a very entertaining game.

 

[j66kicker]

Indeed, it's going to OT. Phoenix outscored Seattle by 11 in the last 1:46.

Why can’t the Mercury play that way except in the last 5 minutes??@#&%##??

Loyd was clutch at the end. And Sue, of course

 

[MilfordHusky]

Most of the game I'm wondering where's Jewell Loyd. She made some huge hustle plays down the stretch.

Both Jewell and Clark shot poorly, but Jewell was 8-10 on FTs.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Why can’t the Mercury play that way except in the last 5 minutes??@#&%##??

Loyd was clutch at the end. And Sue, of course

The Mercury look unstoppable in stretches. Just like the end of the game against Connecticut, they seem to score on every possession.

 

[BostonCanuck]

I don't know about Phoenix. Bonner and Griner are really good.

I know I've been on Griner's case all season long, but her sixth foul in overtime, and her overall performance in game one, pretty much reflects what I've been trying to point out. At times, she can be a net negative for her team. Geno had her firing on all cylinders throughout virtually all of the 2016 Olympics, and she came back from Rio a much improved player. But Brondello just seems clueless about how to utilize her on offense, and how to develop her into a truly elite player like say a Delle Donne. It's frustrating to see someone with her physical gifts and potential leaving a big chunk of it on the table like that.

 

[bballnut90]

I know I've been on Griner all season long, but her sixth foul in overtime, and her overall performance in game one, pretty much reflects what I've been trying to point out. At times, she can be a net negative for her team. Geno had her firing on all cylinders throughout virtually all of the 2016 Olympics, and she came back from Rio a much improved player. But Brondello just seems clueless about how to utilize her and how to develop her into a truly elite player like a Delle Donne. It's frustrating to see someone with her physical gifts and potential leaving a big chunk of it on the table like that.

I thought she was much more effective tonight than game 1, but she just lacks that intensity and focus most players have in key moments. She’s such a good offensive player and is the best rim protector in the league, but she doesn’t seem to have that killer instinct.

 

[BostonCanuck]

I thought she was much more effective tonight than game 1, but she just lacks that intensity and focus most players have in key moments. She’s such a good offensive player and is the best rim protector in the league, but she doesn’t seem to have that killer instinct.

Agreed. There are stretches where Griner just dominates in games like you know she should. But it doesn't happen at all consistently; it waxes and wanes. And she's undisciplined, especially with some of the ridiculous fouls she gives up on defense. I mean, much of this is the kind of stuff we see Geno and his coaching staff routinely stamp out in their players usually by the end of sophomore year.

 

[Blueballer]

DT spits on the court after the game...classless move. Absolutely incredible game though, was rooting for Phoenix. Phoenix has an uphill battle ahead, can’t believe they were in it at the end.

Yeah we get it you don't like her. She's got anger issues and it's not going to change at this stage of her career.
As far as I'm concerned the Lloyd flop show is pretty classless too but nobody ever mentions that. And Griner's stupidity is in contrast to Taurasi's determination and savvy. It would be fun to see Seattle win another title but I don't like Lloyd's game. Too much ND in it.

 

[bballnut90]

Yeah we get it you don't like her. She's got anger issues and it's not going to change at this stage of her career.
As far as I'm concerned the Lloyd flop show is pretty classless too but nobody ever mentions that. And Griner's stupidity is in contrast to Taurasi's determination and savvy. It would be fun to see Seattle win another title but I don't like Lloyd's game. Too much ND in it.

I actually was rooting for DT and Phoenix tonight...she’s grown on me over time and watching what she did last night was unbelievably impressive. That said, I’ll call out anyone who will spit on a court on national television.

 

[Shades]

That said, I’ll call out anyone who will spit on a court on national television.

I’ve seen her do it in person and thought it was technical-worthy. She’s been doing it for many years.

 

[Reypl21]

Yeah we get it you don't like her. She's got anger issues and it's not going to change at this stage of her career.
As far as I'm concerned the Lloyd flop show is pretty classless too but nobody ever mentions that. And Griner's stupidity is in contrast to Taurasi's determination and savvy. It would be fun to see Seattle win another title but I don't like Lloyd's game. Too much ND in it.

Spitting on the floor and flopping are two very different things. If you are trying to call Loyd classless for that, but stand up for DT you are a hypocrite. Trying to get foul calls for your team and take advantage of the other teams aggressiveness is a part of the game now. So flops happen, and they don't just happen by Loyd. Spitting on the floor has no part in the game, period. I always remember everyone always talking about how big a diva Parker is. If Parker was doing all of the things DT was doing these playoffs, she would be smeared.

No body mentions Loyd's flopping being classless because IT IS NOT! you are being exactly what you are describing her as.

 

[wire chief]

When all is said and done, 3 UConnites > 1 UConnite.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

I can't believe I missed the game! Too many honey dos!#@$%! I wanted the series tied, but alas.... One thing does please me. Both games have been see saw battles with great endings, with, of course, major league performances by our Legends of the Game. I wonder where D took Sue after the game?