Phoenix Mercury vs Minnesota Lynx - 8/30/20

[Shades]

Palmetto, FL - Court 2 - 6:00 PM ET
TV: Fox Sports North Plus, Fox Sports Arizona +

Video stream:

https://m.facebook.com/wnba/?tsid=0.6463093833662787&source=result

League Pass:

WNBA League Pass | Games: Mercury at Lynx

Watch the Phoenix Mercury at Minnesota Lynx game on August 30, 2020 on WNBA League Pass

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Game page:

08/30/20: Phoenix Mercury @ Minnesota Lynx - WNBA.com - Official Site of the WNBA

Taurasi, Diggins-Smith help Mercury hold off Lynx, 83-79 The Associated Press BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) Skylar Diggins-Smith scored 13 of her 25 points in the fourth quarter, Diana Taurasi had 23 points and 12 rebounds and the Phoenix Mercury held off the Minnesota Lynx 83-79 win on Sunday night for...

www.wnba.com

ESPN Gamecast:

Mercury 83-79 Lynx (Aug 30, 2020) Final Score - ESPN

Game summary of the Phoenix Mercury vs. Minnesota Lynx WNBA game, final score 83-79, from August 30, 2020 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

 

[Hayven]

Bria is out for the remainder of the season. I didn’t catch what the actual injury is

 

[j66kicker]

Mercury blowing them out without Griner & Hartley, 33-18 end of Q1. Crystal & Pheesa 2 points each. Taurasi & Diggins leading the way for Phoenix

 

[Shades]

Mercury blowing them out without Griner & Hartley, 33-18 end of Q1. Crystal & Pheesa 2 points each. Taurasi & Diggins leading the way for Phoenix

The Lynx are without Fowles.

 

[eebmg]

Mercury really playing beautifully.

 

[sivad40]

The Lynx are without Fowles.

The Lynx were without the Fowles the two teams played and they won. The Lynx can still make a comeback like they have a tendency to do.

 

[Shades]

51-36 Mercury at the half

Taurasi looking like Taurasi of the past.
17 pts, 7 reb, 1 ast

How does Taurasi get 7 reb in a half against the Lynx? That’s about a week’s worth of rebounds for her.

 

[eebmg]

Reeve limiting Crystal. Getting schooled too much on the defense. With Higgins Clark and Diana playing so well, tough assignment. Collier with a nice buzzer beater fall away to keep it within 15. She will need to get into over drive

 

[Shades]

With Higgins Clark and Diana playing so well, tough assignment.

Is that one of your favorite authors?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Is Phoenix playing better since Griner left, or is that just my imagination?


Edit--they'd lost 4 out of 6 prior to her not playing. They lost the first game without her, against Minnesota, but are 2-0 since then and well on their way to winning again.

 

[eebmg]

Is that one of your favorite authors?

 

[eebmg]

Why has Napheesa not been on the court most of the 4th Q?

 

[Hayven]

4 point game with 2 minutes left and you have Erica McCall and Herbert Harrigan as your bigs on the floor?!

 

[eebmg]

4 point game with 2 minutes left and you have Erica McCall and Herbert Harrigan as your bigs on the floor?!
View attachment 58210

Harrigan just hit a 3. But McCall over Collier?? And Collier appears to be healthy?

In the dog house?? She had a great game for 3 Q???

 

[Hayven]

Harrigan just hit a 3. But McCall over Collier?? And Collier appears to be healthy?

In the dog house?? She had a great game for 3 Q???

But she took a bad shot before that 3 though. Erica took a jumper too that was off too

 

[UConnCat]

Harrigan just hit a 3. But McCall over Collier?? And Collier appears to be healthy?

In the dog house?? She had a great game for 3 Q???

Pheesa played 30 minutes. Game tomorrow night against the Sparks. I guess Reeve wasn't willing to exhaust her players to win this one.

 

[eebmg]

But she took a bad shot before that 3 though. Erica took a jumper too that was off too

Right now, my only concern is why Napheesa was stuck on the Bench for the last 6+ minutes of the 4th Q? Is Reeve pulling some Geno lesson? And Antonelli was too busy trying to show how smart she is in xo's without noticing this.

Edit. @UConnCat . Did not know Lynx play tomorrow. That explains alot. But Naphessa never gets tired.

 

[Hayven]

Pheesa played 30 minutes. Game tomorrow night against the Sparks. I guess Reeve wasn't willing to exhaust her players to win this one.

If that is the case, then why not sit them when they were down by 20?

 

[Shades]

Right now, my only concern is why Napheesa was stuck on the Bench for the last 6+ minutes of the 4th Q? Is Reeve pulling some Geno lesson? And Antonelli was too busy trying to show how smart she is in xo's without noticing this.

Edit. @UConnCat . Did not know Lynx play tomorrow. That explains alot. But Naphessa never gets tired.

I would say trying to beat PHX in a close game is much more important than playing Collier a few less minutes to save her for the Sparks.

 

[UConnCat]

If that is the case, then why not sit them when they were down by 20?

Because then you have your bench playing the entire 2nd half. There are games yet to be played plus the playoffs. This was a game that the Lynx showed up for in the 2nd half. Reeve wasn't willing to exhaust her players for a comeback that might fail when they play again tomorrow night. Maybe she thought Napheesa looked tired.

Erica McCall is one of those players who doesn't understand her limitations. When she's open away from the basket there's a reason.

 

[UConnCat]

 

[MilfordHusky]

Crystal had something like 4 points in 9 minutes in the first half. Yes, she was abused on the defensive end on some possessions. But she helped close the deficit to 2 points and wound up with another 20-point game. Leading scorers: Skylar, Diana, Crystal.

 

[eebmg]

Bad coaching IMO if that is the reason. I half understood resting her with a game tomorrow since she was really active defensively including a monster block of a Diana 3pt shot at the top of the key just before being sat down.

McCall is a fringe player in the league and Naphessa is an All Star. Lynx are fighting for the 4th position and to give a game up without your best on the court.