Phoenix vs Minnesota

[easttexastrash]

Looks like the end of the Phoenix season and PT's career. There need to be some serious changes in Phoenix before next season. Shot selection is horrible, they can't play defense and they turn the ball over.

 

[calpedaler]

 

[Plebe]

I really think that something had to be wrong with Phoenix's team chemistry, although one wouldn't expect that on a team that, with essentially the same personnel, won the title just two years ago.

I have no idea of it's something among the players, or a lack of buy-in to what the coaching staff wanted ... but something is amiss. It showed not just in the uninspired regular season, but also in the greater-than-usual orneriness of certain players. Although Phoenix showed glimpses late in the season of what made them so great in past years, it's definitely time to reevaluate.

 

[Kaizen]

I like DeWanna. I think she will have good future, as well as Minn's Natasha.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I really think that something had to be wrong with Phoenix's team chemistry, although one wouldn't expect that on a team that, with essentially the same personnel, won the title just two years ago.

I have no idea of it's something among the players, or a lack of buy-in to what the coaching staff wanted ... but something is amiss. It showed not just in the uninspired regular season, but also in the greater-than-usual orneriness of certain players. Although Phoenix showed glimpses late in the season of what made them so great in past years, it's definitely time to reevaluate.

Minnesota acquiring Sylvia Fowles negated the advantage Brittney Griner provided. Minnesota is not a good matchup for Phoenix. Against any of the other semifinalists Phoenix moves on. Give them credit for advancing to the semifinals as the 8th seed with two road victories.

 

[EricLA]

Minnesota acquiring Sylvia Fowles negated the advantage Brittney Griner provided. Minnesota is not a good matchup for Phoenix. Against any of the other semifinalists Phoenix moves on. Give them credit for advancing to the semifinals as the 8th seed with two road victories.

I agree. Big Syl was the missing piece for Minny. They are the complete package now and don't have a weakness.

I do have to disagree a tad with my good friend Kaizen - I love Montgomery and Howard and what they bring to the team, but I think Bonner is not good for Phx. I know she can do some good thing, but she seems to want to do her own thing. Also, I don't think Xargay is the answer at PG. I'd rather see them find a better true PG.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Phoenix is too talented to play they way they did. This was basically the same team that won the title in 2014. Yes, Sylvia makes Minnesota a tougher matchup for them, but Phoenix had a losing record overall this year. There must be chemistry or leadership problems of some sort.

 

[easttexastrash]

I agree. Big Syl was the missing piece for Minny. They are the complete package now and don't have a weakness.

I do have to disagree a tad with my good friend Kaizen - I love Montgomery and Howard and what they bring to the team, but I think Bonner is not good for Phx. I know she can do some good thing, but she seems to want to do her own thing. Also, I don't think Xargay is the answer at PG. I'd rather see them find a better true PG.

I think Bonner needs to go as I agree that she is not good for Phoenix. When she is on the floor she is instantly looking to shoot and she complains and stops her feet about everything. That game was too important for her to be stomping and throwing a tantrum right in front of the ref, who promptly T'd her up. And Xargay is not the answer at PG. Phoenix needs to draft a PG and trade Bone for a guard. And trade Bonner for anything they can get.

 

[easttexastrash]

But let's face it...Minnesota is a damn good team.

 

[Kaizen]

I agree. Big Syl was the missing piece for Minny. They are the complete package now and don't have a weakness.

I do have to disagree a tad with my good friend Kaizen - I love Montgomery and Howard and what they bring to the team, but I think Bonner is not good for Phx. I know she can do some good thing, but she seems to want to do her own thing. Also, I don't think Xargay is the answer at PG. I'd rather see them find a better true PG.

Agree, I just think she is fearless. She may be not good for Phx.
Every time I saw her driving the ball to the crowd I am so scared that she may break her bones.

 

[Kaizen]

I think Bonner needs to go as I agree that she is not good for Phoenix. When she is on the floor she is instantly looking to shoot and she complains and stops her feet about everything. That game was too important for her to be stomping and throwing a tantrum right in front of the ref, who promptly T'd her up. And Xargay is not the answer at PG. Phoenix needs to draft a PG and trade Bone for a guard. And trade Bonner for anything they can get.

Get Moriah, but I don't know the price....

 

[easttexastrash]

Agree, I just think she is fearless. She may be not good for Phx.
Every time I saw her driving the ball to the crowd I am so scared that she may break her bones.

She is fearless...she has never met a shot that she is scared of taking.

 

[easttexastrash]

Get Moriah, but I don't know the price....

Too much! That would be tremendous but I don't see SA letting her get away. The idea of trading Bone for DRob was floated here and I like that idea if Robinson will be able to come back from her Achilles surgery and play next season.

 

[Kaizen]

Too much! That would be tremendous but I don't see SA letting her get away. The idea of trading Bone for DRob was floated here and I like that idea if Robinson will be able to come back from her Achilles surgery and play next season.

Robinson is a good fit. Phx needs a true PG.

 

[easttexastrash]

Robinson is a good fit. Phx needs a true PG.

And Jefferson and Robinson are both starter-quality PGs in the WNBA. Colson and Jefferson share some PG responsibilities, although Jefferson is the far better player. I just don't see enough space for two all-star quality PGs player for the Stars.

 

[ricky]

Get Moriah, but I don't know the price....

I don't believe they have anyone they would be willing to trade with comparable value as MJ. The Stars found their franchise guard and will build a team around her.

 

[easttexastrash]

I don't believe they have anyone they would be willing to trade with comparable value as MJ. The Stars found their franchise guard and will build a team around her.

Griner is the only player that SA would trade straight up for.

 

[ricky]

Griner is the only player that SA would trade straight up for.

I was leaning toward Griner too because of her potential. But it's hard to get a feel for her mindset and motivation to play this game. Maybe the Stars would see that too. They know they have a winner in MJ.

 

[UcMiami]

Before one completely buries Phoenix, they were playing perhaps the best coached and most talented team the W has ever seen - MN is a powerhouse and it starts with 1/4 of the Olympic team - four very dedicated and extremely talented players who are joined in the starting line-up with a consummate pro in Brunson who cleans up everyone else messes. And then the bench is incredibly talented as well. They are an older team, but have remained healthy all year which was the worry. And the coaching staff has done a really good job of defining roles and building confidence in the bench players and generally stayed out of the way of the starters - play tough fundamental defense and ride the hot hand and exploit the other teams weakest links, whoever and whatever that happens to be on any given night. No ego issues either. It is a really impressive production. They can go big with Fowles and Brunson, or go smaller and faster with Howard and Hampton. They are first in scoring and second in defense. They shoot the second highest from the floor, and shoot the three 10% better than anyone else while they give up the third lowest opponent shooting percentage. (Sounds sort of like Uconn doesn't it!) Phoenix of two years ago was going to struggle against this years MN, and this years Phoenix was not as good a team as 2014.

All that said - Phoenix hasn't looked right all year - they had a better post Olympic run and did well to reach the semis, but ...

I can't figure out Griner - good Olympics but she runs hot and cold, and the competitive fire wasn't that strong this year.
DT was incredible in the Olympics, but she sometimes seemed disinterested during the season too.
Bonner is a freakish player physically who could use more discipline
I really like Dupree but this wasn't a great year for her either
Xargay seemed a little miscast in her role
And the bench never really got organized - no idea why they brought in Bone with Harrison already there.

Overall, I think the reintroduction of DT may have create an unexpected chemistry issue - she is a great player but is also a dominant personality - they made it work without her last year, and performed better as a team but struggled all this year to get in right.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Before one completely buries Phoenix, they were playing perhaps the best coached and most talented team the W has ever seen - MN is a powerhouse and it starts with 1/4 of the Olympic team - four very dedicated and extremely talented players who are joined in the starting line-up with a consummate pro in Brunson who cleans up everyone else messes. And then the bench is incredibly talented as well. They are an older team, but have remained healthy all year which was the worry. And the coaching staff has done a really good job of defining roles and building confidence in the bench players and generally stayed out of the way of the starters - play tough fundamental defense and ride the hot hand and exploit the other teams weakest links, whoever and whatever that happens to be on any given night. No ego issues either. It is a really impressive production. They can go big with Fowles and Brunson, or go smaller and faster with Howard and Hampton. They are first in scoring and second in defense. They shoot the second highest from the floor, and shoot the three 10% better than anyone else while they give up the third lowest opponent shooting percentage. (Sounds sort of like Uconn doesn't it!) Phoenix of two years ago was going to struggle against this years MN, and this years Phoenix was not as good a team as 2014.

All that said - Phoenix hasn't looked right all year - they had a better post Olympic run and did well to reach the semis, but ...

I can't figure out Griner - good Olympics but she runs hot and cold, and the competitive fire wasn't that strong this year.
DT was incredible in the Olympics, but she sometimes seemed disinterested during the season too.
Bonner is a freakish player physically who could use more discipline
I really like Dupree but this wasn't a great year for her either
Xargay seemed a little miscast in her role
And the bench never really got organized - no idea why they brought in Bone with Harrison already there.

Overall, I think the reintroduction of DT may have create an unexpected chemistry issue - she is a great player but is also a dominant personality - they made it work without her last year, and performed better as a team but struggled all this year to get in right.

I agree that Cheryl is a good and very demanding coach. Their roster consists of #1 (Maya), #1 (Seimone), #1 (Janelle), #2 (Sylvia), #4 (Lindsay), # 4 (Renee), #5 (Natasha), and #10 (Rebekkah). That's three #1 overall picks, and eight top-10 picks. They are loaded.

I believe that the Lynx made up 1/3 of the Olympic roster.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I agree. Big Syl was the missing piece for Minny. They are the complete package now and don't have a weakness.

One could say that Sylvia Fowles was the missing Lynx.

 

[j66kicker]

Looks like the end of the Phoenix season and PT's career. There need to be some serious changes in Phoenix before next season. Shot selection is horrible, they can't play defense and they turn the ball over.

Well if there are, Brondello will be the one to make them - she just got a new multi-year contract.

Mercury coach Brondello agrees to new contract