Phoenix vs Minny

[easttexastrash]

Looks like the Mercury are going to start 0-3. I can't imagine them beating Minnesota after seeing them lose to Seattle. I want to see DT kick her teammates' butts into gear.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Good year for the Merc to get a top draft pick. Odyssey Simms to Phx anyone?

 

[semper]

I can't watch tonight; so I'll try the archive feature tomorrow. and not read the BY til I've watched....

 

[easttexastrash]

Good year for the Merc to get a top draft pick. Odyssey Simms to Phx anyone?

If they are in the lottery Gaines needs to be fired.

 

[easttexastrash]

Houston getting the start. I guess Gaines saw my request for less Prahalis and more Charde.

 

[easttexastrash]

Phoenix actually plays like they are trying to tank the season. They have no fire in their bellies. They look lazy on offense and defense. I'm stunned at how bad they look.

 

[Coler]

Ugly, Ugly, Ugly. Embarrassing.

 

[msf22b]

Maya: 13 points in the first 10 minutes

 

[Coler]

Can we just can Gaines, please? No way that a team with this much talent should look like this.

 

[easttexastrash]

Ugly, Ugly, Ugly. Embarrassing.

Phoenix cannot play defense and they can't shoot. BG has had her defender on her back multiple times and her teammates look her off and shoot a 20 footer instead. BG was a wasted pick for them if they are not going to run some post offense.

 

[rjuconn]

On the other hand, what got into Amber Harris in this one?

The combo of Augustus and Maya is absolutely deadly. Best offensive 1-2 punch in the league. Both can shoot the lights out.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Maya Moore - ridiculous in the 1st half. 19 points. I'd like to see her pour it on in the 2nd half...

 

[easttexastrash]

Harris has looked great. I've always been a fan and wanted to see her reach her potential. She is a tremendous athlete and she should have a great career.

 

[easttexastrash]

Maya is so smooth. She makes it look effortless. You can tell how much time she puts into her game.

 

[easttexastrash]

Great game by the Lynx. Pathetic game by Phoenix. Here I thought this would be DT's team but apparently Bonner is the featured player on offense. Bonner picked up a bunch of FTs at the end against the Minny reserves but had her third straight game of 4-12 from the floor.

That offense that they are running is one of the worst I've seen in the WNBA. It's all one-on-one play with what appears to be a bunch of selfis players who want to shoot at the first glimpse at a shot.

 

[HuskyFan1125]

Coming from Chicago, this makes it a little sweeter knowing we were able to get EDD!!!

I don't know why the mercury guards aren't working the ball down low to BG!

 

[VAUConnFan]

Can we just can Gaines, please? No way that a team with this much talent should look like this.

Unlike you, I am not at all convinced that this is a talented Phoenix team. Then again, I am still trying to figure out how they won it all back in 2007 and again in 2009. There are only a few players on the Mercury that I would draft for a hypothetical fantasy league team. Maybe the problem is coaching. Other teams change and adjust. IMO, Coach Gaines lost the team when he and the organization allowed Diana Taurasi to sit out all but 6 games after the Olympics. Ms Taurasi played in only two games prior to the Olympics nursing a hip flexor, then played all eight games in the Olympics. Only Sue Bird played more minutes. Then, returning from a stellar Olympics performance, pretty much, sat out the rest of the season appearing in just six of fifteen games. If, as has been suggested that DT needs to get into her teammates, how is she going to do that? Who is going to listen to her? One can plainly see in their first three games, that Phoenix is not playing as a cohesive unit, they are all out for themselves, and they have no intention of utilizing their prized rookie to maximum advantage.

Corey Gaines is the coach and general manager, so it would be up to upper level management/ownership to fire him. Diana Taurasi is hugely popular in Phoenix and in the WNBA; and she is the best player on the team, so it is is unlikely she will be traded. But, there is an undeniable leadership void that can only be remedied by a shakeup.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

It isn't all that talented past the first 7, but its a pretty good bunch to that point, especially if used correctly.

I have (so far) only seen the home game live, as I don't watch on the net. I will, so far as possible, watch any games on TV, and am scheduled for 4 more games in person.

My point is that, throughout the years, Phoenix has played Westhead's run and gun. Generally successfully. I didn't think during the game I was present for that Chicago "prevented" the run and gun, rather, Phoenix tended to slide into a dysfunctional half court offense. Their best moments were when DT pulled up for a shot or they actually (quickly) got the ball inside (Bonner or Griner).

I agree that they are just not on the same page, or perhaps the "right" one. It said in the article that the locker room was closed and Gaines did not appear within 45 minutes after the game, so I assume some serious stuff was discussed.

 

[UcMiami]

Unlike you, I am not at all convinced that this is a talented Phoenix team. Then again, I am still trying to figure out how they won it all back in 2007 and again in 2009. There are only a few players on the Mercury that I would draft for a hypothetical fantasy league team. Maybe the problem is coaching. Other teams change and adjust. IMO, Coach Gaines lost the team when he and the organization allowed Diana Taurasi to sit out all but 6 games after the Olympics. Ms Taurasi played in only two games prior to the Olympics nursing a hip flexor, then played all eight games in the Olympics. Only Sue Bird played more minutes. Then, returning from a stellar Olympics performance, pretty much, sat out the rest of the season appearing in just six of fifteen games. If, as has been suggested that DT needs to get into her teammates, how is she going to do that? Who is going to listen to her? One can plainly see in their first three games, that Phoenix is not playing as a cohesive unit, they are all out for themselves, and they have no intention of utilizing their prized rookie to maximum advantage.

In Diana's defense, I do think Phoenix and WNBA have put incredible pressure on DT to continue playing 12 months a year - she plays WNBA season and usually the post season, grabs a plane for Russia and plays the domestic season, Euro-season, and then both post-seasons and hops a plane back to Phoenix for the next preseason. She talked about sitting out a WNBA season a few years ago and there was a lot of pushback - and she hasn't had that 'three month injury' that a lot of other players have that has allowed them to miss a season. She was banged up before the Olympics missing quite a few games, and I think she basically shut it down afterwards - typical fatigue kinds of issues all last year. And maybe she shouldn't have played the Olympics, but are you really going to ask her to sit a 'once every 4 year' experience for the small change the WNBA pays her?

 

[Coler]

I'm not saying the Merc has the most talent in the league, but they have enough talent that they shouldn't play like their sleep walking out there. I mean come on, no way they should have lost to Seattle who's missing both of their star players.

I agree that they don't have the deepest bench, but the starting 2-5 spots are very solid, I know their missing Taylor, and I agree she'll make a difference....but come on she won't make that much of a difference if they're playing this crappy.

They drafted Griner, and that's what they got. Change the system to fit her into it. If they didn't want to change their system they should have drafted EDD who would have fit into their system flawlessly.

Oh well, perhaps they'll wake the heck up against the Fever. Who knows.

 

[VAUConnFan]

In Diana's defense, I do think Phoenix and WNBA have put incredible pressure on DT to continue playing 12 months a year - she plays WNBA season and usually the post season, grabs a plane for Russia and plays the domestic season, Euro-season, and then both post-seasons and hops a plane back to Phoenix for the next preseason. She talked about sitting out a WNBA season a few years ago and there was a lot of pushback - and she hasn't had that 'three month injury' that a lot of other players have that has allowed them to miss a season. She was banged up before the Olympics missing quite a few games, and I think she basically shut it down afterwards - typical fatigue kinds of issues all last year. And maybe she shouldn't have played the Olympics, but are you really going to ask her to sit a 'once every 4 year' experience for the small change the WNBA pays her?

Of course, one is not expected to sit out a once in four year experience. However, if one can perform as well as she did during that once in four year experience, then that person/leader/best player/example setter/popular face of the league should make a similar effort for her team. She is a professional. It is what she is paid to do. By not doing so no one else on the team is going to make much effort toward winning; Just collect their respective paychecks. By not doing so, leadership credibility is lost, possibly forever. When your star cannot lead, your team cannot compete.

As far as small change, when you walk into a fast food restaurant, do you not expect courteous, professional service? If our respective efforts were based entirely on our wages, very little would get done.

 

[Stray Cat]

That offense that they are running is one of the worst I've seen...It's all one-on-one play with what appears to be a bunch of selfis players who want to shoot at the first glimpse at a shot.

Was it really necessary to reference that Orange team in your post?

 

[RadyLady]

Of course, one is not expected to sit out a once in four year experience. However, if one can perform as well as she did during that once in four year experience, then that person/leader/best player/example setter/popular face of the league should make a similar effort for her team. She is a professional. It is what she is paid to do. By not doing so no one else on the team is going to make much effort toward winning; Just collect their respective paychecks. By not doing so, leadership credibility is lost, possibly forever. When your star cannot lead, your team cannot compete.

As far as small change, when you walk into a fast food restaurant, do you not expect courteous, professional service? If our respective efforts was based entirely on our wages, very little would get done.

It is tough to understand someone's position when one hasn't walked a mile in their shoes... that said, Diana, surrounded by a very very young UConn team literally willed them to two championships, whilst playing injured and getting the crap beaten out of her every single game.

Do we know for certain that she wasn't playing through pain during the Olympics?

She gave it her all for UConn, and she gave it her all for her country.

At some point everyone deserves a rest. At that point, after the Olympics, Diana needed a rest. And on the surface it was win win because Diana got to heal and the Mercury got the first round draft pick. That Griner their pic isn't working out so well it's not the fault of Diana, it is the fault of the coach of the mercury who isn't training his team to utilize the assets that Griner can bring to the game.
Griner at times appears to look lost out there on the floor, she isn't aggressively moving to position, she isn't aggressively looking for her shot and calling for the ball.

True Griner is putting up points and grabbing rebounds every game but for a player of her caliber, she should be blowing them out of the water and she's not imo.

One has to wonder about her mental status as well for the pressure on her has to be astronomical. I feel sorry for the kid.

Sent from my SGH-T769 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ThisJustIn]

True Griner is putting up points and grabbing rebounds every game but for a player of her caliber, she should be blowing them out of the water and she's not imo.

She's not because the quality of play AND coaching has gone up exponentially. "Her caliber"is most EVERYone's caliber -- and she has to play them every other night. She will have learn - from studying tape and from her experiences on the court. Let's see how she adjusts the second time through teams (and see if the team itself can get on the same page). The same should be said for Diggins and EDD. Other teams are learning, too.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'm not saying the Merc has the most talent in the league, but they have enough talent that they shouldn't play like their sleep walking out there. I mean come on, no way they should have lost to Seattle who's missing both of their star players.

I agree that they don't have the deepest bench, but the starting 2-5 spots are very solid, I know their missing Taylor, and I agree she'll make a difference....but come on she won't make that much of a difference if they're playing this crappy.

They drafted Griner, and that's what they got. Change the system to fit her into it. If they didn't want to change their system they should have drafted EDD who would have fit into their system flawlessly.

Oh well, perhaps they'll wake the heck up against the Fever. Who knows.

I couldn't agree more. If you don't want to change your system to fit in a true center then don't draft her. EDD would have been a much better fit for that system that hey are running. BG was a wasted draft pick and I am going to suffer though a season of watching her being nothing more than a center that sets picks so that guards and forwards can shoot long range shots.