Sparks @ Lynx - 9/26/17

[Shades]

 

[Blueballer]

Getting off to a big lead early in this series doesn't mean much.

Lynx scored 28 in the 1st quarter. They scored 42 combined the rest of the game.

Well yes and no. Two nail biters but the team that got off to the great starts did win both games.

 

[eebmg]

The Lynx got lucky. TWICE! All of the mistakes they made - This could be 0-2

Agreed

If the Lynx do not play better, they will not see Minnesota. Maya has to play at a higher level.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Well yes and no. Two nail biters but the team that got off to the great starts did win both games.

Yes, both did hang on to win, but just BARELY. After being up 20 or so at some point in the game, it shouldn't have come down to the wire in either contest.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Maya was hampered by foul trouble tonight.

These teams are very evenly matched. The runs and swings in momentum are HUGE, but after 39:50, it comes down to the last shot or steal. The team that makes more plays at the end wins.

 

[BigBird]

Observations:

1- HORRIBLE shot selection, way too often.
2- Officiating poor, which means "the usual."
3- Parker never stops yapping.
4- Maya hasn't arrived yet.
5- The first team to stop standing around on offense just might win this thing.

 

[triaddukefan]

Chelsea Gray

 

[Geew1992]

The Lynx got lucky. TWICE! All of the mistakes they made - This could be 0-2

Eh....you can say LA could be down 0-2 too

 

[psconn]

Another spirited and competitive game down to the wire. What more could the WNBA hope for?

 

[psconn]

The officiating is so painfully bad in these games it drives you crazy.

From May...
Missed Calls Prompt W.N.B.A. to Bolster Referees’ Training

WNBA is in search of a few good refs...
NBA Officiating Opportunities

Did you apply? [just kidding] Seems like a good process that should result in more skilled refs. Will it?

 

[dogfan96]

Yes, both did hang on to win, but just BARELY. After being up 20 or so at some point in the game, it shouldn't have come down to the wire in either contest.

20 points isn't a big lead in high level professional basketball.. I shouldn't say it isn't a big lead but it's by no means insurmountable.. the team that's down pretty much ALWAYS makes a run to get back within striking distance

 

[rt bb fan]

Terrible foul called on Sims. It looked like Beard would have gotten a pretty clear path to the basket.

That foul called on Sims trying to steal the ball from Maya at the end of the games was bad. There was no foul and the Sparks would have scored and won the game.

 

[hugefan]

There was no foul on Brunson either, on replay it was a clean block. So I say they are negated.

 

[willtalk]

There was no foul on Brunson either, on replay it was a clean block. So I say they are negated.

Not really! What people seem to forget is that any action creates a series of subsquent sequential changes. When Beard makes the lay up the Sparks are down one with the Lynx having the possession with about 40 seconds to play. Instead the Lynx pick up an extra point via Maya's free throw. Beards two points cancel out Parker's free throws. So if we eliminate both Maya's and Parkers free throws you end up with the Lynxc up by one and possession with 40 seconds to play. As it turned out they were up by two with 32 seconds to play. The The bad call cost the Sparks one point and 8 seconds. I even eliminated 3.7 seconds for the time it would have taken Beard to make the lay up. It was 43.9 when foul was called to 33.2 when Parker shot her free throws. Big difference. Bad calls never negate each other.

That does not mean that the Sparks would have won the game but it sure increases the odds quite a bit. Especially with the eight extra seconds on the clock and one less point to make up. . The fact that the Lynxs couldn't manage any scores in the last few possessions did not bode well for them being able to hold a one point lead with that much time left. Maya's free throw were the last points they scored.

There were a lot of other bad call through out the game but the effects of bad calls are always increased relative to the diminishing time left on the clock . I do believe their lack of scoring and mistake filled play by both teams towards the end had to be influenced by fatigue.

Oh Simeone didn't trip over anyone's feet there was no one even close to her when she stumbled. As many mentioned it seems she tripped over one of the lines.

 

[willtalk]

Chelsea Gray

It wasn't as bad on her part as it looked. She really didn't have any open options. I don't know what they were thinking to run her to the outside like that. I don't think the coach had enough time to dictate to every player what they were supposed to do. The Lynx played it perfectly. They cut off her passing lanes and had her trapped with 5 defenders between her and the basket. The other players just stayed stationary much like they did when Beard was trying to inbound the ball on that 5 second turnover. The only option she had was Beard in the corner but her man was also closing in so she wouldn't have an uncontested shot. I think the idea was to go to Parker who was open, but the second defender on Gray was right between her and Parker. It just seemed like the team as a whole was really gased and showed a real lack of motion during the last couple of plays.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The foul on Sims looked questionable from the only camera angle shown, but I think Odyssey ran through Mays's left arm to grab the call. The call on Brunson was far worse.

 

[YellwJcket999]

I wish that Simone Augustus would play defense. I wish she would move when she is away from the ball. I wish she would hustle like Maya.

The Lynx need to make some adjustments if they are going to win this year. We will see if they can contain Odyssey, Chelsea and Nneka.

 

[MilfordHusky]

It wasn't as bad on her part as it looked. She really didn't have any open options. I don't know what they were thinking to run her to the outside like that. I don't think the coach had enough time to dictate to every player what they were supposed to do. The Lynx played it perfectly. They cut off her passing lanes and had her trapped with 5 defenders between her and the basket. The other players just stayed stationary much like they did when Beard was trying to inbound the ball on that 5 second turnover. The only option she had was Beard in the corner but her man was also closing in so she wouldn't have an uncontested shot. I think the idea was to go to Parker who was open, but the second defender on Gray was right between her and Parker. It just seemed like the team as a whole was really gased and showed a real lack of motion during the last couple of plays.

I think both teams were totally gassed, partly because of the up-and-down nature of the fourth quarter without stoppages. That may have contributed to the mental and physical mistakes.

 

[willtalk]

I think both teams were totally gassed, partly because of the up-and-down nature of the fourth quarter without stoppages. That may have contributed to the mental and physical mistakes.

Exactly! I felt really bad for Augustus. I mean she just tripped over an imaginary line and stumbled out of bounds. Kind of thing you would do if you were falling down drunk. Almost cost them the game. Sh had to be tired.. Also on the previous play when Beard could not inbound the ball mostly all the Sparks was just standing around.