Washington Mystics @ Seattle Storm game 1

[Carnac]

Cloud and Atkins have been decent but Delle Donne isn't excelling and they've got just about nothing from Sanders and Tolliver.

The Mystics (collectively) need to see the Wizard tomorrow, because they need to find some heart. They must win game 2, and go back to Washington tied at 1. If they go down 0-2, it's ovah!!!

They Mystics cannot win 3 games in a row from the Storm. I would say that ship "sailed", but it never came into port. If the Storm win Sunday, the front office and the city can formulate their plans to celebrate their championship while they're in Washington.

It's NOT Washington's year, especially after EDD suffered that leg injury. So goes EDD, so goes the Mystics.

 

[Carnac]

I’m pulling for Seattle, but I really like watching EDD and Tolliver. They give it all they have in every contest.

Stewie and Birdy also bring it every time. Loyd is streaky and sometime selfish, but she was much sharper tonight. She gave Seattle a big lift. Clark is so under-rated. She’s tough at both ends of the floor. Her rebounding helps tip the scales in the last two games.

Entertaining game tonight, despite the score.

Me too, but they're over matched in this one. I said back at the all-star break, this year's championship was the Storm's to lose. Not saying they had the best team this year, just that they were playing the best to that point, and minus a season ending injury to a key player (i.e. Angel McCoughtry), the Storm looked like the team to beat.

RIGHT NOW, the Storm are very hard to beat in Seattle, losing only 4 of 17 home games all season. They have lots of fan support. Not a lot of empty seats tonight for the game. Both teams desperately wanted game one. Everybody loves a winner, and wants to be part of a championship. The Storm are on the cusp of their 3rd championship. Suzie B gets her 3rd ring, Stewie and KML get their first.

How quickly things can change. The Storm sure didn't look like a championship team during Jenny Boucek's watch.

 

[Carnac]

I haven't seen that much of the Storm this year. Now I see why some are critical of Canada. She's quick enough she can get a shot just about any time she wants, but she's not finishing and she's not looking to set up teammates. She has a long way to go to be a successful PG in the W.

Suzie B will get her straight BEFORE she retires. Canada went to the perfect team. Canada is a willing student, and will learn. She's got the physical skills to play at this level. She just needs to learn "floor management". Learn how to be a good floor general like Sue, and learn how to make good decisions on the fly in the heat of battle.

She's got to learn to setup and trust her teammates. At UCLA, she was a shoot first pass second player because she was the best player on the floor, and she carried the team. She had to score for the Bruins to win.

She's got to be reprogrammed. She's got to realize that she now has teammates that can score. Once she gets comfortable with that concept, she'll be fine. She'll learn from one of the best. Bird not only is a good player, but a good teacher as well. She relates well with younger players.

I think Sue could very easily move directly into coaching (college or WNBA) upon retirement. Me thinks she wants to follow in Rebecca Lobo's footsteps, and go into broadcasting. The money is good, and there's a lot less stress and pressure to perform.

 

[JordyG]

Suzie B will get her straight BEFORE she retires. Canada went to the perfect team. She'll learn from one of the best guards in the W, how to play at this level. Bird could very easily move directly into coaching upon retirement. Me thinks she wants to follow in Rebecca Lobo's footsteps, and go into broadcasting. The money is good, and there's less pressure to perform.

Unfortunately from what I've seen of Sue in the booth at this time she makes a better coach.

 

[eebmg]

Unfortunately from what I've seen of Sue in the booth at this time she makes a better coach.

Its a matter of opinion but I love Sue's understated delivery in her broadcasting. I love her little mechanism when she is asked a question and she she says "right ..."

 

[Fairfield Fan]

Disappointing to see KML's numbers. Nearly seven minutes in, no points, and her team was -10 during that span.

Still wishing and hoping for a career rebound. But she appears to be in a late season funk.

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Suzie B will get her straight BEFORE she retires.

Hope so, because Canada had one of those 4 year college stints of "go out there and make somethin' happen".

 

[RockyMTblue2]

Same story as EDD's first finals appearance. Playing hurt, she wills her team to the finals where they meet a far superior opponent.

That year the Mercury swept the Sky. Feels like the Storm may sweep the Mystics.

Agreed. Gotta remember though this Storm team lost by 20 to the Merc in the semifinals. But if they are on like they were last night, when as Sue says, the "bucket gets bigger" it will be a sight to behold and a great feather in the cap of one Sue Bird.

 

[JordyG]

Its a matter of opinion but I love Sue's understated delivery in her broadcasting. I love her little mechanism when she is asked a question and she she says "right ..."

Unfortunately like a marriage often the little quirks you find endearing over time become the very things you find unrelentingly annoying. Also when she does color analysis her voice often becomes lost in the background of crowd noise.

 

[Beemer]

Unfortunately from what I've seen of Sue in the booth at this time she makes a better coach.

It is true that Sue is a woman of few words but I find her approach refreshing- too many analysts do not know when to keep their mouths shut & let the game speak for itself.

 

[Carnac]

Unfortunately from what I've seen of Sue in the booth at this time she makes a better coach.

I agree. Becoming a good color analyst is new ground for her, and will take time for her to master. Right now, she's just winging it. Being a good color analyst is understanding what's happening on the floor, and being able to explain it to the listening/viewing audience. That and knowing what to say and when to say it, i.e., timing.

Once she becomes a full time analyst, someone will train and coach her in the nuances of color commentating. She's knowledgeable and personable, in time she'll be fine.

Most of your former athletes that transition to the role of an analyst are better in year 3, than when they first began. She knows the game. All she has to do is work on her delivery.

 

[Carnac]

I Guess the Storm are feeling confident. Hughes is leading the huddle.

Ha!! Good one!!

 

[Carnac]

Even Mercedes Russell is in now, along w/ Paris, KML, Whitcomb and Canada.

And they gave up 7 points without scoring any. That's exactly why they're reserves.

 

[nwhoopfan]

And they gave up 7 points without scoring any. That's exactly why they're reserves.

Yeah, that group was horrible together. Quinn replaced Canada right after I posted that. Scoreless the last 3 1/2 minutes of the game.

 

[VAUConnFan]

I expect Washington to come back in Game 2.

 

[JordyG]

I agree. Becoming a good color analyst is new ground for her, and will take time for her to master. Right now, she's just winging it. Being a good color analyst is understanding what's happening on the floor, and being able to explain it to the listening/viewing audience. That and knowing what to say and when to say it, i.e., timing.

Once she becomes a full time analyst, someone will train and coach her in the nuances of color commentating. She's knowledgeable and personable, in time she'll be fine.

Most of your former athletes that transition to the role of an analyst are better in year 3, than when they first began. She knows the game. All she has to do is work on her delivery.

I agree completely. Also in order to be a good analyst you need to have a good, clear voice with a good timbre: It's not merely what you say and when to say it, but how you say it. As well, if your voice has a sing song, off hand, or didactic quality, or if, as I've said, your voice gets lost when the crowd get loud, viewers will find you boring, annoying, or irrelevant. This stuff may sound easy, but being a good color commentator is tough work, and not for everyone.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I expect Washington to come back in Game 2.

I expect it in Game 3.

 

[Carnac]

Even though it's the best of 5, Washington must win today. They can't beat the Storm 3 straight games. Elvis said it over 60 years ago: "it's now or never".

 

[MilfordHusky]

I expect Washington to come back in Game 2.

You were right, but they needed one 3-pointer to win. Just one.