Dorka gives us another defensive presence out there. I love that we got Emily and hopefully she gets some minutes against the Sparks tomorrow. Her energy, especially on the defensive end, should inspire the rest of the team to play a little more defense. I think as a team, we are dead last in defensive rating. I will have to check but I am pretty sure we are either last or next to last, in a 12 team league. SMH.
The bottom five teams in the W are interchangeable in terms of their defensive ineptitude. Phoenix, atlanta, and Dallas all give up more than 86 points per game. Opposing teams lick their chops at the number of wide open looks they get when playing these defenseless teams.
At least Atlanta and Dallas have coherent offenses and players who know what they're doing the Mercury even before the goats injury or an embarrassment in large part due to their High School coach I think. When it comes to coaching or match comes to mind when thinking about it Phoenix.
It's combination I think of chemistry and coaching, injuries, and frankly a culture within those franchises that has failed to emphasize the type of commitment necessary to defend in the W.
Another element contributing to the defensive ineptitude is the lack of preseason and lack of practice together as a team. Even a coach of the caliber of Reeves cannot overcome these issues.
What this does emphasize however is the importance of coaching as you look at the defense at the top of the league in particular the Mystics. This is a team that's dealt with injuries as well as players arriving late and yet the culture of this team as well as coaching has resulted in extraordinarily effective defense.
As a Mercury fan the game yesterday was agony. No excuses and with three starters out Sophie Cunningham is the only player on that team who's a bonafide WNBA player. While the announcers tried to find something positive to say about Phoenix and more positive in their evaluation of Sug I think that's misplaced.
It was truly embarrassing to see the Liberty manhandle and abused of mercury particularly in the paint. Jonquil Jones as an example bullied every Phoenix player. It's obvious why Onynewere didn't want to come back into the game.
Liberty were merely a prelude to what's going to happen when the Mercury confront the Aces later this week.
The Mercury lack any semblance of offense perhaps due to their High School coach. I believe they had sex clock violations on the offensive end. Well I admire players like Shay Petty they really don't belong in the W.
The locker room and culture was vitriolic last year with Skylar Diggins who we all know will never be in a Mercury uniform again. For the life of me I can't understand why the restructuring hasn't started yet with Phoenix.
Failure was assured in the preseason as the organization made the decision not to make a much-needed coaching change.
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