They're Playing Basketball: Some drama

Thursday, June 20, 2013

About last night:

Maya Moore lead Minnesota over Phoenix, 80-69, with a monster stat line: 26 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. Box score.

Mercury forward Diana Taurasi, who had 28 points, said the Lynx beat them to every loose ball and rebound.

About today:

The Shock grabbed their second win by beating the Sky, 83-74.

College news:

Drama from Florida....Sydney Moss is the third player to leave Florida this off-season, but the school doesn't want to let her go.

Kathy Thomas will transfer from Iowa.

Florida State has obtained three transfers.

McKenzie Calvert has decomitted from Baylor.

U16 team:

The USA U16 team routed Brazil yesterday in the first round of the FIBA Americas Championship, 76-20.

Abacus Reveals said...: If something unusual happens once, it can be passed off as an anomaly.
But this is now twice that the Lynx have held Brittney Griner "block-less."

This might help reinforce the notion that the biggest adjustment from the college- to the pro-game happens from the neck up. Hence, a point guard (e.g. Diggins, though it appears she made some ksy plays down the stretch today vs. the Sky) or a "quarterback-of-the-defense" like Griner may struggle early on.

Minnesota's offensive rebounding this season has been beyond outrageous. Coach Gaines only slightly exaggerates when he says they retrieved half their misses -- it was actually 40.5% (17 ORs in 42 misses), the third time this season they've graded out over 40%. For the season, they have 91 OR's and 243 missed FGs, 37.4%, best in the league by a comfortable margin.
Another extraordinary stat re. the Lynx is that they've had more Offensive Rebounds than Turnovers in five of their six games.
Is it pre-mature to think of this as a "Team on a Mission"?; June 20, 2013 at 3:35 PM
Anonymous said...: Good post and analysis. I'm not sure Griner has ever had to box out before in her career.; June 20, 2013 at 5:56 PM

They're Playing Basketball