My game story from last night's match up, which includes photos by Eric Wade and myself.
The stats are worth thinking about:
Forty-three fouls, Sparks outrebounding the Mercury 46-37. LA's bench outscored Phoenix's, 21-10. Yet the Sparks lose.
The Mercury seemed to have the mental edge. They came into Staples and stood up to the Sparks. Pushed them around at times (see photo with story).
LA has elevated their play a lot since I wrote this piece. If there's anything at all left that they could still work on, it might be getting more mean on the floor. Because sometimes you have to go there to win.
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4 comments:
And Taurasi does her Thug Act again, gets T'd up and PHX wins. I'm thinking if they want to grow the W they shouldn't be putting PHX on their rare cable broadcasts. No one that knows and appreciates the sport was impressed with how that game came down last night. If I didn't know better I'd have thought PHX was a Laimbeer coached team.
Further Parker and LA don't do well when they get bullied. It is what it is.
Personally I felt the Sparks played with little heart and less desire. Almost every starter is a shooter, so the zone shoulda been no problem. No one apparently wanted to shoot because they overpassed and turned the ball over. I can even remember how many times CP3 passed up an open look and dribbled until they took it from her.
When they finally got In a rhythm, and got within 1, Ross twisted the line up and they went right back into their lackluster play. I had a lot of issues with Ross's coaching style the last 2 games. Too many line up changes and the starters spend too much time sitting for no apparent reason.
When I read anything about their defense I laugh as it was non existent. The Merc did whatever they chose. And if the Sparks even looked at DT they got called for a foul. One player, 17 free throws. SERIOUSLY!!!!
In all honesty I want to put a lot of blame on the refs, but seriously the Mercury came to play and punked LA all night.
They let DT intimidate them. They have zero chance in the playoffs if the can't get over that. If they continue to play patty-cake when PHX plays MMA they're going to continue to lose and they'll deserve it.
They should've skipped those post ESPY Festivities. Anonymous touched on a comment I've stated several times about CP thinking she has Point Guard skills. She plays too far away from the basket at times, smaller players will strip her every time. Thats why Ross has LH, AB, and KT.... Use them Candace
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