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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
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 Posted: 08/01/15 2:20 pm ::: |
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It's going to be very hard for LA to finish third ... and looking at the bigger picture, the Sparks have to beat the Lynx at some point anyway, so what difference does it make what round?
There are no home court advantages either way, and I'm not sure Phoenix is going to be that much easier to beat.
In terms of fourth place ...
San Antonio: Three head-to-head games left, 1-1 so far. So tomorrow's game is actually pretty big, because having the tiebreaker is always good.
San Antonio has four games with the Storm, and a sweep there and two wins over the Sparks would give them six more wins, and they have the Sun twice, which could be eight. That would give them 14 wins and the tiebreaker, which would mean LA would have to win 11 to finish fourth.
Now I'm not saying that's likely, but even say one loss against Seattle might be offset by an upset somewhere else.
Seattle already has the tiebreaker over LA, and four games against San Antonio, so there's a little hope there, but I think SA is measurably better.
So first things first: Get into the playoffs.
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Brinx
Joined: 03 Oct 2013
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boom*NNEKA*nneka
Joined: 31 May 2012
Posts: 855
Location: San Pedro, CA
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| Posted: 08/07/15 12:09 pm ::: |
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last few games have really rekindled my passion for this team. . i am hardly a fairweather fan, but when they are playing bad, i usually dont post. . however, with the inspired play as of late, it is just exciting to be a sparks fan again! yes, there is a lot of ground to make up, and we still have to keep working, but just lots of things have me excited for this team:
-they are having fun! obviously, winning helps, but they just look on the same page, excited for each other, celebrating each others big plays, a very important part of a successful team
-they are sharing the ball like i have never seen before! usually the team has a habit of the ball "sticking" with certain players (i.e. yes i'm looking at you toliver and parker), but they are making the extra pass, sometimes overpassing, but no negative results
-candace is locked in. . likely because the rest helped, and she is putting in much more effort on the defensive end. . she is no DPOY, but the effort on the defensive end is noticeably improved
-toliver and lavender in the pick and roll is such a beautiful thing to watch. . toliver's ability to score and general mopey-ness is often highlighted, but the woman can pass, and pass well!
-the rest did wonders for alana beard. . she is getting to the basket at will, has more confidence in her jump shot, and her defense has not missed a beat
let's keep it going sparks! |
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pilight
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 66916
Location: Where the action is
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| Posted: 08/07/15 12:16 pm ::: |
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The Sparks are doing like the 2002 Monarchs, except they're going to make the playoffs.
The 2002 Monarchs started 2-13 while Yolanda Griffith was hurt. They ended the season 14-18, narrowly missing the postseason.
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hangtyme24
Joined: 21 May 2006
Posts: 2443
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| Posted: 08/07/15 12:45 pm ::: |
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| boom*NNEKA*nneka wrote: |
last few games have really rekindled my passion for this team. . i am hardly a fairweather fan, but when they are playing bad, i usually dont post. . however, with the inspired play as of late, it is just exciting to be a sparks fan again! yes, there is a lot of ground to make up, and we still have to keep working, but just lots of things have me excited for this team:
-they are having fun! obviously, winning helps, but they just look on the same page, excited for each other, celebrating each others big plays, a very important part of a successful team
-they are sharing the ball like i have never seen before! usually the team has a habit of the ball "sticking" with certain players (i.e. yes i'm looking at you toliver and parker), but they are making the extra pass, sometimes overpassing, but no negative results
-candace is locked in. . likely because the rest helped, and she is putting in much more effort on the defensive end. . she is no DPOY, but the effort on the defensive end is noticeably improved
-toliver and lavender in the pick and roll is such a beautiful thing to watch. . toliver's ability to score and general mopey-ness is often highlighted, but the woman can pass, and pass well!
-the rest did wonders for alana beard. . she is getting to the basket at will, has more confidence in her jump shot, and her defense has not missed a beat
let's keep it going sparks! |
Exactly how I feel. It was certainly hard to watch at the beginning of the season, but what a difference a couple of weeks and some rest can make. I think the resurgence of AB and the newly found defense that coach Agler has implemented has the Sparks really looking like contenders. I was watching the game last night and I was amazed by the defense Toliver was playing on Bay Bay. Gotta give Agler some credit because KT has NEVER played great defense like she's been playing this season. I remember when she first came to LA she couldn't guard her own shadow; Toliver, Beard and Nneka has really done a great job on defense since the All-Star break. Despite her scoring being down with CP3 back, Nneka has played some pretty good defense against some of the top shooters in the league(EDD, Maya, McBride and Christmas) and has held her own, I'm really impressed. I just love the way the team is sharing the ball and I hope we can continue this win streak on Sunday, although it will be everything but easy as Maya will look to bounce back after having a lousy second half against us in LA. Yes I am very excited, but I cant wait to see how we do against Phx and BG, and a healthy Minny team.
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Nixtreefan
Joined: 14 Nov 2012
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Spark4Life
Joined: 05 Mar 2009
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| Posted: 08/07/15 3:00 pm ::: |
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| Erin had surgery today?
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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Location: London
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| Posted: 08/07/15 4:32 pm ::: |
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| I know there are always decisions to be made, and second opinions sought, and waiting for swelling to go down, and everything else - but it's 16 days since Phillips last played a game. Seems like a long time to wait if she was going to need surgery. |
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hangtyme24
Joined: 21 May 2006
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| Posted: 08/07/15 5:32 pm ::: |
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| Richyyy wrote: |
| I know there are always decisions to be made, and second opinions sought, and waiting for swelling to go down, and everything else - but it's 16 days since Phillips last played a game. Seems like a long time to wait if she was going to need surgery. |
I'm with you, hopefully she can come back for the playoffs and contribute. Don't wanna rush anything since the ladies are playing so well.
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boom*NNEKA*nneka
Joined: 31 May 2012
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Location: San Pedro, CA
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| Posted: 08/07/15 7:25 pm ::: |
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| hangtyme24 wrote: |
| Richyyy wrote: |
| I know there are always decisions to be made, and second opinions sought, and waiting for swelling to go down, and everything else - but it's 16 days since Phillips last played a game. Seems like a long time to wait if she was going to need surgery. |
I'm with you, hopefully she can come back for the playoffs and contribute. Don't wanna rush anything since the ladies are playing so well. |
agreed with that. . with so many new faces, old faces, etc., i almost feel like her coming back could be detrimental. . i had high expectations for phillips, and thus far, have been underwhelmed. . not giving up on her though! |
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LosLynxAngeles
Joined: 26 Jul 2014
Posts: 860
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| Posted: 08/07/15 7:27 pm ::: |
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| boom*NNEKA*nneka wrote: |
| hangtyme24 wrote: |
| Richyyy wrote: |
| I know there are always decisions to be made, and second opinions sought, and waiting for swelling to go down, and everything else - but it's 16 days since Phillips last played a game. Seems like a long time to wait if she was going to need surgery. |
I'm with you, hopefully she can come back for the playoffs and contribute. Don't wanna rush anything since the ladies are playing so well. |
agreed with that. . with so many new faces, old faces, etc., i almost feel like her coming back could be detrimental. . i had high expectations for phillips, and thus far, have been underwhelmed. . not giving up on her though! |
it sucked that her good play came when candace, and kristi were not playing. anything good that her and jantel pretty much didn't matter because they were not getting any wins.
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jammerbirdi
Joined: 23 Sep 2004
Posts: 21046
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| Posted: 08/07/15 7:29 pm ::: |
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| boom*NNEKA*nneka wrote: |
last few games have really rekindled my passion for this team. . i am hardly a fairweather fan, but when they are playing bad, i usually dont post. . however, with the inspired play as of late, it is just exciting to be a sparks fan again! yes, there is a lot of ground to make up, and we still have to keep working, but just lots of things have me excited for this team:
-they are having fun! obviously, winning helps, but they just look on the same page, excited for each other, celebrating each others big plays, a very important part of a successful team
-they are sharing the ball like i have never seen before! usually the team has a habit of the ball "sticking" with certain players (i.e. yes i'm looking at you toliver and parker), but they are making the extra pass, sometimes overpassing, but no negative results
-candace is locked in. . likely because the rest helped, and she is putting in much more effort on the defensive end. . she is no DPOY, but the effort on the defensive end is noticeably improved
-toliver and lavender in the pick and roll is such a beautiful thing to watch. . toliver's ability to score and general mopey-ness is often highlighted, but the woman can pass, and pass well!
-the rest did wonders for alana beard. . she is getting to the basket at will, has more confidence in her jump shot, and her defense has not missed a beat
let's keep it going sparks! |
Pretty spot on there. Glad the team's play is drawing people back here, there, and everywhere.  _________________ Every woman who has ever been presented with a career/sex quid pro quo in the entertainment industry should come forward and simply say, “Me, too.” - jammer The New York Times 10/10/17 |
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jlight
Joined: 26 Feb 2014
Posts: 2516
Location: minny
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hangtyme24
Joined: 21 May 2006
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GEF34
Joined: 23 Jul 2008
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| Posted: 08/07/15 10:04 pm ::: |
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| Richyyy wrote: |
| I know there are always decisions to be made, and second opinions sought, and waiting for swelling to go down, and everything else - but it's 16 days since Phillips last played a game. Seems like a long time to wait if she was going to need surgery. |
It could be they thought she was getting better with rest. It's not uncommon for athletic trainers and doctors to do as much as they can to avoid surgery, depending on the injury of course, so perhaps they were trying alternative methods the last couple of weeks to see if they would help, or they thought it was helping and she tried to increase her intensity level and she couldn't do it or pain came back.
I'm not exactly sure what the specifics are for her injury so I am just speaking generally, not specific to her situation.
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jlight
Joined: 26 Feb 2014
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Location: minny
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jlight
Joined: 26 Feb 2014
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| Posted: 08/07/15 10:10 pm ::: |
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| no lie tho sparks look good but the last three yr they being looking good and look what happened yr after yr..
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"It's not necessarily about out-working the person across from me. It's out-working that voice inside me that says, "I'm too tired. I don't feel like doing it. I can settle." - Maya Moore.
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hangtyme24
Joined: 21 May 2006
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| Posted: 08/07/15 10:46 pm ::: |
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| jlight wrote: |
| no lie tho sparks look good but the last three yr they being looking good and look what happened yr after yr.. |
You're so right. I haven't seen LA share the ball like this since forever. Don't hate me for overreacting, but I think LA takes this one. I think Beard is the key. If she continues to play this way on both sides of the ball LA wins. Nneka and KT has also improved defensively. Im going LA!!
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Last edited by hangtyme24 on 08/08/15 3:16 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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jap
Joined: 01 Apr 2007
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| Posted: 08/07/15 11:14 pm ::: |
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| jlight wrote: |
| no lie tho sparks look good but the last three yr they being looking good and look what happened yr after yr.. |
Perhaps you need to cease looking at the past and observe what is going in front of you right now. This is the very first time the WNBA has seen a 100% healthy Candace Parker, fully rejuvenated and obviously in great spirits. She has bought into Brian's system and is learning that solid, aggressive defense can serve to generate offense, especially of the fast break variety. She is doing even more of the things she was doing when she first arrived at LA, namely every damn thang! She is filling up the statistics column like no one else has every done before. And she is the focal point of the LA attack.
Forget about what they did in the past because they what they did back then doesn't hold a candle to what is unfolding before our eyes now. There is no Boss Ross to give up on. Instead you have Cool Hand Brian who has kept them positive when many teams would have surrendered their collective spirits. He kept encouraging and teaching when they were hurt & partially staffed and they are starting to reap the benefits now that they are almost fully healthy. They are primed & ready to listen to anything & everything he has to say now.
This game is one of the few I had mentally circled since the all-star break. A win in Minny (and/or Phoenix) would serve two purposes: [1] place doubt in the minds of Minny (Phoenix) players that their home court "advantage" is really an advantage and [2] encourage the Sparks to realize that they have a solid chance of winning anywhere so an opponent's home court "edge" is neutralized.
I hold no illusions about Candace winning the MVP award with only a half season of play to come. I only desire that she perform like the unofficial MVP of the second half of this season and the MVP of the playoffs. This is probably the very first Sparks' team that is truly hers. They may not get it done this season, but I fully expect them to terrorize a lot of teams before this season is through.
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Last edited by jap on 08/08/15 12:51 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Michelle89
Joined: 17 Nov 2010
Posts: 16464
Location: Holland
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| Posted: 08/08/15 5:01 am ::: |
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| The real test is what happens when they have a tough game when their shot isnt falling. How Parker will react to that? Will she finally act like a leader or will she act annoyed like in the past
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Spark4Life
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boom*NNEKA*nneka
Joined: 31 May 2012
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| Posted: 08/08/15 9:26 am ::: |
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| hangtyme24 wrote: |
| jlight wrote: |
| no lie tho sparks look good but the last three yr they being looking good and look what happened yr after yr.. |
You're so right. I haven't seen LA share the ball like this since forever. Don't hate me for overreating, but I think LA takes this one. I think Beard is the key. If she continues to play this way on both sides of the ball LA wins. Nneka and KT has also improved defensively. Im going LA!! |
could not agree more! beard is key. . always on defense, but if she can knock her shots down and get to the rim, it is just one more thing for the lynx to deal with |
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jap
Joined: 01 Apr 2007
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 08/08/15 10:14 am ::: |
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| I keep having these visions that we might actually have an old-school WNBA finals if the Liberty meet the Sparks. I'm hoping it happens and that the Sparks take out the Lynx first, then the Mercury. A Liberty-Sparks WNBA finals would be amazing!!
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jap
Joined: 01 Apr 2007
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I feel like I am watching the Spurs, well almost. Great job to Agler, he is getting those gals to play team ball. Loved the effort particularly against the Lynx when they made Moore look like a ball hog. Keep it up, this is fun.
