RebKell's Junkie Boards

[Shades]

Seattle, WA - 10:00 PM ET
TV: NBA TV, JoeTV, MSG+

Video:
https://leaguepass.wnba.com

Game page:
http://www.wnba.com/game/20180817/NYLSEA/

ESPN Gamecast:
http://m.espn.com/wnba/gamecast?gameId=401018977

_________________
Nnekalonians 1:14 - Thou shalt not accept that which is not earned

[toad455]

No Zellous, Prince or Zahui B. Vaughn doubtful. Looking like just 8 again tonight.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Bob Lamm]

[scrappy]

such a meaningless game. i'll be watching aces @ wings.

_________________
She's blonde, she can block. She is 6 foot five, she can deny. Though she is tall, she definitely can score. ya'al think she is quite nice, but on the court she can put up a fight.

[toad455]

[Bob Lamm]

[toad455]

Storm easily backing into the #1 seed tonight.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Silky Johnson]

[Silky Johnson]

Damn, when even Dick Fain thinks the Storm got away with one...

_________________
Professional Hater. The Baron of #HateHard

My team no longer exists, so I'll have to settle for hating yours.

[toad455]

How are the Storm only up by 3 at halftime?

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[toad455]

Do the Storm not want the #1 seed? Playing like garbage this 3rd quarter.

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Silky Johnson]

Aren't MVP chants supposed to be organic?

_________________
Professional Hater. The Baron of #HateHard

My team no longer exists, so I'll have to settle for hating yours.

[craigmont]

Jewell has these brickathons once in a while. Hopefully the rest of the team can pick it up.

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

Hartley gets on my nerves sometimes. Did she really think she was going to beat Canada dribbling in the open floor?

_________________
The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

Solid game for Stokes rebounding and defense. And it does seem to have helped give the team more competitiveness to have her be closer to herself. Hopefully it's something they can bring into next year. In the first game in NY Stewie ate her alive in their brief matchup. Tonight Stewie is still playing really well but Stokes doesn't look physically overmatched like she did in NY.

_________________
The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

This game looks a lot like the MSG game.

_________________
The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

Sugar knocking down more clutch 3s.

_________________
The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[Bob Lamm]

[PRballer]

Kiah Stokes. Knocks down Jewell Loyd on a hard blocking foul and grinning after. Then can’t make a lay up to save her life on the other end.

Asshole.

[Randy]

[ClayK]

I give credit to Katie Smith for getting her team to play hard down the stretch ... of course, it's easy for players to get up for a game when they know they're going to play a lot.

_________________
Oṃ Tāre Tuttāre Ture Svāhā

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

They're definitely playing hard. What I find frustrating...and somewhat puzzling for a mostly veteran team...is that they often seem to have those 5 minute runs where they are absolutely godawful. And then bad offense leads to bad defense and vice versa. Last night they were down 1 with 8:32 left. At the 5:08 mark they were down 15. That's a 14-1 run in just 3:24. Fueled primarily by NY turnovers. They've been victimized by similar runs in a number of their losses. 2 points in the fourth vs. Indy at home. 28-3 run by Atlanta in the third quarter in its sixth game in nine days. The fourth quarter run by Seattle in the MSG game. When things become unhinged for the Libs, they become unhinged in a hurry.

For next year, I see priority one as (hopefully) developing Boyd into a more complete player. The needs of the Libs are obvious, and given that we have a PG with at least potential to improve, PG wouldn't be ID'ed as the Libs' number one need. However, what we have also seen is teams have scouted what Boyd does well and taken some of it away, since much of her productivity in scoring and passing has been in the paint. Boyd has shown signs of improving her shot, as her 3 point percentage is better and so is her FT %. I think a necessary next step is to actually take some of those mid-range shots that the defense is basically conceding. Without it, the defense just packs in the paint and it looks at times like a 1999 Liberty offense when teams would ignore Sue Wicks and sag heavily off of Spoon. Since this isn't 1999 and we're looking at generally megatalented teams by comparison, Boyd has to be willing to shoot and able to make midrange shots. I know I've said it time after time, but it's just vitally important. It's the difference between her being a solid starter and nothing more than a change-of-pace player.

More to the first point, stable PG play will reduce the likelihood of those types of quick runs against NY. Hartley has regressed this year as well, which hasn't helped. But I'd also say last year's 10-game winning streak, compiled mainly because of schedule advantages, covered up some weaknesses that have only manifested themselves more this year. Not having a healthy Kiah has really crystallized those weaknesses even more.

I see Tina's rebounding drop and physical issues as being a significant issue too. Her offense is as good as ever...in fact in some ways it might be better...but if she's a 7 rpg player or less moving forward then we have to make up those rebounds somewhere. Be they from Stokes, a draftee, a team effort...whatever. For a modestly talented offensive team that has established its identity through defense and rebounding...well...hopefully we get back to that next year.

_________________
The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

Tell you all this much. I'm usually very sad when seasons end. Even 2013 because I had hope that Laimbeer would build a winning team. Even 2014 because I felt injuries held the team back and we still won 15 games and finished strong. 2015 I was crushed when we lost game 3 vs. Indy because we were up 20 in game 2 and blew a chance to get to the finals. 2016 I was sad because it was such a hard fought game but we were too banged up realistically to win. Last year disappointment with a touch of anger because again we were up by a lot in the first half and it all came apart in the third quarter. This year I am going to be much more relieved than sad.

The way Katie Smith has talked about "next year" makes it obvious that she is coming back and that the Libs will once again be in Westchester trying to make the best of a difficult situation. Unless there's some further improvement from within (it's possible but I don't know exactly what to think) the Libs are two lottery picks away from contending again. We've seen flashes from Boyd and Nurse. Stokes has been pretty good now that she is healthy again. I guess if they all take it further next year and we get some scoring help from a lottery pick we could be competitive again.

It'll be easier to assess that once the lottery happens I guess.

_________________
The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[toad455]

Like I've mentioned before, we need to clean house. Prince only played 16 games this season, so I think it's time to move on from her. Instant cuts/don't re-sign are Vaughn, Coleman & Allen. Bring back L. Allen to backup Boyd. Add in our picks (#4 & #13/#14) and a FA wing or post and hope Raincock wants to play in Westchester. I also think Zellous signs elsewhere.

PG: Boyd/L. Allen
SG: Nurse/Rodgers/Hartley
SF: #4 pick/free agent
PF: Charles/Raincock
C: Zahui B/#13 pick/Stokes

_________________
LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[root_thing]

If Megdal's spreadsheet is correct, then the house is already cleaned. We just need to buy new furniture.

NY is locked into the #14 pick. The lottery only applies to the 1st Round, and while Indiana can theoretically tie NY with 7 wins, the Liberty have the tiebreaker -- in this case a bad thing.

_________________
You can always do something else.