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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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Posted: 09/13/21 4:41 am ::: |
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I think a big issue with the offense is consistency of their pace. When they start walking the ball up the court they run into issues. The slower they play the worse off they are.
But, their depth players generally aren’t very offensively consistent. So it’s a catch 22. Play Laney 35 minutes, play Sabrina and Sami 30-35 minutes. Then after a few games of that they’re tired, if you’re constantly asking them to push pace.
As a smaller and generally faster team, forcing opponents to run with you is very important. But as the season has worn on, we’ve seen the Liberty run less and less. Their pace rating is still probably kind of high because they don’t hesitate to shoot. But they’re definitely not dictating tempo like they were early in the season.
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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Posted: 09/13/21 4:52 am ::: |
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Richyyy wrote: |
Even if Kolb thinks he's secure, Hopkins has to think they need to do well next year to keep his job (assuming he still has it next year). Makes me think he at least might prefer that they throw money at Myisha Hines-Allen rather than rely on yet another rookie to be the upgrade. Depends how good they think said rookie would be though, of course. |
This scenario would definitely be my preferred one. It would also likely move Sami to the bench, which is what has me wondering if that’s something NY would want to do.
But the opportunity to start Laney with Rhyne Howard on the wings would be a very positive option in so many ways. Howard rebounds and defends. She’s listed at 6’2” 180. She likes to shoot. At the same time, Hines-Allen can also score from multiple spots on the floor and she’s an excellent rebounder. To combine the size of Laney and Howard at the two and three spots would be a lot of physical talent and size for other teams to handle. Kind of like having to deal with Maya Moore and Seimone Augustus strictly from a size and athleticism perspective.
If they’re looking to do a whole bunch of switching with a group that can score and rebound, this would be a nice scenario to have.
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007 Posts: 7365 Location: Underground
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Posted: 09/13/21 11:18 am ::: |
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I don't view the Liberty as a fast team. They're quicker at 4 & 5 because that's where they are undersized. NY's backcourt of Ionescu and Whitcomb is not fast. It's likely below average. How often have you seen them beat people down the court? Laney probably has average quickness for a small forward. So overall, the Liberty are an average speed team -- just distributed in a weird way. The players who have above-average speed and like to run are the ones off the bench: Jones, Richards, and Odom. However, they all have sketchy offensive skills.
The other issue with running is the likelihood of turnovers. We've seen the team get overly aggressive and throw a lot of wild passes when pushing pace. Hopkins always complains about them getting "sped up." On the other hand, in the halfcourt, players tend to pick up their dribble early and have nowhere to pass because teammates are static. Eventually, the person with the ball panics and commits a turnover. I'm not sure which of these tendencies hurts more.
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32336
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Posted: 09/13/21 11:25 am ::: |
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root_thing wrote: |
Shades wrote: |
He knows all the plays, he’s just not sure which one is the best for certain situations or perhaps he’s not the best at conveying? That should be comforting. |
I'm obviously not a huge Hopkins fan, but this is the wrong reason to attack him. In every sport, the head guy has assistants because you can only focus on so many things at the same time. Especially during a game, you're assessing and trying to make adjustments on the fly. It helps to split up the responsibilities. More brains are better than one. You see it in businesses and other nonsports organizations. Control freaks who try to do everything themselves are the ones who usually fail. |
agree.
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007 Posts: 7365 Location: Underground
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Posted: 09/13/21 2:38 pm ::: |
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Liberty post-game press conference from Saturday. Hopkins seems to see improvement everywhere. NY reporters bending over backwards to be gentle -- even helping him put a positive spin on things. Hard to imagine that happening on the men's side.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RuT5HDeoolY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I don't know if we get the entire session with the players. According to Jackie Powell, Laney answered all the quesions, Ionescu sat silently angry, and Howard supposedly cried at one point.
https://www.thenexthoops.com/features/new-york-liberty-chaos-ensues/
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 5065 Location: New York City
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Posted: 09/13/21 3:22 pm ::: |
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Thanks for posting this. Quite powerful to watch the last five minutes when the players come on. Neither Ionescu nor Howard says a single word. Each looks like she'd rather be anywhere else in the world. Laney is a trooper just for answering all the questions and allowing her teammates to remain silent.
For me, this intense silence from Ionescu and Howard looms about 1000 times larger than Walt Hopkins' game-after-game, endless spin about "improvement."
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Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 18032 Location: Queens
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Posted: 09/14/21 9:58 am ::: |
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Heads up if any of you are as crazy as I am- the Chinatown buses to Mohegan Sun do not appear to be running. I am currently kludging together an alternate method but if anyone is driving I'm mostly harmless and willing to pay for gas.
_________________ Ardent believer in the separation of church and stadium.
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007 Posts: 7365 Location: Underground
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Posted: 09/14/21 11:42 am ::: |
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Hey Queenie, was that you in Dallas? There was a shot of someone in Liberty gear who looked like you.
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Lib Fan
Joined: 10 May 2005 Posts: 4593 Location: New York City
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Posted: 09/14/21 3:26 pm ::: |
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Queenie wrote: |
Heads up if any of you are as crazy as I am- the Chinatown buses to Mohegan Sun do not appear to be running. I am currently kludging together an alternate method but if anyone is driving I'm mostly harmless and willing to pay for gas. |
I used to take the MTA Package to Mohegan Sun (round trip to New Haven
and round trip bus to Mohegan and buffet voucher) do they still run it ?
_________________ Lets Go Liberty
Brooklyn 2021
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Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 18032 Location: Queens
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Posted: 09/14/21 9:42 pm ::: |
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root_thing wrote: |
Hey Queenie, was that you in Dallas? There was a shot of someone in Liberty gear who looked like you. |
Absolutely not, tomorrow will be the furthest I've been from home since before the pandemic. You couldn't pay me to a) get on a plane b) go to Texas right now.
_________________ Ardent believer in the separation of church and stadium.
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Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 18032 Location: Queens
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Posted: 09/14/21 9:47 pm ::: |
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Lib Fan wrote: |
Queenie wrote: |
Heads up if any of you are as crazy as I am- the Chinatown buses to Mohegan Sun do not appear to be running. I am currently kludging together an alternate method but if anyone is driving I'm mostly harmless and willing to pay for gas. |
I used to take the MTA Package to Mohegan Sun (round trip to New Haven
and round trip bus to Mohegan and buffet voucher) do they still run it ? |
I don't think they are. It didn't come up on either of the websites, and Mohegan has suspended the bonus packages, which I suspect is why the Chinatown buses aren't running. They run a shuttle to/from New London... Thursday-Sunday.
_________________ Ardent believer in the separation of church and stadium.
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root_thing
Joined: 28 Apr 2007 Posts: 7365 Location: Underground
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Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 18032 Location: Queens
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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Posted: 09/19/21 4:07 pm ::: |
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So it all comes down to the LA game. I really can’t decide what I want.
_________________ The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.
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lynxmania
Joined: 18 Feb 2011 Posts: 10697 Location: Minnesota
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
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Posted: 09/19/21 6:14 pm ::: |
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Smh. Lol. I don’t know what to say. Since LA is pretty terrible I think they should accelerate their rebuild next year by trading Nneka to the Liberty for Onyenwere and the fifth pick in the draft.
_________________ The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.
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WNBA 09
Joined: 26 Jun 2009 Posts: 12539 Location: Dallas , Texas
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 5065 Location: New York City
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32336
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
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Posted: 09/19/21 6:59 pm ::: |
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Is the game at 9 or at 10 our time? I’ve seen both reported.
_________________ The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.
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undersized_post
Joined: 01 Mar 2021 Posts: 2864
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Posted: 09/19/21 7:00 pm ::: |
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I feel a career high for Griner coming on.
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lynxmania
Joined: 18 Feb 2011 Posts: 10697 Location: Minnesota
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Posted: 09/19/21 7:00 pm ::: |
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NYL_WNBA_FAN wrote: |
Is the game at 9 or at 10 our time? I’ve seen both reported. |
Per .com, the NY/PHX game is at 10:00 PM EST
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Bob Lamm
Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 5065 Location: New York City
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Posted: 09/19/21 7:02 pm ::: |
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NYL_WNBA_FAN wrote: |
We’re on a one-game winning streak. We’re hot. And honestly with this horrendous playoff system, a three-point shooting team always has a chance in a one-and-done. I’m not saying it’s going to happen or anything crazy. But a perimeter team always has a chance in these scenarios. |
It's unlikely, but it's possible. Upsets happen, especially in a one-game playoff round.
I'm really happy for the Liberty players. They've faced a lot of adversity this season. We won't have Willoughby, Durr, Johannes, or Han on Thursday, but we will have Laney, Howard, Ionescu, and Whitcomb. I'm excited!
_________________ Remember Roe v. Wade. Work for and support legal abortion all over the world and full reproductive rights for everyone.
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