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SCook
Joined: 09 Oct 2013 Posts: 3254 Location: New Jersey
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Posted: 07/30/21 11:16 am ::: |
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Silky Johnson wrote: |
mercfan3 wrote: |
I also don't have a problem with things running through A'Ja at the moment. She's playing the best, and it's not even close. Sue gets the ball to the players playing well. |
Seriously. "Is A'ja the best player on the team?" She's good enough to run the offense through, so what are we doing here? |
Dawn should put BG on the bench and put Syl in the starting lineup. Let BG open things up for the 2nd unit.
Tina plays better off of BG anyways.
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Mixolydian
Joined: 07 Sep 2017 Posts: 154 Location: Alaska
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Posted: 07/30/21 12:07 pm ::: |
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SCook wrote: |
She's going to run Sue, Aja, and Stewie into the ground and honestly, with all BG's responsibility at Phoenix, I'll settle for the 15 minutes and a gold medal. |
As a Storm fan I enjoy watching our big 3 playing of course, but I also feel like they're going to be totally gassed by the end of the season because of how many minutes they're getting! I don't see why they need to play this many minutes.
Fowles and Charles had 11 and 18 while Stewie had 34. I mean, Stewie had a hot hand but you can't tell me those two are that big a drop off that Stewie needed to go back in in the 4th. Heck with the score +15 at that point give Collier some minutes!
Bird and Loyd 27 each, while D-S didn't play (I guess that's injury), Atkins had 2, and Gray 18. It's mystifying.
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005 Posts: 22513 Location: NJ
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Posted: 07/30/21 12:55 pm ::: |
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If Australia advances to the quarterfinals, they just might face the USA. Otherwise it's looking like an easy route for the USA to the Gold Medal game where they should end up facing Belgium.
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 24485 Location: London
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Posted: 07/30/21 1:26 pm ::: |
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toad455 wrote: |
If Australia advances to the quarterfinals, they just might face the USA. Otherwise it's looking like an easy route for the USA to the Gold Medal game where they should end up facing Belgium. |
We've had so many close games in this tournament. Even several of the ones that didn't end up looking super-close on the final scoreline were tight until the last few minutes. I don't think you can state anything with that level of certainty at the moment. |
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008 Posts: 32341
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Posted: 07/30/21 1:38 pm ::: |
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This 'team' is just clearly not as dominant as we've seen in the past. Some of it appears to be chemistry since obviously the individual skill level is spectacular, especially with our posts. The way she's playing/not playing the players, I can only think Dawn must really be afraid of losing.
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Luuuc #NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005 Posts: 22163
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Posted: 07/30/21 6:47 pm ::: |
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toad455 wrote: |
If Australia advances to the quarterfinals, they just might face the USA. Otherwise it's looking like an easy route for the USA to the Gold Medal game where they should end up facing Belgium. |
The word "otherwise" does not belong in that sentence.
I'm also guessing that the US would relish the chance to bowl us over on the way to the business end, to atone for the exhibition game loss.
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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Posted: 08/01/21 11:03 pm ::: |
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The rest of the world is narrowing the gap on both the US men’s and women’s teams. Both talent-wise and tactically.
Also, the lack of a defensive three second rule is an equalizer against height. Nowadays these other teams shoot the 3 and play a more modern style of game. More pick and roll heavy, drop coverages to take away the 3 ball. Hard switching to do the same thing when teams have bigs who can defend the perimeter.
This Japan team is very, very good. And they play a style that is kind of the in style right now in the sense that they do the small ball, fast pace really well.
We’re seeing it on the men’s side too. The gap is definitely not what it once was. Not only is there more talent around the world, but they’re extremely well-versed tactically and adaptable to today’s basketball. Honestly I think it’s great. These games have been fun to watch.
_________________ The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.
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Silky Johnson
Joined: 29 Sep 2014 Posts: 3510
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Posted: 08/01/21 11:17 pm ::: |
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NYL_WNBA_FAN wrote: |
The rest of the world is narrowing the gap on both the US men’s and women’s teams. Both talent-wise and tactically.
Also, the lack of a defensive three second rule is an equalizer against height. Nowadays these other teams shoot the 3 and play a more modern style of game. More pick and roll heavy, drop coverages to take away the 3 ball. Hard switching to do the same thing when teams have bigs who can defend the perimeter. |
It probably doesn't help that USA's best two perimeter defenders have been nailed to the bench, the entire tournament.
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huskiemaniac
Joined: 24 Nov 2004 Posts: 1070 Location: NE CT
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Posted: 08/01/21 11:17 pm ::: |
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Who wouldn't be on the team if Angel and EDD were available?
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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Posted: 08/02/21 8:55 am ::: |
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Silky Johnson wrote: |
NYL_WNBA_FAN wrote: |
The rest of the world is narrowing the gap on both the US men’s and women’s teams. Both talent-wise and tactically.
Also, the lack of a defensive three second rule is an equalizer against height. Nowadays these other teams shoot the 3 and play a more modern style of game. More pick and roll heavy, drop coverages to take away the 3 ball. Hard switching to do the same thing when teams have bigs who can defend the perimeter. |
It probably doesn't help that USA's best two perimeter defenders have been nailed to the bench, the entire tournament. |
I’m not necessarily arguing pro or con. The only thing I can think of is that Dawn wants players who more reliably spread the floor on offense. Having no defensive three second rule makes that more important in international play
As a rule Atkins and Collier both tend to be up and down from the 3 point line. Again, I’m not providing an opinion on it. I like Atkins and Collier and believe defense and energy can jump start an offense. I’m just considering what a coach’s rationale might be.
Stewie playing 38 min last night is also a little baffling bc USA didn’t really need to win (though it helps seeding-wise). There can be a lot of pressure from up above in the Olympics too. On coaches, on players. That’s conceivably part of it too. Nobody wants to be the first coach to lose in the Olympics in eons.
_________________ The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.
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Silky Johnson
Joined: 29 Sep 2014 Posts: 3510
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Posted: 08/02/21 9:02 am ::: |
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Well, I have no such reservations about providing an opinion: our three-point shooting would matter a lot less, if the opposing teams couldn't get their three-point shots off, because our defenders had their shooters in straightjackets. Or, for that matter, if we just kept running fresh All-Stars at them, until they ran out of gas.
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 24485 Location: London
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Posted: 08/02/21 9:15 am ::: |
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I think the only defense for the rotation is that the US's biggest weakness is lack of cohesion/chemistry. Everyone knows that on a player-for-player pure talent basis, the US has a big advantage. The only thing that drags them down towards everyone else's level is the relative lack of preparation they've had as a group compared to the other teams. So maybe Staley and the staff feel like the best way to build that cohesion as quickly as possible is to pick a core group and try to give them as much time together as possible to gain familiarity and get comfortable.
Not saying I agree with any of that, just that it might be the thought process. I'd be trying to overwhelm opponents with constant talent and fresh players; not leaving Stewart out there for a ridiculous amount of minutes (90% of them at the wrong position). |
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NYL_WNBA_FAN
Joined: 28 May 2007 Posts: 14097
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Posted: 08/02/21 9:51 am ::: |
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Good points all around. I think it’s easy to overlook how a relative lack of preparation time can make a huge difference. Especially when these other teams have been together for so long.
That the US teams aren’t going to dominate the better countries on talent alone is making the games very interesting to watch. I’ve never been as riveted to Olympic basketball, so I’m enjoying the intrigue. Whatever the reasons are for it.
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undersized_post
Joined: 01 Mar 2021 Posts: 2864
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Posted: 08/02/21 11:26 am ::: |
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Richyyy wrote: |
I think the only defense for the rotation is that the US's biggest weakness is lack of cohesion/chemistry. Everyone knows that on a player-for-player pure talent basis, the US has a big advantage. The only thing that drags them down towards everyone else's level is the relative lack of preparation they've had as a group compared to the other teams. So maybe Staley and the staff feel like the best way to build that cohesion as quickly as possible is to pick a core group and try to give them as much time together as possible to gain familiarity and get comfortable.
Not saying I agree with any of that, just that it might be the thought process. I'd be trying to overwhelm opponents with constant talent and fresh players; not leaving Stewart out there for a ridiculous amount of minutes (90% of them at the wrong position). |
FWIW I thought their offensive cohesion in the first half was looking much better. Setting the slough of missed outside shots aside, they finally looked like a team. (Again, just on offense in that first half.)
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