Let the Real MVPs Take the Stage

[easttexastrash]

Time for Phoenix vs. Minny!!

 

[calpedaler]

Time for Phoenix vs. Minny!!

That's so disrespectful to EDD.

 

[easttexastrash]

That's so disrespectful to EDD.

I'll make sure I don't tweet it 0ut.

 

[EricLA]

I thought it was funny. Disrespecting someone is saying they are ugly, or the suck, or saying something about her race, ethnicity, sex, etc etc... Or showing contempt for them. Showing contempt is one of the definitions of disrespect.

But i do have to tweak you - Griner getting schooled by Fowles early on!

 

[calpedaler]

I'll make sure I don't tweet it 0ut.

So disrespect is OK if not tweeted.

 

[easttexastrash]

I thought it was funny. Disrespecting someone is saying they are ugly, or the suck, or saying something about her race, ethnicity, sex, etc etc... Or showing contempt for them. Showing contempt is one of the definitions of disrespect.

But i do have to tweak you - Griner getting schooled by Fowles early on!

Fowles is a beast so far. Griner has a tendency to try to muscle to the basket against Syl instead of just using her little baby hook. She also has a tendency to dribble too many times, allowing the double team to come.

Fowles has three fouls so if BG's teammates get her the ball she could have the advantage since Fowles Syl will not want to pick up a 4th foul this early in the game.

Wasn't the prettiest game but it is at least close, unlike last night's blowout.

 

[Orangutan]

Yawn. Taurasi isn't playing this year so Phoenix has no MVP.

 

[easttexastrash]

Yawn. Taurasi isn't playing this year so Phoenix has no MVP.

Without DT Phoenix had nobody to bring the toughness that Minnesota brought. There is a reason that four of their starters are Olympians, and, IMO, Brunson should have been an Olympian, also. That is a very good team and I am surprised that Phoenix stayed as close as they did.

Brunson and Fowles are an incredible rebounding tandem. They hit the board with passion.

 

[j66kicker]

Without DT Phoenix had nobody to bring the toughness that Minnesota brought. There is a reason that four of their starters are Olympians, and, IMO, Brunson should have been an Olympian, also. That is a very good team and I am surprised that Phoenix stayed as close as they did.

Brunson and Fowles are an incredible rebounding tandem. They hit the board with passion.

Announcer said, "Nobody has mentioned the 'D' word" -

Fowles is a beast so far. Griner has a tendency to try to muscle to the basket against Syl instead of just using her little baby hook. She also has a tendency to dribble too many times, allowing the double team to come.

Fowles has three fouls so if BG's teammates get her the ball she could have the advantage since Fowles Syl will not want to pick up a 4th foul this early in the game.

Wasn't the prettiest game but it is at least close, unlike last night's blowout.

Griner needs to move more to get in position to receive the ball - seems to stand around on offense. She could totally dominate if she was more aggressive on offense.

 

[DaddyChoc]

Without DT Phoenix had nobody to bring the toughness that Minnesota brought. There is a reason that four of their starters are Olympians, and, IMO, Brunson should have been an Olympian, also.

over A. Jones... I agree

 

[easttexastrash]

Can I change the title of this thread to "Let the Real MVP Take the Stage"? I am convinced that Maya is the best player in the world. What an incredible series by her.

 

[easttexastrash]

Announcer said, "Nobody has mentioned the 'D' word" -

Griner needs to move more to get in position to receive the ball - seems to stand around on offense. She could totally dominate if she was more aggressive on offense.

I have to wonder how DT's decision to sit out this year will impact the team chemistry next season. Will there be any resentment towards her since her decision very possibly cost her teammates a chance to wing back-to-back titles?

 

[j66kicker]

I have to wonder how DT's decision to sit out this year will impact the team chemistry next season. Will there be any resentment towards her since her decision very possibly cost her teammates a chance to wing back-to-back titles?

I suspect they will be glad to have her back

 

[DaddyChoc]

if she decides to come back... anything can happen between now and next summer

 

[UConn990411]

Can I change the title of this thread to "Let the Real MVP Take the Stage"? I am convinced that Maya is the best player in the world. What an incredible series by her.

She isn't better than Taurasi. That won't happen till DT's decline.

 

[easttexastrash]

She isn't better than Taurasi. That won't happen till DT's decline.

I didn't count Taurasi since she sat this one out.

 

[easttexastrash]

if she decides to come back... anything can happen between now and next summer

She may not want to go through the rigors of a WNBA season right before the Olympics, yet she may want to play herself into shape. If she comes back does she ask to have her minutes limited to save her body for Rio?

 

[VAUConnFan]

She isn't better than Taurasi. That won't happen till DT's decline.

Of course it is only a matter of opinion and very few can dispute Ms Taurasi's greatness at any level, but when has she ever impacted a game on the defensive end? Key rebound, key steal, key defensive effort, key block, defending a gifted offensive player, defending a player much bigger and taller. If ever I was going to make an argument against Ms Taurasi as the GOAT, it would be because there have been other greats who have played both ends of the floor. Ms Taurasi also sets a disagreeable precedent contractually sitting out a season. Not that I totally disagree with her. Give me money not to work and I will take it, but she is the face of the Phoenix franchise, a true star in the league, a player for whom people go out of their way to see. She pretty much took the 2102 season off as well. Great players play, great players show up, great players fulfill obligations to their teams, their teammates, their fans.

Here on the Boneyard, she pretty much gets a pass and a lot of praise for her decision not to play. How many other top players in the league would have been afforded that kind of latitude? Whether Ms Taurasi's decision/contract upsets team chemistry is an interesting discussion. Ideally, she will be welcomed back with open arms as it was suggested in this thread. And her team will respond with another championship a la Michael Jordan. One would think, though, that having gone toe to toe with Minnesota in the Western Conference finals that Ms Taurasi's Phoenix teammates are, right now, harboring a ton of resentment.

 

[UConn990411]

Of course it is only a matter of opinion and very few can dispute Ms Taurasi's greatness at any level, but when has she ever impacted a game on the defensive end? Key rebound, key steal, key defensive effort, key block, defending a gifted offensive player, defending a player much bigger and taller. If ever I was going to make an argument against Ms Taurasi as the GOAT, it would be because there have been other greats who have played both ends of the floor. Ms Taurasi also sets a disagreeable precedent contractually sitting out a season. Not that I totally disagree with her. Give me money not to work and I will take it, but she is the face of the Phoenix franchise, a true star in the league, a player for whom people go out of their way to see. She pretty much took the 2102 season off as well. Great players play, great players show up, great players fulfill obligations to their teams, their teammates, their fans.

Here on the Boneyard, she pretty much gets a pass and a lot of praise for her decision not to play. How many other top players in the league would have been afforded that kind of latitude? Whether Ms Taurasi's decision/contract upsets team chemistry is an interesting discussion. Ideally, she will be welcomed back with open arms as it was suggested in this thread. And her team will respond with another championship a la Michael Jordan. One would think, though, that having gone toe to toe with Minnesota in the Western Conference finals that Ms Taurasi's Phoenix teammates are, right now, harboring a ton of resentment.

Lol, I'll let an insider like Cam respond, but in all likelihood you're completely misinformed if you think her teammates have resentment.

Taurasi is also the face of her Russian team. If the WNBA had the money to compete/wanted to step up and pay competitive salaries, this wouldn't be an issue.

Not saying I agree with Taurasi's decision to sit, but it's certainly justifiable in many ways. She's a professional and a businesswoman, and her ability to play basketball is a skill with a finite period of time; from a business standpoint, her decision makes a ton of sense.

Easy for us to criticize it from behind a keyboard.

 

[j66kicker]

She may not want to go through the rigors of a WNBA season right before the Olympics, yet she may want to play herself into shape. If she comes back does she ask to have her minutes limited to save her body for Rio?

Not in DT's nature to ask for limited minutes - she's more like the NFL quarterback who still wants to stay in the game when they're leading 58-0 late in the 4th quarter.

Her Russian contract specifies sitting out one WNBA season (think it allowed her to choose which one). Suspect she'll be back next summer, 'full time', and will be welcomed by her teammates with open arms.

 

[Gus Mahler]

She may not want to go through the rigors of a WNBA season right before the Olympics, yet she may want to play herself into shape. If she comes back does she ask to have her minutes limited to save her body for Rio?

Or does she pull a Parker and play only the latter part of the season?

 

[easttexastrash]

Or does she pull a Parker and play only the latter part of the season?

Team USA should support the WNBA and require that players play in the WNBA the season in which the Olympics occur.

 

[UConn990411]

Team USA should support the WNBA and require that players play in the WNBA the season in which the Olympics occur.

I'd prefer if they treated their athletes like humans.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'd prefer if they treated their athletes like humans.

I'd rather they treat them like cattle and herd them all in every four years.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'd prefer if they treated their athletes like humans.

On a serious note, what does Australia require of its national team members? Are those players allowed to play in the WNBA leading up to the Olympics or are they required to be training with the national team?