Mercury lead Lynx at half

[j66kicker]

43-42, lead is VERY precarious
Maya (17) looking like MVP, shooting the lights out
Mercury out-rebounding Lynx (18-14)
Griner (12) looking good - needs to get the ball down low more
Taurasi (10) trying to find a way to win, starting to get it figured out

 

[wallman]

Loving this game.

 

[j66kicker]

DT fired up. Mercury lead by 3 with 4 minutes to go

 

[DaddyChoc]

Maya ties it up at 80 with under 10 seconds left

 

[wallman]

Outstanding game and win for the Merc

 

[j66kicker]

Taurasi hits the money shot with 3 seconds left, then Griner posterizes Whalen's last-second layup. Mercury win 82-80

 

[DaddyChoc]

welp... DT strikes again

 

[easttexastrash]

Fun game! DT with the big shot and BG with the monster block! Home court advantage should belong to Phoenix.

 

[j66kicker]

Fun game! DT with the big shot and BG with the monster block! Home court advantage should belong to Phoenix.

They're going to need it - that was closer than close!

 

[hoophuskee]

What a super, great game. This game both DT and Maya "played." Fabulous game!!

Phoenix once they clinch got to give DT a rest. She can't hit three's well.
Lynx just need Seimone and Brunson to keep playing.

 

[easttexastrash]

What a super, great game. This game both DT and Maya "played." Fabulous game!!

Phoenix once they clinch got to give DT a rest. She can't hit three's well.
Lynx just need Seimone and Brunson to keep playing.

Agreed. Give the starters a lot of rest one they clinch.

 

[easttexastrash]

They're going to need it - that was closer than close!

They need it...they got it.

 

[easttexastrash]

Last game against Minnyn BG had 4 rebounds. In tonight's game she had 11. Big improvement.

 

[j66kicker]

They beef it...they got it.

Ya PHX is 3 games ahead in the lost column with 4 to play: NY, Atlanta, LA, Seattle. Could go auto-pilot for sure. So what do you think about 1) they need to play in order to stay sharp, and 2) the fans (who the WNBA really need) wanna see the stars play. If I go to a Mercury game and DT doesn't play, I'm pissed.

 

[hoophuskee]

Ya PHX is 3 games ahead in the lost column with 4 to play: NY, Atlanta, LA, Seattle. Could go auto-pilot for sure. So what do you think about 1) they need to play in order to stay sharp, and 2) the fans (who the WNBA really need) wanna see the stars play. If I go to a Mercury game and DT doesn't play, I'm pissed.

1-- They play all season long. And this team played all last year together. I don't think if you give DT one or two games off, it will matter.

2-- "Buyer beware." It's end of season.

 

[MilfordHusky]

It sounded like a great game, with big plays by Maya, Dee, and Britney.

But there was one thing I was not happy to read. Diana shoved Maya in the 3rd period and almost started a scuffle. Is like to see Dee tone it down a little and stop the shoving and flagrant fouls. She's a great player and should carry herself a little better.

 

[Fightin Choke]

It sounded like a great game, with big plays by Maya, Dee, and Britney.

But there was one thing I was not happy to read. Diana shoved Maya in the 3rd period and almost started a scuffle. Is like to see Dee tone it down a little and stop the shoving and flagrant fouls. She's a great player and should carry herself a little better.

If it was the shove I'm thinking of, it was a mild push and Maya flopped (it was pretty obvious on the replay). McCarville then pushed Dee a bit later, and Dee responded. I didn't think the Maya push was a dirty play by DT. Maybe someone else who watched the game can comment on their impression.

 

[UConn990411]

It sounded like a great game, with big plays by Maya, Dee, and Britney.

But there was one thing I was not happy to read. Diana shoved Maya in the 3rd period and almost started a scuffle. Is like to see Dee tone it down a little and stop the shoving and flagrant fouls. She's a great player and should carry herself a little better.

She's toned it down pretty much all season.

 

[hoophuskee]

It sounded like a great game, with big plays by Maya, Dee, and Britney.

But there was one thing I was not happy to read. Diana shoved Maya in the 3rd period and almost started a scuffle. Is like to see Dee tone it down a little and stop the shoving and flagrant fouls. She's a great player and should carry herself a little better.

I don't think that was such a big deal. In fact during that play -Ann Meyers said Maya has a history of "flopping/acting" like the soccer players do. They showed the replay and imo Maya did act. Maya went flying- she ste a pick- as DT ran into her- yet Maya looked like someone belted her with a bat. DT is a physical guard to boot and she did lose her cool after the play, commiting a dumb foul on the next play. In part Ann suggested it was from the play prior in which Ann felt Phoenix was complaining that they didn't get a call. Ehh- I don't know about that - the point is the game was hotly contested. Anyway, Maya acted a bit to get the call and McCarville saw her star go flying and probably "said something" to DT in order to protect Maya. So the scuffle began because of this.

Going into this game Ann had mentioned several times that DT said "she's going to bring her football helmet" for this game. Ann had suggested for one thing that DT settled for jump shots too much last game- which means in part she wasn't aggressive. I'm sure Phoenix especially DT felt they got "bullied" - you just have to look at Griner's stats last game with her lack of rebounds. And I just think Minny plays hard-nosed defense. A great team. They play marvelous defense, and Phoenix is an offensive team. "An unstoppbale force is crashing into an immovable object" - things are going to get rough.

Maya and DT were absolutely terrific last night. Amazing to watch. Both of them - their IQ of the game so darn high. But I do agree DT does let her emotions go a bit. Both teams played very well and yet that can play better which is amazing if you think about it!!!!

 

[easttexastrash]

I don't think that was such a big deal. In fact during that play -Ann Meyers said Maya has a history of "flopping/acting" like the soccer players do. They showed the replay and imo Maya did act. Maya went flying- she ste a pick- as DT ran into her- yet Maya looked like someone belted her with a bat. DT is a physical guard to boot and she did lose her cool after the play, commiting a dumb foul on the next play. In part Ann suggested it was from the play prior in which Ann felt Phoenix was complaining that they didn't get a call. Ehh- I don't know about that - the point is the game was hotly contested. Anyway, Maya acted a bit to get the call and McCarville saw her star go flying and probably "said something" to DT in order to protect Maya. So the scuffle began because of this.

Going into this game Ann had mentioned several times that DT said "she's going to bring her football helmet" for this game. Ann had suggested for one thing that DT settled for jump shots too much last game- which means in part she wasn't aggressive. I'm sure Phoenix especially DT felt they got "bullied" - you just have to look at Griner's stats last game with her lack of rebounds. And I just think Minny plays hard-nosed defense. A great team. They play marvelous defense, and Phoenix is an offensive team. "An unstoppbale force is crashing into an immovable object" - things are going to get rough.

Maya and DT were absolutely terrific last night. Amazing to watch. Both of them - their IQ of the game so darn high. But I do agree DT does let her emotions go a bit. Both teams played very well and yet that can play better which is amazing if you think about it!!!!

Two great teams fighting for home court advantage...no wonder it was physical. I thought Minny benefited from quite a few no-calls in the last game and DT was not about to let that happen again. This game was pretty mild in comparison to the last game.

BG with a much better rebounding game. She does not get credit for balls that she taps to her teammates but if you watch she is responsible for 4 or 5 rebounds a game by tapping the ball to a teammate.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

Side comment - Anne Meyers was much more "on point" than often in the past. And while she labored excessively to make a comment she wanted to make about Lisa Boyer and the Cavs, I understood why she would want to make the comment. Like most "W" announcers, there was a bit of home bias, but I thought she was better than often in the past.

And yes, lots of flopping in the "W", Maya included. There is a lot of contact in general, and if you want it called, you need to call attention to it.

 

[ctmom04]

Maya did not flop on that play. Diana gave her a good shove under her chin and caused Maya to jerk her head back and stumble but no flop. It 100% should have been a foul. I love Diana as everyone else but she has a questionable attitude to put it nicely.

 

[hoophuskee]

Maya did not flop on that play. Diana gave her a good shove under her chin and caused Maya to jerk her head back and stumble but no flop. It 100% should have been a foul. I love Diana as everyone else but she has a questionable attitude to put it nicely.

Maya flopped. IMO it wasnt;t even close. Maya is a physcially strong person.. She almost ran into the stands.

 

[freekimchee]

That...was a flop.

 

[ctmom04]

I did go back and check and you are correct she did fall on that play, but still my opinion that a foul should have been called. When Maya returned to position, Diana gave her a shove and then was called for the foul. 2 shots by Diana that were uncalled for but you are right that Maya played up the first one.
Maya gets banged around a lot without call so IMO it evens itself out.