Penny Taylor has been the difference-maker for the Mercury in the playoffs so far. Photo by Max Simbron
Will the Mercury continue to score at an unbelievable rate?
Can the Sparks find a way to slow things down so their limited depth isn't so exposed?
Will this be Lisa Leslie's last professional game?
Stay tuned, answers to those questions plus the solution to global warming coming soon!
Candace Parker pregame chat
Candace was the first Spark out on the floor to warm up and the last one off. She felt the difference in game 1 was the 3 point shooting of Phoenix and said that tonight the Sparks will play tighter on the line and look to run the Mercury shooters off the arc.
Parker claimed that the extended minutes for the Sparks starters didn't have an impact at the end of the game but I can't see how that pace and all that floor time wasn't a factor. Parker herself missed two fairly open layups in the final minutes. I can't imagine she missed those if she's not tired.
I asked her if her team will respond tonight, Parker said this, "I think so. We always do things when our backs are against the wall. Sometimes we make things a lot harder than they need to be so this isn't any different."
Penny Taylor pregame chat
Penny said that the energy around the team is good and called this their best opportunity to finish the series, "You really need to take away any confidence they have and going into a third game wouldn't be ideal for us."
Taylor certainly thinks that the extra rest would be an advantage in the finals against either Detroit or Indiana if they can close out tonight.
Taylor credited her performance in game 1 on her teammates drawing so much defensive attention and didn't want to talk about her great shooting although she called Tangela Smith money from the top of the key. She expects the game to be physical like game 1 and for the Sparks to pound it inside.
Her finger is doing better and isn't so sensitive and is not bothering her. She isn't sure how it happened, "I just noticed it when I was on the bench at one point and I got an x-ray and it was broken. It's my left, I don't use it that much anyway."
0 recs | 47 comments
I know we only care about the West here...
…but there’s a pretty good game going on in the East right now.
I’m still feeling that the winner of the West will take it…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
I am Thrilled
that series is going 3. That could be huge if Phx closes out tonight
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
IF...
if…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Taylor is one tough woman..
“I just noticed it when I was on the bench at one point and I got an x-ray and it was broken. It’s my left, I don’t use it that much anyway.”
It’s painful to even catch a basketball with a broken finger…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
There should be some way for the WNBA to effectively market how tough the players are.
Penny is super tough. Taurasi plays through everything. LJ has a rap for being injured, but part of the problem is that she’ll play through injuries until they get so bad that she’s forced out of the action. There are just a few of many possible examples.
Scotter - September 25, 2009
There might be a few players on the Shock who are known for their toughness too...
;)
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
and I forgot to ask Penny
about the fall into the basket…It’s padded but she landed hard
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
I am sitting almost center court at the scorers table
just a couple of seats towards the Sparks bench. Lime green shirt
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
LA looks lost on defense...
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Holdsclaw is doing a terrific job in studio.
Scotter - September 25, 2009
I'm actually glad to know that the Mercury are still human.
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Great start for LA
Phx hasn’t been able to run once. LA is playing tighter on the perimeter. Phx is going to need to attack the rim and run some pick and rolls to free things up
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Most important,
it looks like they remember that they have two All-WNBA players in the post…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
whoa...
LA is really clicking right now… but you just know they’ll have a lapse…and Phoenix will step up…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Hey, guys.
Feed’s working for you?
LatinD - September 25, 2009
I had some trouble...
…but fine now….
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
I don't see phx coming back in this one
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Whoa. 26-10? What happened?
It’s way too early, anyway, Stan.
LatinD - September 25, 2009
they know they've got
a mulligan….LA is the desperate team and it shows
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
I do. I think this is the same Sparks team that let the Storm back into games.
Scotter - September 25, 2009
Mohammed Ali
in the house!
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Whoa..
Who says nobody cares about the WNBA? :)
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
LA is everywhere on D right now
they are playing a LOT harder than Phx.
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
LA is playing exactly the way I would expect a team with a big athletic frontcourt to play
Zone D to clog the post and looking to their post players on offense…
Basketball is sometimes a very simple game…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
LA outrebounded Phx 13-2
in the 1st qtr.
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
And the Mercury had no offensive rebounds.
LatinD - September 25, 2009
Whoa...
Phoenix is just asleep right now..
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Amare just arrived
he and his little boy are wearing matching glasses
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Crap
game 3 is tomorrow. I thought it was Sunday. I made plans. Mercury better come back and find a way to win this game or I am hosed
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Yeah, I just realized the same thing...
A weird twist on a weird playoff structure…
I suppose it might give the home team a bigger advantage to offset the disadvantage of starting on the road…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
That double foul on DT and LL
was smart…..those two were really going at it. Great call by the ref June Courteau
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Bobbitt is hilarious on the sidelines...
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a player on the bench in a defensive stance sliding across the sideline.. :)
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
I noticed that in the Storm/Sparks game
she was up yelling at players playing right in front of her…it’s a little over the top
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
That's what I thought
Scotter - September 25, 2009
Goal for the Mercury
to at least keep the game close enough so Parker, Leslie and Thompson can’t rest
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Coop should sit them right now...
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Well....
Ref’s getting boo’d loudly as they leave the court
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
but at Ben York said
it’s not their fault
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Yeah, I don't see the refs as the problem tonight...
LA is just playing well…
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Just asked Amare
if he thought having game 3 in their back pocket impacted the way the Merc are playing…you know given all this playoff experience. He wouldn’t go there though. He just said they would bounce back
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
Got hope?
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
well Leslies getting her 5th is huge
Crowd is into it…glimmer
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
The big question for this game is obviously when Cooper is forced to put Leslie back in...
How close would he allow the game to get before he risks Leslie fouling out?
Nate Parham - September 25, 2009
Hilarious
Cooper was standing up in front of the scorers table…you know like all coaches do. A fan a couple of rows back yells “sit down Coopper”
He looks back sheepishly and squats down…great stuff
Seth Pollack - September 25, 2009
15 offensive rebounds. Wow.
LatinD - September 26, 2009
They were undone by that first quarter. Hopefully they’ll start more focused tomorrow.
Bye, guys.
LatinD - September 26, 2009
exactly
and as Taurasi said, one team played with desperation and one played as if they were up 1-0….I love it when players agree w/ me
Seth Pollack - September 26, 2009
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