Excited About What's at Stake

[porklover]

Gotta say I'm pretty excited about the game today and the 2 home games this weekend. (Excited enough to de-lurk!) There's a ton riding on these next few games not least of which is Whiz's reputation. He's banking on his belief that the issue with this team was the coach, not the team he put together.

I don't think its an understatement too say that the team's performance going forward will be a major factor in his future in professional basketball and quite possibly -- given the Maloof's various difficulties -- the Monarch's future as a franchise.

For the players, they have allot to prove too. I'm sure they know the widely held opinion that this team is too old, too slow, too fat, too ordinary to compete in the WNBA of today. Its time for them to step up and dispense with excuses and prove to the league that they're wrong.

There's allot at stake for the Monarchs and it all starts TODAY! Hope my co-workers don't mind me yelling at my computer this afternoon.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

I'll be lucky if I get to see the tipoff before I have to go back to work, and I don't have the benefit of being able to follow it from my workstation. Fortunately, the game's on NBA TV, so I can record it and watch it when I get home.

 

[RDub21]

Well, at least we got rid of the problem lol.

 

[porklover]

Wow. Ouch. Some thoughts:

Monarchs lose by 19 points and it wasn't even as close as the score would indicate heh.

Loved seeing Courtney as an early substitution. She really faded but was only 1 rebound short of her first double-double. Its been said before; she's going to get more and more special as her conditioning improves.

Glad we won't be seeing Phoenix anymore. When they're lights out, as they were today, they're unstoppable.

Its gonna be 1 step back to take 2 steps forward. Hopefully this is the 1 step back but with the Storm next thinks don't really get easier. I don't think its been said too often but I can't wait to see the Shock on Sunday.

 

[GeorgeofSacramento]

Ouch is right.

I'm trying to imagine how much more confident Courtney would be if she'd had more meaningful playing time this season.

 

[Purple Reign]

Nobody here is being naive. The Monarchs have a huge hole to dig out of in order to even COMPETE for a post season spot. In my view they must beat Seattle and Detroit and every other home game in order to stay in it.

Whisnant is not a miracle worker here. I would like to see him begin to prepare for 2010 as soon as the playoffs become out of reach. Begin to evaluate this roster and fundamentally fix this defense. And if toward the end of the season we see progress, his move is a success in my view.

 

[mdme]

Whisnant is not a miracle worker here. I would like to see him begin to prepare for 2010 as soon as the playoffs become out of reach. Begin to evaluate this roster and fundamentally fix this defense. And if toward the end of the season we see progress, his move is a success in my view.

Don't forget the offense too. These days in the WNBA, I don't think defense alone can cut it. White line or not. You can't win if you have less points than the opposing team.

 

[Purple Reign]

Don't forget the offense too. These days in the WNBA, I don't think defense alone can cut it. White line or not. You can't win if you have less points than the opposing team.

Completely agree. Unfortunately i don't think that is going to happen until they change this roster some. As long as Ticha Penichiero is the point guard and Scholanda Robinson and Chelsea Newton is on this roster playing major minutes, that offense is going to struggle.

 

[porklover]

The offense can definitely stink it up. Their shooting % is just horrible for a team that is so strong at the post. Add to that a starting point guard that seems to have lost confidence in her shot, a starting 2-guard that more often passes up the open shot then pulls the trigger, and your "best" shooter that shoots below 40%; the Monarchs can just plain stink it up on the offense.

However, I do believe that even a small improvement in defense and execution can make a huge difference. The Monarchs lost 3 games by less then 2 baskets. If they close those out, they're sitting at 6 and 8 with a softer 2nd half schedule -- a whole heck of allot better then 3 and 11.

I know its dangerous to play what ifs but this just stands out to me.

One last point, I was happy to see them tank the 2nd quarter against PHX instead of their usual 3rd. If Whiz can just get them to tank the 1st quarter in the future, that gives them 3 quarters to catch up!

Should be a very interesting game tonight! I predict a huge coming out game for Courtney.

 

[6th]

The offense can definitely stink it up. Their shooting % is just horrible for a team that is so strong at the post. Add to that a starting point guard that seems to have lost confidence in her shot, a starting 2-guard that more often passes up the open shot then pulls the trigger, and your "best" shooter that shoots below 40%; the Monarchs can just plain stink it up on the offense.

While I agree with this, I would point out that it may not just be a lack of confidence in her shot by Ticha. She plays in pain (on her shooting hand I believe). She has a partial tendon tear in her thumb. That would affect my shot, I'm sure. Not using this as an excuse. Just pointing out that there may be multiple factors involved.

BTW - welcome to KingsFans.com, porklover.