[SAC/HOU] Discussion thread
- Thread starter Mr. S£im Citrus
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This team is a bottom dweller....again, almost single digits scored in the 4th this time they scored 10 points in the 4th quarter...horrible! The vets are too old, they lack endurance. 24 total points in the 2nd half, when they scored 21 in the 2nd quarter alone..this tells you that they have no legs left in the final quarter. Hopefully next year they'll bring some younger players that can make it through the whole game. Absolutely pathetic!
First off, we have TWO people on the team who are over 30 (Ticha and Adrian). Ticha is 33 and Adrian is 31. They are far from being "too old".
Second, we have four rookies on the team ATM. In addition to those players, three others are still on rookie pay scale. That's seven young players. There's plenty of youth on the team. The younger players, save Kelly and Harper, aren't particularly consistent nor are they particularly good. Next year, a good number of them need to be replaced by more talented players. The more experienced players (you know, the ones you call "old") are carrying this team, and they are by far the most talented players on this roster.
This sounds more like an issue with personnel than it does with coaching. The head coach for this team is not in charge of personnel, so any concern regarding that matter should be directed at the general manager. Whisenant gave Boucek a weak roster, and the result of that is a weak record. Having said that, we are 3.5 games out of the top spot in the Western Conference. No need to panic.
Second, we have four rookies on the team ATM. In addition to those players, three others are still on rookie pay scale. That's seven young players. There's plenty of youth on the team. The younger players, save Kelly and Harper, aren't particularly consistent nor are they particularly good. Next year, a good number of them need to be replaced by more talented players. The more experienced players (you know, the ones you call "old") are carrying this team, and they are by far the most talented players on this roster.
This sounds more like an issue with personnel than it does with coaching. The head coach for this team is not in charge of personnel, so any concern regarding that matter should be directed at the general manager. Whisenant gave Boucek a weak roster, and the result of that is a weak record. Having said that, we are 3.5 games out of the top spot in the Western Conference. No need to panic.
You do make some good points. However, I must disagree with you when you say that the 2 Vets are our most talented players. Ticha is having an exceptional year and we are all very excited about that. Now AWS on the other hand is one of our weaker players, and she hardly carries our team. I think once Lawson gets back in the mix we will be better. A consistent offense has always been a problem with our team and right now I don't know if it will get better this season.
We still have a lot of games left, so only time will tell on how this season is going to pan out.
We still have a lot of games left, so only time will tell on how this season is going to pan out.
My bad. I didn't mean to imply that Adrian was one of the vets/experienced players I was talking about when I made that statement. I consider Kara, Nicole, and Bek to be vets because they're on their second contracts. Certainly Ticha, Kara, Nicole, and Bek are our most talented and most experienced players while our youngest players are our worst for reasons other than just youth.
I don't see our offense improving this year unless we get a shooting guard who can consistently create her own offense. Is there any chance we can bring Maiga-Ba back with us from Houston?
J/k, but we need someone whose job is to score even when she's not shooting well. Players like Alana Beard, Candice Wiggins, Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi, Betty Lennox, Jia Perkins, and Deanna Nolan do this well. Of course, all but one of these players are former lottery picks (Perkins was a third-rounder) so we either need to trade for the most disgruntled of these players (Beard and Lennox) or try our own luck in the lottery.
I do think that we'll be a better team when Lawson returns...whenever that is.
I don't see our offense improving this year unless we get a shooting guard who can consistently create her own offense. Is there any chance we can bring Maiga-Ba back with us from Houston?
J/k, but we need someone whose job is to score even when she's not shooting well. Players like Alana Beard, Candice Wiggins, Cappie Pondexter, Diana Taurasi, Betty Lennox, Jia Perkins, and Deanna Nolan do this well. Of course, all but one of these players are former lottery picks (Perkins was a third-rounder) so we either need to trade for the most disgruntled of these players (Beard and Lennox) or try our own luck in the lottery.I do think that we'll be a better team when Lawson returns...whenever that is.
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I'd make a serious run at Beard before I made a run at Lennox, but will agree Lennox has to be moveable from Atlanta's perspective because she can't be happy. But by the same token, she can't be moveable because she's the most valuable veteran that roster has. They aren't going to have FAs flocking there.
I do also agree that it's not coaching but issues with the roster and they are getting about what they can expect to get from the pieces that have been assembled. Which still quite frankly is not at all out of the playoff picture.
I am warm to the notion that the Ms will get better when Lawson returns. But given that they've had a weak offense with her in it and with a healthy her in it, I'm not sure I see much difference in what happens late in a game. I was out during the game today but the thought hit me when the postgame discussion centered around the poor offensive 4ths. I don't think this road trip was the first time they've shown that. If I get the umption to do it, I may roll through their 18 games this year and see what they avg in the 4th compared to their opponents.
I had to laugh because when they closed the 3rd down 3, I figured oh crap that's not where they need to be going into the 4th. Little did I figure that they actually would find some offense (granted it was after they let that deficit balloon) and that deficit should have been enough to overcome...um, had they not let it balloon like they did.
Their offensive/defensive problems are just weird to me. I mean you get career points from Harper again...but she doesn't score in the 2nd half...it seemed like Kelly didn't score in the 2nd half either. How does that happen?
Sigh...I'm not going to panic either, because watch, they'll come home and sweep the home stand and they'll open the home stand with one of the most emotionally charged games of the season. I'm going to save my mood swing for later...but I will admit to this...the way that game in San Antonio game got away from them worried me...because I felt had they won that game it could have catapulted them in a hugely positive direction and I'm worried that this could be the game we all point back to (despite the horrible-ness that was the Indiana and LA games) and see a season defining moment. I hope not but that's hanging in the back of my head.
I do also agree that it's not coaching but issues with the roster and they are getting about what they can expect to get from the pieces that have been assembled. Which still quite frankly is not at all out of the playoff picture.
I am warm to the notion that the Ms will get better when Lawson returns. But given that they've had a weak offense with her in it and with a healthy her in it, I'm not sure I see much difference in what happens late in a game. I was out during the game today but the thought hit me when the postgame discussion centered around the poor offensive 4ths. I don't think this road trip was the first time they've shown that. If I get the umption to do it, I may roll through their 18 games this year and see what they avg in the 4th compared to their opponents.
I had to laugh because when they closed the 3rd down 3, I figured oh crap that's not where they need to be going into the 4th. Little did I figure that they actually would find some offense (granted it was after they let that deficit balloon) and that deficit should have been enough to overcome...um, had they not let it balloon like they did.
Their offensive/defensive problems are just weird to me. I mean you get career points from Harper again...but she doesn't score in the 2nd half...it seemed like Kelly didn't score in the 2nd half either. How does that happen?
Sigh...I'm not going to panic either, because watch, they'll come home and sweep the home stand and they'll open the home stand with one of the most emotionally charged games of the season. I'm going to save my mood swing for later...but I will admit to this...the way that game in San Antonio game got away from them worried me...because I felt had they won that game it could have catapulted them in a hugely positive direction and I'm worried that this could be the game we all point back to (despite the horrible-ness that was the Indiana and LA games) and see a season defining moment. I hope not but that's hanging in the back of my head.
I get the sense that they let San Antonio beat them twice.
As for Lennox, I thought I read somewhere that she'll be a free agent in 2009. Not exactly the shooting guard I'd like to have, but if the team isn't willing to bring in options at the point that Boucek is comfortable playing/developing ("developing" does not mean playing someone 15-20 minutes a game with free reign to begin with, then cutting minutes drastically one day...only to play said player a handful of minutes when a starter goes down) then maybe we should send Kara back to the bench, sign Lennox, and start her instead. I'd prefer Beard, but I don't know if the front office is willing to give up what it will take to get her (a starter and at least one bench player).
As for Lennox, I thought I read somewhere that she'll be a free agent in 2009. Not exactly the shooting guard I'd like to have, but if the team isn't willing to bring in options at the point that Boucek is comfortable playing/developing ("developing" does not mean playing someone 15-20 minutes a game with free reign to begin with, then cutting minutes drastically one day...only to play said player a handful of minutes when a starter goes down) then maybe we should send Kara back to the bench, sign Lennox, and start her instead. I'd prefer Beard, but I don't know if the front office is willing to give up what it will take to get her (a starter and at least one bench player).
The Mystics front office I believe can be pillaged. Give us Beard and we'll send them bench filler and our first, which may or may not be a lottery pick. But Beard may give them more bang for their buck than when they had to move Holdsclaw and Milton-Jones.
If I'm in Coleman, McCoughtry range (hoping post starved Atlanta gets a ping pong fairy helping them out and they take Paris) I may not do that deal for Beard figuring I might get a healthy DeMya back and her presence might make my offense not suck next year.
But they have GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT to get a damn nother scorer. By hook or by crook, I'm not caring. I also wrote this in a thread earlier this season, I absolutely do believe like 2004, this is a transitional year for this roster regardless of what ultimately happens in the regular season playoff chase.
If I'm in Coleman, McCoughtry range (hoping post starved Atlanta gets a ping pong fairy helping them out and they take Paris) I may not do that deal for Beard figuring I might get a healthy DeMya back and her presence might make my offense not suck next year.
But they have GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT to get a damn nother scorer. By hook or by crook, I'm not caring. I also wrote this in a thread earlier this season, I absolutely do believe like 2004, this is a transitional year for this roster regardless of what ultimately happens in the regular season playoff chase.
I agree. The Mystics GM will cave if the player wants out of DC badly enough. If we are willing to make a move and if she is willing to raise enough sand in DC, we can get Beard.
I would welcome either Coleman or McCoughtry with open arms.
If DeMya is healthy enough next year, we should be able to part ways with Adrian and explore other bench post options. I'd like to see us pursue another post who can shoot from 15-17 feet out.
Absolutely. Teams can't win games if they can't score unless you're San Antonio. The Silver Stars do have a great defense and move the ball around on offense very well, two things the Monarchs haven't shown capable of outside of a few stretches (the first LA game comes to mind).
The key this year is to just see what happens and react accordingly. But we definitely have to improve the talent level on the team.
I would welcome either Coleman or McCoughtry with open arms.
If DeMya is healthy enough next year, we should be able to part ways with Adrian and explore other bench post options. I'd like to see us pursue another post who can shoot from 15-17 feet out.
Absolutely. Teams can't win games if they can't score unless you're San Antonio. The Silver Stars do have a great defense and move the ball around on offense very well, two things the Monarchs haven't shown capable of outside of a few stretches (the first LA game comes to mind).
The key this year is to just see what happens and react accordingly. But we definitely have to improve the talent level on the team.
I may be way out to lunch here, BUT, I read somewhere recently--darn if I can find it--an interview with DeMya. She said that her knee was doing well--healed, in fact--and that she was working on strengthening calf muscles, etc. She also said that she was hoping to be back playing after the Olympic break. Now I know that this is far shorter than the six months that we were told it would take to rehab her knee. But... Harding also had a knee cap fracture on her ACL-torn knee and is now back playing with Minnie. If it were anyone else, I would say NO WAY. But this is DeMya. Who would have thought that she would be back as early as she was after giving birth via ceasarean??? And in the incredible shape that she was post-pregnancy? The woman is an Amazon--and a queen at that
I also wonder about this because Whiz cut Atkinson and ALWAYS has kept 13 on the roster. Why has he not picked up anyone else? Zoll is out there--and lordie we could use her. Cutting Atkinson when he did meant that he did not need to carry her contract for the whole season, i.e. freeing up not only roster space but cap space. Is he freeing up space for DeMya to return after (or during) the Olympic break? Would he be willing to just roll with what we have through the end of July, speculating that we are not going to make the playoffs--OR, being no worse than we are now at 3 1/2 games out of first, and bring DeMya back for not only an offensive and defensive punch, but a HUGE lift to the team emotionally. Could it be enough to lift us into the playoffs?
Maybe just a pipe dream, but really wonder what Whiz has up his sleave...
I also wonder about this because Whiz cut Atkinson and ALWAYS has kept 13 on the roster. Why has he not picked up anyone else? Zoll is out there--and lordie we could use her. Cutting Atkinson when he did meant that he did not need to carry her contract for the whole season, i.e. freeing up not only roster space but cap space. Is he freeing up space for DeMya to return after (or during) the Olympic break? Would he be willing to just roll with what we have through the end of July, speculating that we are not going to make the playoffs--OR, being no worse than we are now at 3 1/2 games out of first, and bring DeMya back for not only an offensive and defensive punch, but a HUGE lift to the team emotionally. Could it be enough to lift us into the playoffs?
Maybe just a pipe dream, but really wonder what Whiz has up his sleave...
My understanding of the two injuries was that Harding had stress fractures on her kneecap while DeMya broke hers. Two different injuries, which is probably why Harding was rushed back sooner. You'll note that Lindsey hasn't done anything of note since returning to her team.
Athletes claim that they can play when really they're in no shape to touch the court. I would think DeMya falls into this category. Why rush back when you don't have to? It's okay to take a break from basketball. What happens if she rushes back this season and further injures herself? Then what?
Unless we're in the playoffs, I wouldn't even consider it.
Athletes claim that they can play when really they're in no shape to touch the court. I would think DeMya falls into this category. Why rush back when you don't have to? It's okay to take a break from basketball. What happens if she rushes back this season and further injures herself? Then what?
Unless we're in the playoffs, I wouldn't even consider it.
That's an interesting scenario...he's done the musical 13th player on the roster contract dance before with Chameka Scott but brought her and her newly non-guaranteed money back on the books a bit later in the season. If Atkinson stays gone from the roster, which I sorta got the feeling might happen from the way everybody acted last Saturday (see notably: Ticha's post-game plaintive sendoff) - something could be up. Whether it has to do with DeMya or not is anybody's guess.
The Oly break is the next best thing to a second training camp. Which, should help this team with or without needing it to integrate Walker.
The Oly break is the next best thing to a second training camp. Which, should help this team with or without needing it to integrate Walker.
Are teams allowed to congregate during the Olympic break? I would think they would not be, because some teams would be without players.
As far as DeMya, I see her around Arco, around the team in and around the bench. But she does not look like she is in any condition to play at all this season. She has a "gut" on her that looks like she is expecting. Unless these next six weeks are dedicated to conditioning, I can't see it happening. Especially if the Monarchs are not in playoff contention.
As far as DeMya, I see her around Arco, around the team in and around the bench. But she does not look like she is in any condition to play at all this season. She has a "gut" on her that looks like she is expecting. Unless these next six weeks are dedicated to conditioning, I can't see it happening. Especially if the Monarchs are not in playoff contention.