State of the Monarchs

[6th]

After defeating the Comets, the Monarchs have a 5 game lead in the Western Conference over those very same Comets. The are 20-7 with 7 games left to play. Although they lead in the West, they still trail the Connecticut Sun by 1/2 game. The M's are 1 game back in the loss column, so even if they win out the rest of their games, they must rely on the Suns to lose again. Time to check the schedule and see who the Sun have left to play.

The M's are playing some great basketball. I would like to see them put strong teams (like the Comets) away instead of letting them climb back into games, but at least they are taking charge when it counts.

Any comments about the rest of the schedule for the M's? Where do you see the Monarchs at the end of the regular season? I don't even want to think playoffs at this point, but my tickets have been ordered.

 

[DWalkfan22]

The Sun in their next 3 games play the Sparks, Mystics, and Sting. On wednesday Margo Dydek is leaving and will miss atleast 2 games playing 4 the Polish Nat'l team as they are attempting to qualify for the world championships. So hopefully they can get a loss or two in her absence. Depending on how her team does she could miss a 3rd game.
Story on Margo
http://www.courant.com/sports/hc-wnbasun0807.artaug07,0,4224231.story?&track=rss

 

[cometsluv4play]

CONGRADULATIONS!!! on the big win yesterday. i must admit that i was pulling for my team to win yesterday, we needed it more, but for some reason the ladies on the court did not see it that way. i don't know whats wrong with my team. i don't wanna make excuses so i won't.

when i can get my feelings off of my team and am overjoyed at the success of the Monarchs this season and am very, very happy for all of you and everyone whom have been associated with this board during the lean years and happy for the bandwagoners too! This is ya'll year! GO MONARCHS!!!

 

[Monty'sBiggestFan]

They've got a tough rest of their schedule, they are playing teams on the road who HAVE to win to get into or stay in the playoff spot they want or have (Phx, LA, Sea, Minn). The M's have not played well against West. Conf. playoff teams on the road this season - their only wins were against Phx (ages ago) and Minnesota (barely). Even their games against teams eliminated from playoff contention have been rough goings. Forget the strong teams, the Monarchs haven't figured out how to not let anybody hang around who really wants to play with them. They have figured out from time to time how to hang onto games that nearly are slipping away, which is a advancement of their Connecticut debacle to finish up their first homestand.

Krista has said this several times in the last week or so and I'm firmly on that bandwagon with her, Phx scares me right now because they look so much different than they did when we saw them earlier in the season. Given that the Monarchs had trouble rebounding last night, with Vodichkova and Stepanova there we might see more of the same trouble. And Taurasi near tournament time? We've had burn marks from performances by DeForge and Taylor.

This is an important next 10-12 days for the M's and it's gut check time. But all I want to want to see the M's start to play better basketball and close out the season shooting better from the FT line (wishful thinking I know), taking care of the basketball better and playing with a consistent level of intensity throughout the course of a game.

Connecticut has their own tough road ahead too, if you look at their record and subtract their ridiculously dominant run through the Western Conf. portion of their schedule, they have been pretty run of the mill against their own conference. But they have started to assert themselves the last few games and have started to play well against the teams behind them. I'd say it's probably better to look at us being 1.5 games behind CT for the best record in the league because we do not hold the tie breaker with them. I thought we might have clinched a berth already with the LA loss yesterday and Phx's status, but I guess the games played differential and unsettled tiebreaker between us and Phx is what's holding up the clinch there. Our magic number to clinch the number #1 seed in the West (unless my math is wrong) is 2. Connecticut's magic number to clinch best record in the league is roughly 6.

 

[#11ErinFan]

I'll be in LA cheering the Monarchs on when they play the Sparks on the 16th. I went to the M's last game there, too, when they got into a real hole but almost dug themselves out, thanks in large part to strong play off the bench. I can check in and post some comments after I get home from LA (takes about 2 hours), if anyone's interested.