2018 Phoenix Mercury season thread

thirty-two

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BC867

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Gonna be tough to fill the hole of both Littles being out. Hopefully Camille can heal quickly as we will need her to fill that role big time. Grindr needs to become a rebounding beast.
I hope that at 6'5", same as Sancho, rookie Marie Guich is given a chance to develop at a power position.
 

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Tonight's (Thursday) game vs. Connecticut is on FSAZ Plus at 7PM Phoenix time.

Also two more TV games -- Sunday at noon @ Atlanta at noon and Tuesday at 5 PM @ Dallas.

Go, 1st place Mercury!

If you're interested, Suns Summer League games showcasing Deandre and the other young players will be televised from Las Vegas, also on FSAZ Plus, the days the Mercury aren't in that period--

Fri. @ 6:30 vs. Dallas; Saturday @ 4:30 vs. Sacramento; and Monday @6:30 vs. Orlando.

'Sorry D-backs, but you'll be taking a back seat Fri., Sun. & Monday. Saturday's Summer League game starts at 4:30 but the D-backs at 7:00.

Go, Valley of the Sun!
 

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The Mercury lost a 15 point lead with Brittney with 5 fouls, but she came back with a bunch of free throws and they came back for an 84-77 victory. She and Diana each with over 20 points and Bonner solid, as usual, where needed with 11 boards while covering Power Forward for most of the game.
 
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Dback Jon

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Went to the game last night. Mercury were clearly the better team, but lost focus at times.
 

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It's Sunday July 8, but the Mercury game at noon is not on Fox Sports Plus (or any other Fox channel or time), as it was advertised to be. Bummer!

Atlanta beat the Mercury 76-70. But they led 65-48 after 3 quarters. It was an uphill fight for the Mercury.
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The Mercury are getting walloped at Dallas. 32-19 at the end of the 1st quarter. Griner playing the other big Center in the WNBA and has not been a factor. That's where DeWanna steps up. Dallas shot an amazing 69% for the quarter.

The Mercury are 2-0 vs. Dallas this season, but this is the second game in a row where they have not been in it, having lost PF Lyttle for the season.

Diana Taurasi went to the locker room at the end of the 1st quarter. They are saying that she was grimacing before the game and is "experiencing illness". 'Doesn't look good for a victory for the Mercury, but I'll keep watching for awhile, before switching to the D-backs game.

EDIT: Yup, time to switch, with DT out and the Mercury down 59-39 at the half. It's not fun listening to the Wings' announcers with the Mercury out of it. They don't like it when Brittney sets a screen. :oops:

EDIT: And I see that the Mercury lose by 29 --101-72.
 
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The Mercury beat the lowly Indiana team 101-82, opening it up near the end. Brittney came close to her all-time high of 38 with 36, but missed 5 or 6 free throws, which was uncharacteristic.

By lowly, I'm referring to Indiana's record, having won two games all season. They're a good group of people who try their best on the court.
 
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I had great hopes for this team with their off season moves. Now I am worried we are tiring out, or losing focus. I hope we can get it back for playoffs!
 

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I had great hopes for this team with their off season moves. Now I am worried we are tiring out, or losing focus. I hope we can get it back for playoffs!
Brittney Griner puts up good numbers. But unlike Diana Taurasi and DeWanna Bonner, hers are not consistent from game to game, especially rebounding.

Which means that DeWanna has to be our strong rebounder in those games, especially against strong competition, and I believe it is taking its toll on her.
 

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God these refs are horrible tonight. Called a flagrant on Bonner when it was clearly a blocking foul. Horrible horrible refs.

That said, we need to play better and that means rebounding and making the hustle plays.

God I hate Minnesota.
 

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Refs just ejected Diana for her tripping on the floor after being called for a fall. It should have been a foul on both of them not just Diana.

One thing I hate about the WNBA refs is that they don’t let the women PLAY. There are so many fouls called all the freaking time and it just distracts from the game. The WNBA refs as a whole are horrible.
 

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We are still in this thing at halftime. Griner needs to step the F up if we are gonna have a chance. Bonner single handedly kept us in this game after DT was ejected.

Pansy ass refs asked for security to walk them out. The entire stadium was chanting “THESE REFS SUCK” after the debacle of DT.
 

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The refs are such babies, they ejected two fans. I can’t believe it. Absolutely pathetic.
 

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Brittney Griner puts up good numbers. But unlike Diana Taurasi and DeWanna Bonner, hers are not consistent from game to game, especially rebounding.

Which means that DeWanna has to be our strong rebounder in those games, especially against strong competition, and I believe it is taking its toll on her.
P.S. - especially having lost our other 'big', Lyttle at PF. Even more pressure on Griner.

And when she does not play up to par, as is the case often, that puts all of the pressure on my favorite Merc, DeWanna Bonner, who is a Small Forward.

She has been the difference maker who steps up, whether it be for Griner, at PF or if Taurasi is out. DeWanna can't be a miracle worker at any of four positions night after night. She is our Magic Johnson, but even he wasn't called on to cover any of four positions night after night.
 

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P.S. - especially having lost our other 'big', Lyttle at PF. Even more pressure on Griner.
I think that injury has hurt us the most when you see the team's play after that point. I remember telling my kids, there goes the playoffs!
 

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WNBA All-Star game on ABC tomorrow (Saturday) at 12:30 PM (3:30 PM Eastern time).

Our big-3 are represented -- DT, BG and (my personal favorite) DB, who has stepped up to All Star status in games whenever needed, especially to cover for DT, BG or at Power Forward.
 
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BC867

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Well, I guess Mercury fans couldn't lose under this new WNBA All Star format.

The team that Sandy Brondello coached won. The team with Taurasi, Griner and Bonner did not. The players did pretty much their own thing for the first half.

Griner blew an easy stuff. I can't understand why she is so inconsistent. She seems like a troubled superstar.
 

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Well this season has that circling the:thud: drain feeling.
 

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Mercury unable to contain Delle Donne in losing effort
Elena Delle Donne scored 30 points, Kristi Toliver added 25 and the Washington Mystics secured a playoff spot with a 103-98 victory over the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday night

Our defense sucks! I love our coach, BUT we have a major presence in the middle, and our defense is very porous. Should be "easy" to fix our D.
 

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Our defense sucks! I love our coach, BUT we have a major presence in the middle, and our defense is very porous. Should be "easy" to fix our D.
As I've mentioned, our presence in the middle, Brittney Griner, has been consistently inconsistent and continues to commit careless fouls. And we lost our starting Power Forward who could take pressure off her. I don't believe that will be easy to fix.

This could have been the Mercury's year. With Dianna and DeWanna getting older, there isn't too much time left before rebuilding.
 
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