Mercury vs. Sun: Live Game Thread

They just announced that PHX is the home of the best fans in the WNBA…my thoughts – that really can’t be a hard competition to win, right? Seriously though I’m giving this a chance and…well…I pretty much have to watch more than 5 consecutive minutes tonight.

That the girls midrange game is their bread and butter and I would have to agree…that’s the shot that they look the most comfortable shooting

Just had a little conversation with Stan about the state of officiating in the WNBA – noticed that I didn’t recognize any so their not NBA officials. Asked if this was used as a ref development league – he didn’t know but mentioned that a common complaint around the L is that the refs are not good

rebounding, layups, etc. but especially rebounding is kinda painful to watch. For me at least. Good for you guys for attending the game though and showing your support.

watdogg10, as a basketball player do you think you could take these girls on?

Fun hype crew dancing around…couple of cute ones but they’re no Suns dance team…doesn’t have anything to do with anything but I’m just saying

I think my ability to jump, shoot from deep outside and my 6’8" wingspan would cause problems…but there are definitely some who would give a good game if not beat me

random question…what’s the max salary for wnba players, and who is the highest paid?

Seems like tonights game is going to be pretty fast paced and exciting – the Sun are very active defensively but they look small whcih I’ve been told is our issue

We just hit 2 free throws to give us our first points 4-2 Sun

6-4 sun, Cappie looks in control even at top speed which is faster than everyone else on the court it seems

Merc a little sloppy early but stan says they usually start slow

Have a player Lindsay Whalen – she’s built like a tank low to the ground and thick – she looks good hit a 3 then dished a nice assist before Taurasi scored to make it 15-6 Sun

Being agressive but has very poor shot selection so far…just missed another 3

Sun coach just got a T 17-8 Sun

I’m impressed by her IQ, not an athletic bone in her body but plays smart…DT with a 3! 21-11

Nice crossover on a reach drove and dish for the nice midrange bucket

ever dunked in a game?

Sun have a giant of a woman in the post (not height wise) who just scored a nice 3 point play in the lane 24-15…Penny called for an offensive foul for throwing an elbow…I already like her

Nice crossover and she got to the rim for the foul…she looks good ; )

Stan thinks she should start and after she just pulled a nice spin move to get to the rim for the bucket and the foul I can’t argue 20-24 Sun

Just had the most athletic move I’ve seen getting to the rim but couldn’t finish the layup

24-29 Sun

No doubt she’s the leader on this team…she is the most vocal and hardest on her teammates and herself

Looks familiar…like a slower less athletic version of the Suns. They seem to have a deep team and a lot of scorers…I really like what I’ve seen from DT as a leader and Penny as a scorer – not impressed with Cappie so far VERY POOR SHOT SELECTION but I expect her to settle in a bit here in the 2nd (don’t know why, but that’s my impression from the 1 quarter of wnba ball i’ve watched

Threw it bhind her head on the run…I think she was expecting a foul but followed it up with a TO on the next possession. She seems like she can get flustered easily to me

I like how she handles the ball…she controls it well and has a nice crossover/between the legs dribble 34-37 Sun

I really like how Whalen plays the point – very intelligent does little things to create the space she needs

Stan informed me that the Merc play a little rope-a-dope where they’ll get down early and come back on a team once they relax…one of the Sun players just had the most unathletic rebound/putback I’ve seen for a missed layup but they’ve followed it up with 4 straight points to go up 44-36

Grant Hill just arrived sporting his flat top

Don’t know if she’s going to come around but we are getting KILLED on the glass

Cappie broke to the rim and made a nice layup – looked pretty athletic doing it too…and 1 45-56 Sun rope-a-dope almost complete

hits 2 FTs to give the Merc the lead 46-47

There are definitely stretches that are hard to watch from a basketball perspective – gets sloppy but not too bad so far…50-47 Mercury

First half thoughts – mercury very sloppy 1st quarter, cappie very poor shot selection (i think a lot of it has to do with the fact that she was cold and trying to get something to fall), mercury just seem to have a lot more talent than the sun and grant hill looks good in his flat top

Mercury up 52-49

52 points in 20 minutes w/ Cappie having an off night and only 1-7 from three…can’t complain about that. Sun had 52% shooting in the 1st qtr and finished the half w/ 36%…

I definitely see Nicole making a difference in the paint

Started out very VERY sloppy…Cappie had a good drive but missed the layup leading to 2 consecutive TOs Taurasi though settled it down with a nice drive and kick before Cappie scored a layup off of another Sun TO…56-51 Merc with Cap at the line for 2

Got to the rim past her…umm…woman but missed the layup

On both ends…the Merc leading 61-58

Has been poor from my vantage point but it’s been equally poor for both teams

Just had a very good defensive play…closed out hard on the shooter while keeping her feet well enough to slide with her down the lane and force a difficult layup which was missed

Off of a nice post pass and finish by Ohlde

is really into the WNBA game…knows all of the refs by name and is lacing into them!

Has been aggressive tonight – I really like her game not just as a female athlete but as a ball player…one of the few players I see that I actually wouldn’t mind playing on my team

She’s been very impressive too just had a nice drive and finish to tie it up at 71 and that’s the end of the 3rd

20 to 7 in second chance points…that’s a big deficit for you non-math people out there

Just converted two straight fast break buckets to go up by 4 75-71…according to stan this is what they do use the 2nd and 4th quarters to bury opponents…cap scores again 77-71 Time Out Sun

From Latvia has a season high of 16 points for the Sun…make that 18 thought you should know

another nice drive…can’t finish but drew the foul and hit the FTs to put the merc up 79-76

Coach Gaines is not happy at all with the call…again, thought you should know

Lots of energy right now…DT just missed a 3 that would have really hurt the Sun but there she just buried a step back 2 to put the Merc up 84-80

That’s right we need NOISE!

led to a turnover on what should have been easy points

off of DT coming off a screen and getting the ball before dumping it to the corner when the double came. Very well executed play right there

drew the foul but cam down hard and was a little shaken up…she’s got a real solid game and protects the ball well on her drives while staying in a position to attack

No still 40 seconds left

Stole the ball from Whalen to put the final basket in and seal it 95-84 I’m out look for a write up of my experience.