Mystics Fall to Liberty, 80-73
After battling back to get within one to start the fourth quarter, the Mystics fell to the Liberty in a morning game held before screaming summer basketball campers. Katie was at Verizon Center and said that the team was focused on stopping the Liberty's ability to shoot the three. It didn't work so hot -- New York shot 44 percent from beyond the arc, nailing 10 three-pointers.
Katie sent these quotes from Coach Jessie Kenlaw:
"We've got to become more focused on the little things, disciplined on the little things. That was my focus, because that's where we need to get better. And we're going to continue to work on those things -- drill on those things -- until it happens."
"The tempo wasn't as upbeat as I would have liked it to be in the first quarter, because when we run good things happen for us. We're going to make a turnover or two here running, but that's going to be our new identity. So I would have liked to get off to a better start there, but our defense dictates how much we can run."
To catch up on the details, you can read the AP story, study the box score and the play-by-play.
Were you able to watch or listen to the game from work? Have to explain yourself to the boss? And what did you think of the Mystics' play and Kenlaw's second game as top dog?
By
Margaret McElligott
|
July 23, 2008; 3:04 PM ET
Previous: Gameday: Mystics-Liberty |
Next: Fallout From Shock-Sparks Skirmish
Posted by: Kande | July 23, 2008 5:17 PM
It was good to see the team actually competing and playing as a team (certainly not things they had been doing recently), but unfortuntely, I think they've dug themselves into too much of a hole for the season. Perhaps they will prove me wrong with a 10-0 run. (A person can hope, can't she?)
Posted by: Original Fan | July 23, 2008 7:03 PM
Poor free-throw shooting and giving up too many offensive rebounds continue to plague us. Yes, we played better than we did at MSG last week. But, a loss is a loss, and we can't afford any, given how the season started. We have to put teams away and, when we got that fourth-quarter lead, NYL went on that run.
Posted by: Mystix4evr | July 23, 2008 11:08 PM
Will someone please explain to me why the best 3-point shooter in the WNBA played only 29 seconds and took no shots? Why wasn't Laurie in the game with the others setting screens and shooting those shots that take her about 1/2 second to get off? I just don't get it!
Posted by: The Long Haul | July 24, 2008 2:31 AM
Laurie doesn't see many minutes because she's a defensive liability. And lately, she doesn't get her shot off quickly at all. In one of the recent games, she had a couple of very good and long looks and she passed the ball. I really like Laurie, but she can't create her shot and unless and until the team can really run a good play to get her open, quite frankly she shouldn't be seeing much PT. Other teams have really good 3PT shooters who also have complete games. We need more players like that. NY killed us yesterday from 3 point land.
Posted by: Original Fan | July 24, 2008 2:50 AM
No Game Story, Washington Post???!!!!!
Typical. Your paper decides that a "cat fight" satisfies the Women's Sports Quota for today -- front page of the Sports Section, no less -- but barely mentions the game yesterday played here at HOME.
Thank goodness for Mike Fratto and HIS paper, the Washington Times. Without him, how would we be able to read anything about the Mystics-Liberty rematch?
Shame on WP!
Posted by: Eileen | July 24, 2008 6:59 AM
This was a tough loss.The Mystics need to draft well next year with the extra first round pick from LA. A Center and a Point Guard are needed for next year.
In other WNBA news, what do you all think about the Detroit Shock signing 50 year old Nancy Lieberman to a 7 day deal?
She will be active for tonight's game vs Houston at 9:30 PM on ESPN 2.
Posted by: Jeremy Bauserman | July 24, 2008 1:59 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Looking at the box score, a couple of things jump out at me. One is that the Mystics had four players in double figures. Hope this means Alana is out of her slump.
However, the bigger stat is that NY had 42 bench points. FORTY TWO! The Mystics had 10. I don't know how Kenlaw will address this particular problem, but make no mistake: it is a problem.
As an aside, Coco played 29 minutes but took only two shots?