Sky vs. Liberty tipping off in a few minutes…

Wait, have the Sky ever won a game that I liveblogged? I’m not sure. Hope I don’t jinx them…

Anyway, LET’S GO!!!

FIRST QUARTER
– Starting 5 for the Sky: Fowles, Snow, Young, Thorn and Canty. This lineup is going for 3-in-a-row
– Liberty score first off some free throws.
– Nice drive by Canty. Hits the bucket and gets the foul. 3-pt play!
– Prince to Big Syl for the nice lay in.
– Wait, why is Prince already in for TYoung? We’re like 2 minutes into this game..
– These NY announcers suck.
– Ok, Sky’s offense has slowed to a halt. NY on an 8-0 run. Timeout Chicago.
– Kraayeveld in the game after the timeout.
– Cappie with the airball. Nice!
– Prince for THREEEEEEE!
– Kraayeveld with the nice pass to Syl for easy lay in.
– Big Syl is running the floor really nice today.
– Sloot in the game. Good D.
– Suddenly Sky playing good defense. Multiple steals in a row.
– Big Syl gettin’ buckets! …easy buckets off of good looks from her teammates.
– Kraayeveld with another bucket. She’s playing great.
– TYoung may have twisted her ankle early in the game so that’s why she was out so quickly. Probably got re-taped and is back in the game now.
– Oh, the quarter just ended. Kinda wish NY’s live access had a game clock or something.
– Sky leading 18-11.

SECOND QUARTER
– Turnover by Prince; bogus foul call of Snow
– Sky’s defense continues to be on point. However, refs are starting to call stupid fouls.
– Now Thorn turns it over in the same manner that Prince just turned it over. Simple interior pass, guys.
– Cappie down for a little bit. Looks like a twisted ankle. She gets up and walk off the court on her own. New York calls a timeout and Cappie will probably be back after the break to shoot her free throws.
– Yup, Cappie back in after the timeout. Hits all three free throws.
– Sky gotta get their offense going again.
– REBOUND!!! How are you gonna let ‘Lil Leilani get a rebound..
– Big Syl back in the game. Hopefully the Sky can get some points now ..and rebounds.
– Dammit. Sky offense is nowhere to be found ..and they still can’t rebound.
– Wow, Swords was WIIIIIIDE open under the basket. TYoung finds her for an easy layup.
– WTF, these announcers need to get off of Cappie’s jock. For real. She ain’t the second coming..
– Sloot to Swords for a NIIIICE bucket! …AND 1!!! Swords is soooo good at those pick ‘n rolls.
– Ok, Big Syl with the bucket. Sky put together a few good baskets in a row. Offense is flowin’ a little bit.
– Prince for THREEEEEEE!
– Another bogus foul. Called on Vandersloot.
– WTF, SKY! Rebound!!!! Liberty just scored like 5 points on freakin’ possession.
– TYoung hits one from the baseline. Sky needed that.
– These refs are calling a foul on the Sky every single time down the court. Ridiculous.
– Oh, I guess the quarter just ended again. A game clock would be helpful, NY Liberty.
– Sky leading 32-31.

THIRD QUARTER
– Sky start the quarter with back-to-back turnovers. No bueno.
– Canty misses a layup, gets her own rebound and makes the layup. Way to stay with it!
– ET for THREEEEEEE!
– TYoung puts the moves on Powell and hits a shot in her grill!
– Plenette Pierson playing dirty. She just hit Kraayeveld in the chest for no reason at half court. Foul.
– Sky defense forces a steal/shot-clock violation.
– Sky can’t get a defensive rebound to save their lives! Ugh!
– Big Syl goes up high for the offensive rebound and gets the putback. Nice!
– Canty makes the worst decisions with the ball…especially for a point guard. Sheesh. Where’s Sloot?
– Ok, there’s Sloot. Good decision, Pokey.
– Prince hits the long jumper and is fouled. 4-point play!
– Nice pass from Kraayeveld to Big Syl! Fowles hits the tough layup!
– Sloot with the ugly looking shot. Her shot is looking rough tonite.
– Young with a horrible pass into Syl which leads to a turnover. But Young hustles down and gets a steal at the other end. TYoung = MIP!
– For the life of me, I can’t figure out why the Sky are such a horrible rebounding team. Big Syl and Snow are tall and athletic. Q Hollingsworth and Kara effin’ Braxton should not be able to take boards away from them! Ugh!
– Ugly looking free throw from Big Syl. Haven’t seen that all season. She’s been money at the line. She hits the second.
– WTF, Snow!? That is not your shot.
– Dang, Sloot has 4 fouls?
– Surprise! End of the quarter. Game clocks are optional in NY, I guess.
– Sky leading 52-41.

FOURTH QUARTER
– Erin Thorn for THREEEEEEE! …AND 1! 4-point play! …no 1-point 4th quarter tonight, suckas!
– Nice drive by Big Syl! Easy layup..
– ET with a beautiful pass to a cutting Big Syl! Easy layup…AND 1!
– Uh oh, Liberty coming back. 13-point lead cut to 8 in about 2 seconds. Damn. Timeout Sky.
– Turnover Sky.
– GET A REBOUND! Ugh!
– 10-0 run by Liberty. Sky lead is only 4 now.
– Piph makes 2 free throws.
– TYoung with another bad pass into Big Syl …leads to a turnover and a Liberty fastbreak layup.
– Sky are giving this one away.
– Sky with the shot clock violation.
– Tie game.
– WTF, Sky suck in the 4th quarter. Piph with a horrible turnover.
– Kraayeveld with the turnover.
– Bad shot.
– Another turnover.
– Sky have given up. So have I.
– Piph hits a 3. Too late to make a difference tho.
– Sky lose 71-67. At least we scored more than 1-point in the 4th this time.

FYI: I’m not liveblogging anymore games since we ALWAYS lose when I do.

FYI2: This is why we celebrate 2-game winning streaks on this blog. Disappointment is always just around the corner. Gotta get the celebrating in when you can. It’s fleeting.

Box Score

(…actually, I’m not sure if it’s new, but it’s new to me )

* B L O G   P O S T * What will it take to make the playoffs? …

The Chicago Sky have to do what they haven’t done this season in order to go where they’ve never gone before. In other words, they have to win consistently on the road if they want to make their first ever WNBA playoffs, and even then, they may need a little help. (Read more…)

Three teams (Sky, Dream and Liberty) are battling it out for 2 playoff spots. The author breaks down the remaining schedules in an attempt to assess the Sky’s chances of making the playoffs.

It’s a great read and gives lots of good info regarding matchups down the stretch. I don’t know that I agree with the author that the Sky have the most difficult remaining schedule of the 3 teams. The Sky, however, are playing the most road games (4 of their last 5 games are away from Allstate Arena). If they can get some wins on the road, they’ll put themselves in a good position to make the postseason.

Take a look at the remaining schedules and decide for yourself…

* Chicago Sky *

* Atlanta Dream *

* New York Liberty *

To keep their playoff dreams alive, Sky gotta start by getting this win tonight vs. the New York Liberty!

Go Sky!

~ Chicago Sky Hoops ~ 

* * Chicago’s Sylvia Fowles and Minnesota’s Seimone Augustus Named WNBA Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week * *

For the 3rd time this season, Sylvia Fowles was named the Eastern Conference “Player of the Week“…

A pair of Louisiana State University products - Sylvia Fowles of the Chicago Sky and Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx – were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, Aug. 22 through Sunday, Aug. 28.

Fowles led the league in rebounds (12.7 rpg) and field goal percentage (.667 on 22 for 33 shooting). The center was sixth in the Eastern Conference in scoring with 17.0 ppg while placing her in the top 10 in the league. Her 3.67 blocks per contest paced the Eastern Conference, which placed her second in the league. Fowles helped the Sky post a 2-1 record for the week.

For the season, she ranks third in the league in scoring (19.9 ppg) and second in the league in rebounding (10.3 rpg). She leads the league in double-doubles (20), blocks (2.2 bpg) and places second in minutes played (34.6 mpg).

The league leader in double-doubles, with a current streak of eight, continued to put together another solid week. In an 83-80 loss on Aug. 23, against the Atlanta Dream, in a game with playoff implication, Fowles collected 20 points on 9-12 shooting from the field, adding 12 rebounds and 4 blocks. She then tallied another double-double in a 80-67 win over the Washington Mystics with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Fowles closed out her week with a big win (74-73) over the third-place New York Liberty with 17 points, 14 rebounds and tied her week’s best with 4 blocks.

The Player of the Week award is the third of the year for Fowles and the fifth of her career.

Congrats (again!), Big Syl! Much deserved!

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Oh, and while we’re talking about Big Syl and Seimone Augustus, in case you missed it, let me link to this cool video with former LSU‘ers Augustus, Fowles and Coach Chatman on The Sports Brain blog as they talk about their time at LSU. Watch below…

~ Chicago Sky Hoops ~

Haha...this pic is awesome!

I know what you’re thinking…and I don’t care. On this blog we celebrate 2-game winning streaks like we just won the freakin’ championship, ok? ok! Woo hoo!!! LoL

Actually, I only have two things to say about this game…

#1 —- Canty. Thorn. Young. Snow. Fowles. Even though they’re 2-0, I still HATE this starting lineup. But if they keep winning, I can deal with it . In Pokey We Trust, right?

#2 —- That Big Syl block on Essence Carson in the 4th quarter was the absolute greatest play I’ve seen all season. Un. Freakin’. Real. It was the “Play of the Day” on WNBA.com. Check it out here. The video actually doesn’t do it justice. Watching her chase down Carson in the open court and then time her jump perfectly to make a clean block and pin the ball against the backboard was spectacular. Absolutely breathtaking.

Also, here’s a video of Big Syl talking to the Gametime Crew on NBATV after the game.

________________________________________________________

Some articles…

* A R T I C L E * Prince lifts Chicago Sky to victory with late 3-pointer (Daily Herald)

“It feels good,” said Sky center Sylvia Fowles, who tied guard Erin Thorn for team-high scoring honors with 17 points. “We’re never on this end (of a close game). This last stretch (of games) has been pretty good for us.”

Gotta disagree with Big Syl a little bit on this one. Sky have been better at winning close game this year than they have in their previous 5 years. This year we’re actually pretty decent at winning close games…at home.

* A R T I C L E * Prince’s late 3 lifts Sky past Liberty (Chicago Tribune)

“These are playoff-type games for everybody right now, nothing’s locked up,” Sky guard Erin Thorn said. “It’s definitely a confidence booster, (but) with five games left we’ve got to win them all.”

* A R T I C L E * Sky live to play another game after defeating Liberty (Examiner.com)

“I don’t know what I’d do without these girls”, said Fowles. They stayed positive the whole time, even though we got down by one point (close to the end). They just kept pushing each other and pushing me. Telling me to keep going.”  

Sky have another big game against the Liberty in New Jersey on Tuesday. Watch it on Live Access, ok? ok!

Go Sky!

~ Chicago Sky Hoops ~

The blog is going ORANGE today to show support for Coach Pat Summitt and her battle with early-onset dementia. Let’s go..

Shay Murphy was on the bench in street clothes with a sky blue cast on her left hand/wrist. Not sure what the injury is. Some places have it listed as a sprained thumb, others as a sprained wrist. Do they really put a hard cast on sprains though? As far as I can tell, no one has said how long she’ll be out. According to my sources (aka…other Sky fans lol), Shay hurt her hand/thumb/wrist at the end of the game vs. Atlanta last Tuesday. Hopefully we get more info on this. Hoping Shay has a speedy recovery!

Next, lets talk about the new starting lineup that Coach Pokey unveiled for this game. Erin Thorn and Dominique Canty started in place of Salt & Pepper (aka Piph and Sloot). Yes, the Sky came out to a BLAAAAAAZIN’ hot start with this lineup, but umm, it was against the Mystics. I’m NOT gonna call this starting lineup a success just because they were able to crush the eastern-conference cellar dwellers.

Quite frankly, I hated this starting lineup. HATED IT! I understand what Pokey is trying to do. She’s trying to send a message to the younguns that their place in the lineup in not guaranteed. Just because they were all-stars this season doesn’t mean that they are entitled to a starting spot. Ok, got it. Message sent. Can Salt & Pepper get their spots back now for these important games against New York?

Don’t get me wrong, Canty and Thorn played well. I’m not hating. I absolutely luv them both. But here’s the thing…Canty makes just as many mistakes as Sloot. If anything, they both bring about the same amount of game and production to the table (..perhaps in different ways though). With that understanding, it’s CLEARLY more important to develop Sloot just because of where both of them are in their careers. Sure, the rook has to earn her spot and sometimes “tough love” is necessary, but I’m just hoping that this decision was based off of sending the rook a message and not as a permanent (…or even semi-permanent) move.

Thorn starting over Prince for anything other than to hopefully light a fire under Piph is ridiculous. I love ET, but this is NO CONTEST…offensively or defensively.

Some individual player breakdowns…

Soooo, what has gotten into Cat Kraayeveld these last few games? …she’s been BALLIN’! Knocking down threes, getting blocks/steals/deflections. I’m luvin’ the way she has raised her game. It’s so important to have someone out there who can consistently knock down the long ball just to spread the floor and keep the defenses honest. After becoming an afterthought for a few games after being replaced by TYoung in the starting lineup, Cat has found her groove again. So happy to see this!

Big Syl picked up 3 quick fouls in the first half and therefore was relegated to the bench for a majority of the first 20 mins of play. However, in the 2nd half she came out aggressive and gave us some good points in the paint and hit some nice jumpers.

Due to Syl’s foul trouble, Carolyn Swords got extended minutes in the first half. The rook continues to impress. She was able to hold her own out there against the Mystics’ veteran bigs. The only thing is, she’s gotta be more prepared to receive the ball on offense. She’s really good at setting the screen and then rolling to the basket. She gets really good positioning on the pick ‘n roll. Problem is, Canty sent a few really nice passes to her off the pick ‘n roll and she fumbled them away. She was wide open. Coulda had several easy layups. It was like she was surprised that someone actually passed her the ball! LoL Good overall game from Swords though. She continues to get better and better.

TYoung…another game, another all-around solid performance. TYoung started this game hot and was the reason the Sky got off to such a fast start.

For the second half of this game, I sat in some really great seats right behind the Sky bench. I was as entertained watching Pokey’s coaching as I was with the action on the court. I mean, for real…Pokey is hilarious! She gets so angry, frustrated and fired up during the game. It’s great! She outwardly reflects what I’m feeling on the inside with regards to this team. When the Sky blew their lead and the Mystics tied it up in the 3rd, she called a timeout and threw her clipboard on the ground and stared down the team. Freakin’ hilarious! I need to re-acquaint myself with my seats behind the Sky bench just so I can watch Pokey coach!

Piph found her offense again! Yay! I feel like I haven’t seen the real Epiphanny Prince hoopin’ for a few games now. Maybe the reduction in her offensive production really was because Shay was taking all of her shots. Now that Shay is out, Piph starts scoring again. Hmmm…

Sloooooot! Solid game off the bench for the rook.

I got nuthin’ to say about the Washington Mystics. This team is hella boring without Alana Beard and Monique Curry.

___________________________________________________

Some articles from around the web…

* A R T I C L E * Sky top Mystics 80-67 (Chicago Tribune)

“In the second half I knew we had to pick it up and continuing playing as a team,” Fowles said. “They were already out there doing some good things and (I just) tried to keep the tone and the pace going.”

* A R T I C L E * Sky hit the ground running against Mystics (Examiner.com)

Coach Pokey talks about the lineup change…

“I think it alleviates pressure, said Chatman. With Sloot and with Piph, I think their intentions are good, they’ve just struggled a little bit. It (coming off the bench) gives them a little time to exhale.”

If you say so, Coach. I’m gonna have to take your word on this one cuz I have no idea. Regarding Piph specifically, Pokey said…

“I think it gave her (Prince) a chance to relax and see the game, and then go out there and do things. And it could have been (motivation), I would think so. She’s a competitive player. But it wasn’t a tactic. Wasn’t to “shake it up”. It’s just what was necessary and needed at that point.”

So, officially, Pokey is saying that with regards to Prince, the demotion was NOT to send a message or just to shake things up. She did it because she legitimately thinks that Piph will perform better off the bench because it gives her time to settle in and relax. I would say that Pokey makes it seem as if the change will be a long-term thing with that statement, but then she goes on to say…“ It’s just what was necessary and needed at that point.” That sounds temporary or like a one time thing. Honestly, who knows what will happen. We’ll just have to wait and see..

* A R T I C L E * Glaring Pokey Chatman makes her point to Sky (Daily Herald)

This article talks about what I was saying about Pokey’s intensity and all-around bench demeanor above…

Sky coach Pokey Chatman called a timeout, threw her clipboard at the bench and just stood there glaring at her players, barely spending any of the timeout actually talking…

“Sometimes she just needs to give us that look and we know,” Sky forward Tamera Young was able to say with a smile after the big win. “We knew we had to straighten it up real quick.

It was a great moment that I was happy I got to witness it up close. Pokey is awesome on the sidelines. But seriously, I don’t think the Sky’s turnaround was completely due to Pokey’s antics, per se. A big factor was that, following this “incident” she took Thorn, Canty and Snow out of the game and put in Sloot, Prince and Cat. That’s what caused the big turnaround.

* A R T I C L E * Prince, Fowles lead Sky to 80-67 win over Mystics (Daily Herald)

Up next: Home and home series against the New York Liberty. Ugh.

~ Chicago Sky Hoops ~

_______________________________________________________________

Meet guest blogger & Skyrider, Tonette!

First and foremost let me say how excited I am to be writing this piece for a fellow WNBA lover. There aren’t many real fans anymore and I have to give props whenever they are do.

I have loved this league since day one and distinctly remember sitting in my living room as a — year old girl thinking how cool is this. The WNBA changed my life that day. Every single game that season I watched and if I was at work during a game I had my mom recording it on VHS. Y’all remember VHS right? Anyway. I couldn’t get enough of this thing called WNBA.

Fast forward to 2006 and the city of Chicago. There was going to be a WNBA team right in my back yard and here I am now living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Thankfully there were some preseason games in Milwaukee that I attended. I remember going to my first Chicago Sky basketball game. I had convince some of my sorority sisters and some other friends to go to the game with me. We rolled to the game 10 deep I do believe. The Sky were facing the Monarchs that night and unfortunately we lost but that was okay in my eyes. I had just attended my first WNBA game. The league that I grew up watching was now being played in my backyard. I believe I went to 1 more Sky game that year and that was against the LA Sparks. For those who don’t know Lisa Lesile was the player that I was the a huge fan of and I still am today. So going to that game was a must. As the years went by I attended a few games here or there but because I was living else where I didn’t have the time or opportunity for more. The Sky didn’t have the best record but for me I never went to a game because of a winning record. Matter of fact I never liked the WNBA because of anyone’s winning record. I simply love the WNBA and what it stands for. I respect those women who sacrifice so much just to play the game they love. Not only that but to put as much wear and tear on their bodies as these women do is commendable. At the end of the day I just want to see these ladies compete at the highest level and for 15 seasons I have not been disappointed. Not many people know this but once the WNBA started doing the draft on TV I always take that day off work just so I can watch it. Sounds silly to most but for me it makes perfect sense.

Christmas 2009, my Christmas list looked like this: WNBA tickets, WNBA ticket, WNBA tickets. Yup you guessed it, I got WNBA tickets. The 2010 WNBA was pretty great simply because I was back in the Chicago area and had more opportunity to go see some games. I believe I attended 5 or 6 games that year but I knew I needed more. The 2011 season rolls around and I am blessed with SEASON TICKETS (thanks cousin). Imagine my excitement. Not only do I get to go to all the home games but I get to go to any special events that may be happening. I thought I ended the 2010 season on a high note but this 2011 season is by far the best thing that has happened to me. I could go all day talking about all the perks or opportunities I have gotten to interact with players (awesome) but I’ll focus on 2 events…

Me & TYoung @ Buffalo Wild Wings

Event 1: Get Served by the Sky which happened back in May at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was a fund-raiser for the American Diabetes Society and I dragged my cousin along with me. I had sent a tweet to my favorite Sky player Tamera Young that I was going to the event and I wanted to sit in her section. When I got there I saw players everywhere and the Sky colors all around. The Hostess walked us to our table and holy cow I was walking towards T. Young, my favorite player lol. She sees me and says “you’re late” which I was but how cool was that? Anyway all the players and coaches were there mingling with the crowd. They were selling raffle tickets to win Sky prizes. Many of the player come by our table took pictures with us and chatted, even Coach Pokey sat down at our table. It was really nice to see them having a good time with their fans. I took lots of pictures that night and won a couple raffle prizes (court side seats and autograph T shirt). The place was busy the whole time we were there and everyone seemed to have a good time. I know for certain this fan enjoyed herself.

Me & Piph @ Buffalo Wild Wings

Courtside tix won in the raffle!

Event 2: The Skyriders bowling party. I feel that bowling is that sport where it doesn’t matter how good you are it, it just matters that you have fun. When I arrived there was already a good amount of Season Ticket Holders there and after I signed in and picked my bowling lane I went around to pick up my shirt. The players, coaches, Sky staff and interns were spread around the place talking an taking pictures. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. I spoke with some players as I was making my way to the area where we pick up our shirts and I spotted Young and Prince aka Pinky and The Brain. I had not tweeted to say I was going to this event and Young made sure to tell me that . That night each player was randomly assigned a bowling lane and we got to bowl with them. I got to bowl with CVS (Courtney VanderSloot) and 2 other season ticket holders. It was a fun time and Courtney beat us all scoring 144 that game I came in 2nd scoring 122. We were allowed to just walk freely around the bowling alley and mingle with folks. I got to see the 2 ladies I sit next to at every game there and that was nice seeing them. I talked to Coach Pokey for a bit and she is so nice and down to Earth. The Sky had given us this 8×10 autograph card that had a pic of each player and a space for her to sign. People had brought in other Sky stuff to get signed and the players just walked around with their sharpies signing away. There was music food and drinks. The players joked around with fans and each other. Overall the bowling event was a success. A lot of STH showed up along with some guests. A funny moment was when someone (Sky staff) got on the PA system and announced that Pokey was giving away her dog. It was just a joke but it got the crowd talking and laughing. There was a silent auction going on as well during the event. It was a nice event and I am so glad I got to experience it.

Being a first year season ticket holder has been so amazing. My memory book is filled with so many moments that I will carry for the rest of my life. As the Sky look to close the season out in these last 8 games I am wishing them nothing but the best. Fight Focus Finish for 40, Ladies.

Win or lose I am a fan for life!

~ Tonette (@TIngram) ~

* A R T I C L E * Change is a constant for former Neuqua star Wisdom-Hylton…

For the 2nd time this season, Sylvia Fowles was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week!

From ChicagoSky.net…

Sky center Sylvia Fowles was today named the WNBA’s Eastern Conference Player of the Week for regular season games played Monday, August 8 through Sunday, August 14.

Fowles’s 13.7 rebounds per game led the league by a wide margin (4.4 more than second-ranked Rebekkah Brunson of Minnesota) and her 25.0 points per game ranked second in the league behind only the 26.5 points per game of Indiana’s Tamika Catchings. The Louisiana State University product also led the league in minutes played per game (37.0) and ranked second in shooting percentage (.659 on 29-of-44 from the field).

Fowles, who registered three consecutive double-doubles, began the week with a 19-point, 11-rebound effort against the division rival Connecticut Sun and fellow center and league MVP candidate Tina Charles. The fourth-year pro then recorded 28 points and 13 boards in a 79-76 loss to the Minnesota Lynx. She closed out the week with another 28-point performance and a season-high 17 rebounds in an 85-73 win over the San Antonio Silver Stars.

For the year, Fowles leads the WNBA in both field goal percentage (.584 on 192 of 329 from the field) and blocks per game (2.08), and ranks second in scoring per game (20.1), rebounds per game (10.0) and minutes played per game (34.8). She is currently on pace to become only the second player in the history of the WNBA to average 20+ points per game and 10+ rebounds per game.

The Player of the Week award is the second of the year for Fowles and the fourth of her career.

Congrats, Big Syl!

Not only did Big Syl absolutely kill it this week in rebounding and scoring, but she also led the league minutes per game (37 mins) and was 2nd in shooting percentage (66%)

On the year, Big Syl leads the WNBA is FG% (58%) and BPG (2.08). She is 2nd in PPG (20.1), RPG (10.0) and MPG (34.8). Wow.

* A R T I C L E * Sky’s Fowles reaps another WNBA honor (via Chicago Tribune)

Also, Fowles also remains #2 behind Tina Charles in the latest “Race to the MVP” standings…

After back-to-back MONSTER games this week, lets hope Big Syl keeps rollin’…

~ Chicago Sky Hoops ~

Clearly I was wrong.

I was expecting the Sky to win this game.

No, not because I’m delusional.

The Sky have a tendency to step-up, focus and beat top teams when it’s least expected. Earlier this week the Sky did just against the East-leading Indiana Fever. After losing 4 of their previous 5 games to lesser opponents, the Sky came out and unexpectedly dismantled and manhandled their Indy rivals. Also, last season, at a time when the Sky were struggling to beat everyone, they crushed the league-leading (…and previously undefeated on the road) Seattle Storm at All-State. I was hoping for a similar result against the Minny Lynx.

Although the Sky kept it interesting and had a couple opportunities down the stretch to get the dub (…or at least send the game into overtime), they ultimately came up short.

This game was a little odd because I’m not used to seeing the Sky start hot. The Sky came out the gates BLAAAAAZING at the beginning of the game and also after halftime. That’s unusual for them. Usually we start slowly then fight our way back into games from there. It was really nice to see the Sky get a fast start, especially against Minny’s ridiculous all-star starting line-up. The real problem was Minny’s bench. Our bench could not contain their bench. It’s crazy how deep the Lynx bench is. I mean, there’s something really not fair about players as talented as Charde Houston and Alexis Hornbuckle being at the end of your bench and getting DNP-CD’s. I mean, honestly, either one could potentially START for THIS Chicago Sky (…ok, maybe not, but you get my point).

The crowd at the game was great…very loud and energetic. There was a very large group of Lynx fans in attendance. I think they all made the road trip to Chicago together, perhaps. That seems like a really good idea. It would be cool if Sky fans could organize a road trip to Minny or Indy or something so that we could also see our team away from Allstate (…and they could definitely use our support on the road). Back in the day before the the Sky existed, I saw a lot of WNBA games at Conseco in Indy and MCI Center in DC, but it would be cool to visit other arenas to see how their in-game experiences differ from the Sky. I’m especially curious after a visiting Mercury fan from Phoenix (s/o to @Huskie78! Holla!) said that the Sky’s in-game entertainment was better than that of Phoenix. Word?!? We’re better at something than the Phoenix Mercury? Haha, nice

Anyway, there was also a group of fans from Detroit wearing their Shock gear. I hope they didn’t drive all the way from the motor city to watch Hornbuckle sit on the bench the entire game. Maybe they were there to see Coach Reeve who coached the Shock for several years. I dunno, but its nice to see these fans traveling to support their team.

Alright, back to the game action…

I’m going to be completely honest for a second here: I don’t give Sylvia Fowles enough props on this blog. The main reason is because…I’m not a fan. For some reason, I’m just not a Sylvia Fowles fan. AT ALL. Yeah, I know, that’s a crazy thing for a Sky fan to say (…please don’t revoke my Sky Riders membership!). I dunno what it is. It probably has to do with lingering Canidce Dupree animosity or something (..sorry, I got CD4 on my mind right now for a couple reasons). But whatever. The only reason I bring this up is because I want to genuinely give Big Syl props on an amazing game tonight. This was probably the best offensive game I have ever seen out of Big Syl. Her moves around the basket were unreal. To be honest, these were the same moves she has been ATTEMPTING to do all season. But tonight, she actually focused, stayed under control and executed them to perfection. Instead of looking all “out of control” like she usually does when she attempts some of these ridiculously athletic post moves, she was more deliberate and under control with her movements…and she hit EVERY SINGLE SHOT. The box score says she missed 2 shots last night (11-13 FG). I remember that one of those was a desperation 15-footer from the top of the key as the shot-clock was about to run out so that really doesn’t count. I should also point out that Big Syl went 6-6 from the charity stripe…but to be real, her free throws have been on lock all season. Also add 13 rebounds and 2 blocks. Not to mention, she wasn’t going against slouches in the post…all-star Rebekkah Brunson and saavy vet Taj McWilliams-Franklin. Nice game, Big Syl.

I think we lost this game because we needed about FOUR Tamera Young’s out there and we only have ONE. I mean, seriously, TYoung was all over the place trying to guard everybody. Coach Pokey kept swicthing Young’s defensive assignment to whoever was hot at the time. Candice freakin’ Wiggins kept draining 3′s in our grill because TYoung was on the bench getting a breather or in foul trouble. But seriously, this Lynx team has Maya Moore, Seimone Augustus, Candice Wiggins, Lindsey Whalen and Monica Wright…all of whom are prime candidates to be defended and shut down by TYoung. As amazing as she is, TYoung can’t play perimeter D on all these players all by herself. Others needed others to step up but no one really did. Oh, and on top of all that, TYoung managed to pour in 16 points on 7-13 shooting. MVP of the Sky. MIP of the League.

This has been two solid games in a row now for Cat Kraayeveld while coming off the bench and playing limited minutes. She played wonderful defense on some of the Lynx bigs down the stretch and had a magnificent block and a timely steal. Too bad her 3-ball wasn’t falling like last game though because she had a couple good looks.

Sloot had a pretty good game today. I thought she played good D on Whalen and had some nice assists (…while keeping the turnovers low). She also got the the rim a few times and hit some shots. The thing that reeeeally frustrated me was that Coach Pokey took Sloot out the game like halfway thru the 1st quarter and replaced her with Canty. I didn’t understand why coach did that. Yes, when Sloot is struggling it makes sense to switch it up. But the rook was rollin’ and the offense was flowing. Unless Sloot was tired or something, there was no reason for that substitution and it absolutely killed momentum.

I love Canty and all, but EVERY SINGLE TIME she drives to the bucket, she gets blocked. Like, blocked really bad. As in, the ball is barely able to get out of her hands. It’s probably time to make an adjustment so that doesn’t happen every single time. Maybe shoot the jumper or pass or something…but the drives to the basket ain’t working yo.

Yooooo, where’s the Epiphanny Prince scoring machine we got so accustomed to earlier in the season?!? Seems like Piph has been kinda quiet the last few games. Maybe she just spoiled us with her dominance earlier in the season because it’s not like she’s playing bad right now or anything. Hmmm…is Shay taking all of her shots or something?! lol Naw, but seriously, we desperately need her offense back. We can’t consistently win games without consistent perimeter scoring. Shay’s production has been nice as of late, but we need our all-star to get back in the groove and start making defenders look all foolish again.

Speaking of Shay…yup, I still love her game and energy. Just gotta stay within the offense and not try to force it too much.

Michelle Show had a pretty forgettable game tonight. I realize that Brunson is awesome (…one of my favorite players) but Snow and Syl should be able to get EVERY rebound over Brunson and Taj McW-F. For some reason it seemed like the Sky got killed on the boards.

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A little bit on some Lynx players…

In my opinion, Lindsey Whalen is the best point guard in the league. Yes, better than Sue Bird. I absolutely love watching Whalen play ball. She’s got that awesome 8-12 foot pull-up jumper and I love how she will drive the baseline and make a brilliant pass from all the way underneath the basket. She’s been doing the same thing since at least her Golden Gophers days (…and during all of her years in Connecticut), and yet, it’s still unstoppable. Brilliant.

Candice Wiggins is annoying. Like hella annoying.I hate it when annoying players light us up cuz then they get, well, more annoying.

Brunson is a beast on the glass. Luv her.

It’s almost a shame that Maya Moore is on this Lynx team. It’s overkill. They don’t really need her, per se, because there are like 10 other players on this roster that can do what Maya does. I mean, don’t get me wrong, Maya is good, but it’s impossible for her to stand out and shine on this team when you have Seimone Augustus who can do the exact same thing. Having Maya on the Lynx is a waste because she coulda been on a team that actually needs a go-to franchise player. Maya is a freakin’ role player on the Lynx. Heck, everyone on the Lynx is a damn role player. In my opinion, Whalen is the only Lynx player that can be considered a “star” because she’s the PG and has to put it all together.

Anyway, the game was entertaining and we were merely a Sloot-to-Syl-fastbreak-pass-off-the-fingertips away from possibly getting this dub.

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Some articles…

* A R T I C L E * Sky rally falls short 79-76 (via Chicago Tribune)

“What this game proved is we can do a lot going forward,” said Fowles, who closed with a game-high 28 points and 13 rebounds.

“We haven’t lost sight of (the playoffs. Coach Pokey Chatman) says we just have to take it one game at a time.”

If the Sky were the slightest bit capable of winning on the road, I would have a little more confidence in our playoff chances. Have you looked at the remainder of our schedule?!?!?!

“It was very intense,” Fowles said. “We made some mistakes that we shouldn’t have made. When it all comes down to it, we need to learn from this game and keep pushing forward.”

* A R T I C L E *  Victory eludes Sky (via Daily Herald)

“I don’t want to say that yet,” Vandersloot said about the notion that her off-of-the-fingertips pass symbolizes the bigger picture for the Sky this season. “It’s still right there for us. We just need to grab it and take it.

No, that missed pass doesn’t symbolize the bigger picture for the Sky THIS SEASON…its a metaphor that perfectly describes the entire 6 year history of this franchise. Every season we make it interesting and get close, only to come up short time and time again. With that play, my entire Sky fandom flashed before my eyes.

“I saw Syl sitting right there in the paint, right under the basket. I thought I had her. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t connect on that because I think usually we would. But I guess that’s just the way the ball bounces.”

Yeah, sucks that that one slipped away. Woulda been a nice way to tie the game.

* A R T I C L E *  Sky lose a heart-breaker to Lynx (via Examiner.com)

In previous contests, turnovers have doomed Chicago. This was not the case against Minnesota as they finished with only ten for the game. Other, little things, may have been the difference between winning and losing, as Tamera Young points out: ”I think alot of things we missed were on boxing out and they (Lynx) got second opportunities. I think that’s what killed us in the end.”

Yup. Exactly.

Sky vs. Silver Stars up next. Sunday at 2pm on NBAtv.

~ Chicago Sky Hoops ~