Drama Queens: The Detroit Shock (and why Cappie Pondexter is a beast)
by Matt W on Sep 14, 2007 9:49 AM CDT
18 comments
For 51 weeks of the year, this site is all Pistons. But this week, we're giving the Shock some love -- special thanks to DBB reader PistonsGirl4Life for providing the following post about last night's oh-so-close Game 4 of the WNBA Finals.
by: PistonsGirl4Life
As anyone who’s watched the Detroit Shock (apparently more than I’d have ever imagined) knows, the ladies from D-Town consistently find new ways to surprise their fans. The team is by all regards one of the most talented in the WNBA’s short history and have been so for three years now.
Coach Bill Laimbeer is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the WNBA and has been credited with teaching the Shock to play with a fire and passion that borders on otherworldly. They’ve almost single-handedly changed the way women’s basketball is played at the WNBA level. They are emotional, physically intimidating and at times downright nasty.
Unfortunately despite all these factors in their favor the Shock seem possessed of an almost split personality. For every clutch last second win on the road, there’s a 20 point blowout loss to a team who had no right beating them waiting not far behind. For every emotional trick Bill pulls from his hat, there seems to be a corresponding meltdown between coach and his players waiting just around the corner. Simply put, some nights the Shock look like the all time class of the WNBA and some nights they’re so awful you wonder how they’ve won ANY games, let alone the game you are watching.
Even inside individual games this phenomena rears its ugly head as the Shock tend to fall behind big time early and then rally late for the win. Already this post-season we’ve seen them play way down vs. a New York Liberty team that was too young to torture the Shock the way they did and then throw away a winnable game vs. Indiana before absolutely destroying the Fever in games 2-3.
On paper the Fever are the only team in the league that can match up with Detroit’s physical inside play and when Detroit won game one of the finals vs. Phoenix to take it’s winning quite easily streak to three games it was tempting to say "Season over, Detroit wins"… unless you know the Shock. I guess that’s why game two’s 20 point loss didn’t really surprise me, nor did Detroit bouncing back and taking game 3 in Phoenix by inexplicably out shooting the hottest shooting team in the league. It’s just hard to be surprised by ANYTHING with these girls anymore.
With that history in mind it should surprise no one that I was expecting a disappointing effort, a million personal fouls, at least one Bill Laimbeer having to be bleeped out on national TV while speaking to one of his OWN players moment and a 10-20 point Shock lost. Fool me seventy seven times shames on me. The Shock started the game focused and determined on defense, though their shooting was erratic. It quickly became apparent that they were already inside Phoenix’s head when the Mercury switched to a much slower half court offence, almost completely abandoning their signature run and gun style.
By halfway through the first it looked like Phoenix was the team that couldn’t control their emotions as both Taylor and Taurasi were playing almost completely out of control (as a side note, any place BUT Phoenix with the home team facing elimination and I’m absolutely certain Taurasi fouls out… she was a maniac out there most of the night, the refs just weren’t calling HALF of what she was doing and she still ended on 5). Unfortunately the Shock couldn’t take advantage because of poor shooting and a late Phoenix run and ended the first down by 5 and having scored only 12 points.
Still even at that point Detroit didn’t seemed phased, and when the Shock started making shots fall in the second Phoenix started to fall apart. Though the score said Shock 35-Mercury 33 at halftime I felt Detroit was firmly in command of the game; they were playing smarter, Phoenix was only hanging on by emotion and some amazing plays by Cappie Pondexter (this will come up later, I promise). Even the home crowd wasn’t helping; they booed Peirson when she took the floor in the first only to promptly watch her drain multiple clutch buckets. A good run to start the third looked like all it would take to shut Phoenix down and claim consecutive WNBA Championships. For once the Shock were finally putting it all together, finally winning when they were supposed to, finally proving that they are who the analysts have always said they are. Of course in the immortal words of the good Doctor…."they forgot about Dre"…err Cappie.
The first basket of the third told the story that would unfold for the rest of the night. Cappie Pondexter takes the ball inside from the half court and makes a driving lay-up more commonly seen in men’s basketball then draws a shooting foul that COULDN’T have prevented the basket. As she goes to the line and rains the FT the look in her eyes makes it abundantly clear she’s not interested in hearing Detroit sing "2 Legit Too Quit" again. When Detroit missed two lay-ups and needed two offensive rebounds and a questionable personal foul call to drain a short 3 and retake the lead I wrote "uh-oh" down in my notebook immediately. The rest of the quarter was classic Detroit Shock as the girls alternated crisp buckets/excellent defense with missed putbacks, absolutely horrible turnovers and a bewildering refusal to double Cappie Pondexter.
Astoundingly the Shock actually OUTSCORED the Mercury 25-24 in the third but the stats didn’t tell the whole story at all. Detroit had nailed a series of three’s in the middle of the quarter to shoot way ahead but both the beginning and end of the third belonged completely to the Mercury (more specifically Cappie Pondexter). At the pace the teams were playing it seemed a foregone conclusion that if Detroit didn’t find a way to stop Pondexter they were going to run out of gas first. When Phoenix came out and absolutely dominated the first four mins of the fourth quarter the game seemed pretty much over. Fool me seventy-eight times? Yes and no. Somehow Phoenix doesn’t blow the game open; a late Detroit time out and some scintillating rebounding by Ford cool the Mercury off setting up the following sequence
Detroit is up 71-70 with just under 3 to go in the 4th quarter and both offences have ground to a halt. Phoenix keeps feeding the ball to Pondexter but Detroit seems to have that figured out now and Ford is quickly stepping up to harass her whenever she makes a move to go inside. Even tiny little Deanna Nolan is getting in the act with a beautiful blindside rejection on a Cappie 15 foot jumpshot (play of the game if the driving lay-up by Pondexter to start the 3rd wasn’t). Phoenix calls a full timeout on its next possession but it doesn’t help as Pierson hits one of two from the line and then nails what looks like a back breaking 16 foot jumper to take a 4 point lead. I exclaim to anyone at the bar who will listen (mostly my friend and his girl), "that’s the dagger baby, it’s over" just in time to see Phoenix set up the half court with the ball in Pondexter’s hands again. As Detroit’s defense collapses toward her I’m almost sure this shot is going to miss…except she doesn’t shoot. Cappie’s beautiful kick out pass to Kelly Miller for a wide open 3 changed the entire game in a heartbeat.
Suddenly Detroit loses its mind; Shannon Johnson chucks up what I can only assume was a retribution trey, missing horribly. Ford pulls down the rebound but then SLAMS into someone like charging doesn’t exist. Phoenix ball and suddenly I know there’s going to be a game 5. Except Miller tried to drain another three and misses only to have you guessed it Ford come up with the ball again. Fool me seventy-nine times? No, Pierson makes the single worst pass of the game, it’s stolen and Phoenix takes a 20 second timeout to set up a 13 foot jumper by you guessed it… Cappie Pondexter.
It gets worse, Ford is DEFINITELY injured badly which doesn’t bode well for Detroit considering how many key boards she’s pulled and how important a rebound would be now. Detroit takes a 20 second after Pondexter’s jumper. Detroit’s timeout produces a pretty Nolan jumpshot but she takes it way too fast and leaves 34 seconds on the clock, more than enough time to set Cappie up for another beautiful driving lay-up. I’m pretty sure the game is over at this point until I realize that somehow Phoenix has ALSO left too much time on the clock and with Detroit using its full timeout there was 18 seconds left to steal victory. Well fool me 80 times as the Shock worked the ball around for a decent but unspectacular 12 foot jump shot by Johnson that looked good, right until it didn’t. Game over and the series heads back to Detroit.
Some thoughts about the game in general: That was one of the worst coached basketball games I’ve ever seen in my life. From poor adjustments, poor play calling and poor shot clock management it was hard to believe this was a finals game. There were several long stretches where neither team scored and yet watching the game you really couldn’t attribute it to tough defense. The Shock played tough, kept the game close and forced Phoenix out of their rhythm and still lost which has got to be slightly demoralizing.
Losing Ford is also going to hurt way more than people realize, there are virtually no other rebounders in the women’s game like her. All that having been said however the Mercury have to feel lucky to have escaped with that win and the Shock now have 3 days to figure out how to stop Cappie Pondexter from dominating them again. All in all this game was way off script for the Shock but the story is the same, finding a way to lose a close out game vs. an opponent who was ready to quit. Let’s hope history continues on Sunday and the Shock use potentially blowing their repeat chances as a motivator to play the best game of their lives…for the 20th time or so.
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I was wondering when PG4L was going to try her hand at blogging! Good work. I’ll be watching the game on Sunday for sure.
by Rob G on Sep 14, 2007 12:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Great post PG4L. I linked it up on Ballhype because I figured that site wouldn’t have so much WNBA coverage. Hype it up if you are a BallHype user.
by joejoejoe on Sep 14, 2007 12:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
nice work. so then i can expect an official game 5 blog then?
by Mr. Monday on Sep 14, 2007 12:40 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I’m expecting a game 5 liveblog that involves commentary on not only the game itself, but also PG4L’s thoughts on the commercials during the game… I’m looking for some humor PG!!! some sarcasm!
anywho
good job, I’ll watch that game on Sunday but only if it’s in HD so I can see Katie Smith’s black eye in hi def
by Boney on Sep 14, 2007 12:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
“Cappie Pondexter is a beast” ? I begged to differ. She only was able to do what she did because Ford wasn’t around. She’s not anything special in book or can evenly matches up with anyone on the Shock’s roster. Losing Ford for game 5 isn’t going to hurt the Shock as much as you think because Game 1 they didn’t have Ford either and see how well that turned out at home? The key here in game 5 is to have Kara Braxton and Katie Feenstra both on the court at the same time to have that dominant under the rim for the rebounces and easy basket from the inside. Laimbeer shouldn’t be worried about game 5 at home because historically it has been in their favor. The emotion and drive to win at home is greater than ever so winning game 5 should be a piece of cake. The Mercury only made it to the Finals because of that bastardly called by a ref at the final seconds between them and the Silver Stars. I will not give the credit where credit is due because of some lucky break.
I suspect the Shock will win game 5 by at least 10 points. Marked my words.
by Hieu on Sep 14, 2007 1:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
If PG4L is up for a Game 5 blog, I’d love to post it on DBB. This was good stuff.
by Matt Watson on Sep 14, 2007 1:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Heiu, I’m not interested in fighting and I have to do some actual work today at work, so I’m only going to say the following two things:
1) Cappie Pondexter scored 22 points last night before Ford got hurt. She scored 4 after Ford got hurt. Ford was most definately around for most of the second half when Cappie basically took over the game. Just for reference Ford was injured at roughly the 45 second mark… as in 45 seconds left… your excuse is bogus.
2) Ford had 14 rebounds last night on one leg. Your arguement that putting into two very tall players will be better than Ford is rather equivalent to saying “You should bench Ben Wallace for Darko because Darko is 3 inches taller”… ie wrong. Ford is the best rebounder in the HISTORY of the women’s game cheif.
by PistonsGirl4Life on Sep 14, 2007 2:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Guys, thanks for the love and I’m terribly flattered but I really did mean it when I said I’m not that good of a writer. The 2.5 pages article (too long as is) I submitted took me four hours and started at 6 pages before editing…
Very VERY few writers can keep an entire live game recap entertaining for very long… Simmons comes to mind. I am definately not Simmons. I’d be glad to write another article after the game was over but you all do NOT want to listen/read my random ramblings as the game is going on, it just wouldn’t be any good.
by PistonsGirl4Life on Sep 14, 2007 5:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
There’s no way out. DBB has spoken. The mob demands more PG4L. If it takes you that long to write a post, how come you’re so prolific in the comments? I think I speak for everyone when I say I very much enjoy your Shock and Pistons analysis, I look forward to your comments, and I am definitely looking forward to your next blog entry.
by Rob G on Sep 14, 2007 6:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
"PistonsGirl4Life" what are you babbling about? I’m not disputing Pondexter total points scored at the end of the night. I was just saying that her last drive hitting that jump shot was due to Ford out of the game just before it happened. Ford IS the best rebounder in the league no doubt about that but there are two other giants in the team too that are at the end of the night can combines the same amount of total rebounces to match Ford. I’m not knocking down on Ford being down for game 5. I’m just pointing out the positive things that can come out of the pivotal game 5 for the Shock to win it all. You can think Pondexter is the beast of Mercury but I just don’t see it, she’s just average in my view. I think that either Taylor or Taurassi on a good night are far too dangerous than little Pondexter.
And "bench Ben Wallace for Darko because Darko is 3 inches taller" you said? that is just out of this world analogy in a science fiction scenario where in reality I was saying that Kara Braxton and Katie Feenstra both put up strong scoring at the end of the night in Game 1 at home’s court when Ford wasn’t playing. The formula that worked in Game 1 where the Shock annihilated the Mercury most of the night just before they were able to almost caught up and still lost by 10 points. If I’m right Bill Laimbeer will uses Kara Braxton and Katie Feenstra if the Shocks are up by 3 or more to mount on the momentum of the board for more points. We know that Katie Smith and Nolan can shoot the perimeter’s shots at the three points line. If the Mercury goes for the zone early then Bill will have to uses Kara Braxton and Katie Feenstra to break inside. It is just smart thinking like in game 1.
The Shock will win the Championship and all the Mercury did last night was delaying the inevitable. I don’t foresee the Mercury in the Final next year because frankly they are not that good. The Silver Stars should have been in the Finals against the Shock because then I know the Shock is playing a worthy opponent. The Mercury is just a bunch of petty thugs that are too small thinking of big dreams.
by Hieu on Sep 14, 2007 7:08 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Your implication was the the Shock would be fine without Ford and I just don’t think thats fair. There will be a significant drop off if Ford doesn’t play in game 5 (and she won’t, Laimbs isn’t Belichek and he already said she’s probably toast).
Again though I really am kinda busy so could we just agree that the Shock are going to win game 5? The hows and whys don’t REALLY matter that much do they?
by PistonsGirl4Life on Sep 14, 2007 7:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Okay now that I’ve had a chance to actually translate that post above Hieu please allow me to say “shove off”.
1) Learn the difference between the words “the” and “a” beast. Scoring 26 points vs Shock in an elim game DEFINATELY makes someone “a beast” even if they have never done so before. The term “the” is singular and absolute NOBODY in the WNBA is good enough to be termed “The Beast” except maybe Ford. Please learn english rather than using Babblefish as a reasonable substitute.
2) You couldn’t have possibly watched the same game I did and declare Cappie Pondexter average. This wasn’t a trick play, it was a Phoenix coach DECIDING to run the entire offence through one player. Cappie Pondexter. Read his fu*king post game quotes kay? I did. Also you can’t possibly have seen a SINGLE freaking Rutgers game during their back to back final four runs when she was WITHOUT A DOUBT the most important player on the team. Pondexter is very young and very talented and barring injury will be in this league for a VERY long time.
Taurasi might be their best player but Pondexter is why Phoenix is even MAKING the trip to Detroit.
Also shove your man crush on Becky Hammond sideways up your ass. The Silver Stars were NOT the better team in that matchup and it was a bit of a suprise they kept it as close as they did.
I don’t mind back and forth debate but I’ll not be lectured like I don’t watch the WNBA by the likes of you…. I watched game 4, it doesn’t REALLY look like you did.
Done wit dis guy.
by PistonsGirl4Life on Sep 15, 2007 8:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Bargle, I hate typoing someones name… “Hammon”…
seriously though guy were do you get off making blanket statements about players WIDELY regarded as pretty damn good? Some quotes:“coach Paul Westhead decided to run the offense through Cappie Pondexter.” – Game 4 recap, Associated Press
""I’m a winner," said Pondexter, an ALL-STAR IN EACH OF HER FIRST TWO SEASONS (emphasis mine). “When the game’s on the line, I feel like I can win every time.” – Game 4 recap, Associated Press
“It was all going through Cappie’s hands,” said Westhead… We made that decision because we have great faith in her ability to take the ball hard to the basket and make something happen. She’s just a tireless player going to the rim. She’s just a tenacious player." – Game 4 recap, Associated Press
“I just love having the ball and making things happen,” she said. “And I just thank the Coach for just giving me the confidence to allow me to do that.” – Associated Press
“Last spring Pondexter turned down the chance to be the #1 the WNBA’s #1 pick….” – Elena Begeron, Espn The Magazine March 2006
“She waited only a few hours after turning 18 before getting the WNBA logo tattooed onto her right bicepts” – Elana Begeron, ESPN The Magazine March 2006
“Now with a focus reminiscent of her idol Michael Jordan’s, Cappie is the serious leader of a decidedly goofball squad… Sometimes the 2006 Big East Player of the Year has to crack the whip” – Elana Bergeron, ESPN The Magazine, March 2006
As for how good Phoenix is and wether or not they deserve to be be here well… here’s the West Finals preview at ESPN… note how absolutely NOBODY expects the Stars to win…
http://sports.espn.go.com/wnba/news/story?id=2994814
Of course you could always just look at the scores. 102-100, 98-92 Phoenix beats San Antonio 2-0. Do you really think one bad foul called won Phoenix two games? Perhaps you think the other 100 points were an accident in game one?
Then theres these quotes:
“Considering the talent level of these two teams, it seems only fitting to go the distance again.” – Voepel
It’s just fine that we’ll go back to Detroit to see what else these two teams — both worthy of being the 2007 champion — have left to show. – Voepel
And that took me a grand total of 20 mins poking around on ESPN… I’m pretty sure you could find a good deal more evidence that Cappie Pondexter is maybe just a little better than average… just maybe
Okay now really done wit dis guy, gotta crash and try to get to work early tomorrow… if I don’t get some crap done there is a reasonable chance I’ll miss the first quarter of Game 5 because of work (not funny, really not funny).
by PistonsGirl4Life on Sep 15, 2007 9:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Hahah, I accidentally deleated these quotes as well:
“I thought Cappie Pondexter made some big shots,” Detroit coach Bill Laimbeer said. “They were very well-contested. That’s what GREAT (emphasis mine) players do.”
“Fans are accustomed to Pondexter and Taurasi providing such heroics”
- Both are Voepel
“She’s a closer,” Taurasi said. “She’s been doing it all year.” – Another AP quote
Hahah, average huh? Hahahaha
by PistonsGirl4Life on Sep 15, 2007 10:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Fair enough… this is why I don’t blog, I’d spend 20 hours a day answering the least relevant points angrily.
I just don’t like it when someone starts throwing around “obvious facts” that aren’t exactly true. There are definately bigger experts on the WNBA than myself out there but come now… I know who the All Stars are, I know which teams are rolling hot and who isn’t and frankly don’t we ALL know that losing the game’s All Time Leading Rebounder for a crucial game 5 (same as 7 in the NBA) is going to hurt?
The worst part is I agree with the guy… the Shock are the better team and probably SHOULD have won game 4. There’s no reason to believe they won’t win game 5(Though it’ll be way harder without Ford, even if Detroit’s backup 5 COULD start on some other teams in the WNBA)…. however to imply it will be easy, to imply that Cappie Pondexter WASN’T a problem (by laughably saying “Ford had her handled” even though Ford WON’T PLAY GAME 5), to imply that Phoenix wasn’t the West’s best team?
Thats all pure and utter nonsense and I’m sorry if it makes me angry and my response isn’t pretty BUT….SOMEONE has to say the truth. Heiu is talking out his backside.
I’ll now commence with the “Simmering Down” as requested so long as we’re all clear on what’s the truth here.
by PistonsGirl4Life on Sep 16, 2007 12:00 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
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