Candace Parker posts 24 pts and 11 rbs v The Phoenix Mercury

[teacherdean]

Let's face it, Kaleena can't guard a bucket of water. She plays like she is wearing cement sneakers. I just do not think she has the ability to be a complete player on both sides of the ball. Now maybe if she lost some weight she may be quick enough to play better defense. I really believe that her inability to start, because of her lack of ability to play defense, has affected her ability to be a better shooter on the pro level.

 

[Amb3096]

Let's face it, Kaleena can't guard a bucket of water. She plays like she is wearing cement sneakers. I just do not think she has the ability to be a complete player on both sides of the ball. Now maybe if she lost some weight she may be quick enough to play better defense. I really believe that her inability to start, because of her lack of ability to play defense, has affected her ability to be a better shooter on the pro level.

She used a ton of screens and benefited from double teams when she was in college. She simply cannot create her own shot when she is guarded man-to-man and the play isn't drawn up for her (and to be honest, why would they do that when they have Loyd, Stewart, Bird and Clark?). On defense, she cannot stay with opposing SG or SF. She's too short and too slow.

I don't think she's long for the WNBA unless she loses weight and learns to create her own shot. Frankly, it's embarrassing to see so many fat players in the league. Her, Shoni Schimmel and Courtney Paris simply do not pass the eyeball test for professional athletes. Paris looks like she's been working out off season at the nearest all-you-can-eat buffet, and she's a starter!

 

[Darth_Vol]

She does not seem to be making the impact in the WNBA people thought she would, which is not saying she's not a good player. Also apparently this time she will actually play in the Olympics. Has anyone else wondered the same thing? I have no idea what she can, would, could, whatever do.

I have no idea what the reasons are, but I agree she isn't having the dominant career most expected. The game has always come so easy for her, I wonder how committed she really is to being the best. She should be like Shaq in his prime, the most unguardable player in the league. Even playing with a hotdog scorer like Taurasi she should be close to a 20/10 player every season. She isn't even the best player from her draft class...

 

[DaddyChoc]

she also does not play defense. In College she was bailed out a lot by Stewart, Dolson, and Kiah Stokes who would contest/block shots when players blew by her. She doesn't have the same luxury in the women's game as most team run man to man defenses and players are less likely to leave theirs to help you with yours

:unsure:
those were her "teammates"... isnt that how its suppose to work. Do you expect if Diamond gets burned to the basket Russell would just turn the other cheek and laugh?

 

[Amb3096]

:unsure:
those were her "teammates"... isnt that how its suppose to work. Do you expect if Diamond gets burned to the basket Russell would just turn the other cheek and laugh?

Is this the week of the hyper-sensitive UConn fan or something?

But I'll play. Yes, it works that way when what the player gives up, she more than makes up for on the other end.

In the WNBA, coaches will not put up with her statue-esque defense because KML cannot produce on offense the way she could in college. She will get sent to the bench in a heartbeat after her assignee abuses her the second time if she's not raining 3s. That's why her minutes are sparse. If she was the same way in college, you think Geno would have put up with that?

Unless you think that her teammates and coaches at UConn were just soooooo gosh darn swell, and the Seattle Storm (especially that tall, red-headed rookie) are just being a mean bunch of wenches to her by not being more supportive when she gets lost of defense :sad:

 

[mlindsay]

She used a ton of screens and benefited from double teams when she was in college. She simply cannot create her own shot when she is guarded man-to-man and the play isn't drawn up for her (and to be honest, why would they do that when they have Loyd, Stewart, Bird and Clark?). On defense, she cannot stay with opposing SG or SF. She's too short and too slow.

I don't think she's long for the WNBA unless she loses weight and learns to create her own shot. Frankly, it's embarrassing to see so many fat players in the league. Her, Shoni Schimmel and Courtney Paris simply do not pass the eyeball test for professional athletes. Paris looks like she's been working out off season at the nearest all-you-can-eat buffet, and she's a starter!

I agree, but to Paris credit she is still able to get the job done she gives them pretty much a double double a game. She does look like she has gotten larger. I would love to see how dominant she could be if she lost about 75 pounds (she's clearly about 320 pounds)

 

[Amb3096]

I agree, but to Paris credit she is still able to get the job done she gives them pretty much a double double a game. She does look like she has gotten larger. I would love to see how dominant she could be if she lost about 75 pounds (she's clearly about 320 pounds)

She has gotten larger. She's huge as a house.

Her ample size hurts her on the most defense. If she wasn't inhaling rebounds, I don't know if she would be getting the same PT she's been getting. She can protect the rim, but if she's playing a post with a perimeter game or has to guard the perimeter off a screen, then she's screwed. She is slow as hell.

The fact that Amanda Zahui B. couldn't beat her out for a starting spot (or minutes at all) just shows that she may have been the absolute worst second pick draft selection in the history of the WNBA.

 

[mlindsay]

She has gotten larger. She's huge as a house.

Her ample size hurts her on the most defense. If she wasn't inhaling rebounds, I don't know if she would be getting the same PT she's been getting. She can protect the rim, but if she's playing a post with a perimeter game or has to guard the perimeter off a screen, then she's screwed. She is slow as hell.

The fact that Amanda Zahui B. couldn't beat her out for a starting spot (or minutes at all) just shows that she may have been the absolute worst second pick draft selection in the history of the WNBA.

Yup but to Zahui B.'s credit nobody has been able to remove Paris from the starting lineup lol, only one who probably could that they have on the roster/still hold the rights is Cambage and I don't think she returns to the WNBA unless she can pick the team she plays for (she wants to play in LA or with an Aussie) Phoenix is a likely destination (but Taylor is getting old) and it is no way Griner is playing on the same team as Johnson so it would need to possibly be a 3 team trade. I think Hamblin also has a chance to replace her but it will be at least a couple more seasons from now

 

[Amb3096]

Yup but to Zahui B.'s credit nobody has been able to remove Paris from the starting lineup lol, only one who probably could that they have on the roster/still hold the rights is Cambage and I don't think she returns to the WNBA unless she can pick the team she plays for (she wants to play in LA or with an Aussie) Phoenix is a likely destination (but Taylor is getting old) and it is no way Griner is playing on the same team as Johnson so it would need to possibly be a 3 team trade. I think Hamblin also has a chance to replace her but it will be at least a couple more seasons from now

If Cambage wants to play with an Aussie, then Erin Phillips is on the Dallas roster. And Dallas is a significant upgrade from Tulsa.

I just haven't been impressed with Paris. She can rebound, but that's about it. I think Dallas is more effective with Pierson at the high post and Glory at low post. Glory gives them more options on offense and defense, and she's a good rebounder as well.

 

[Volfan2012]

TV today at 3:30 between the Sparks and Minn is 1.99 to watch on the WNBA site.

 

[mlindsay]

If Cambage wants to play with an Aussie, then Erin Phillips is on the Dallas roster. And Dallas is a significant upgrade from Tulsa.

I just haven't been impressed with Paris. She can rebound, but that's about it. I think Dallas is more effective with Pierson at the high post and Glory at low post. Glory gives them more options on offense and defense, and she's a good rebounder as well.

I also thought they should try Glory at the 5 also and bring Paris off the bench but for some reason Fred Williams has always preferred a bigger 5. But I think Glory at the 5 and Pierson at the 4 makes them scary and they could compete better with Minny and LA at the 4 and 5 spot (It's crazy LA has Parker playing as their starting Center)

 

[Amb3096]

I also thought they should try Glory at the 5 also and bring Paris off the bench but for some reason Fred Williams has always preferred a bigger 5. But I think Glory at the 5 and Pierson at the 4 makes them scary and they could compete better with Minny and LA at the 4 and 5 spot (It's crazy LA has Parker playing as their starting Center)

Unfortunately, LA's two best players are natural 4's. They can bring Lavender in and move Parker to the 3, but then they sit either Alana Beard or Essence Carson...both whom have been instrumental in LA's hot start. Carson in particular has been the missing piece for LA on offense and defense.

The last couple of LA games I saw, they were using Nneka as the center on offense and defense. She was the one who was guarding Griner in the last game.

Even though Candace is not an ideal Center, she can play that position better than nearly 100% of the WNBA Centers (Griner is the one player I've seen that she cannot guard).

 

[mlindsay]

Unfortunately, LA's two best players are natural 4's. They can bring Lavender in and move Parker to the 3, but then they sit either Alana Beard or Essence Carson...both whom have been instrumental in LA's hot start. Carson in particular has been the missing piece for LA on offense and defense.

The last couple of LA games I saw, they were using Nneka as the center on offense and defense. She was the one who was guarding Griner in the last game.

Even though Candace is not an ideal Center, she can play that position better than nearly 100% of the WNBA Centers (Griner is the one player I've seen that she cannot guard).

Yup, I think if LA found a way to bring Nnedka (I know she wouldn't want to) off the bench and started Lavender and moved Tolliver to the 2 spot and bring beard off the bench and start gray at the PG, a bench of Waters, Beard, Nneka (I also think they should look into another PG) would make them even more scary and would really push them as the favorite to win it all. I think having Parker and Nneka in at the same time takes away from their respective games. But if it aint broke, don't fix it.

 

[Amb3096]

Yup, I think if LA found a way to bring Nnedka (I know she wouldn't want to) off the bench and started Lavender and moved Tolliver to the 2 spot and bring beard off the bench and start gray at the PG, a bench of Waters, Beard, Nneka (I also think they should look into another PG) would make them even more scary and would really push them as the favorite to win it all. I think having Parker and Nneka in at the same time takes away from their respective games. But if it aint broke, don't fix it.

Nneka's too good to come off the bench, though. As long as her and Parker can play at the same time and not get in each other's way, the best bet is to play them together and have them complement one another. Beard provides senior leadership and is an outstanding defender. It's hard to make a case for those two not to start, other than to shore up the 2nd unit. LA needs a bench, though. Right now, Gray and Lavender are there only top caliber bench talent, with Wauters a distant third. Dabovic (sp?) has not been good, and the rest are not worth mentioning.

I agree that they need another PG, and younger players to play behind Beard and Carson. It's a shame that Erin Phillips signed with Dallas; she would be a great bench player for LA.

 

[mlindsay]

Nneka's too good to come off the bench, though. As long as her and Parker can play at the same time and not get in each other's way, the best bet is to play them together and have them complement one another. Beard provides senior leadership and is an outstanding defender. It's hard to make a case for those two not to start, other than to shore up the 2nd unit. LA needs a bench, though. Right now, Gray and Lavender are there only top caliber bench talent, with Wauters a distant third. Dabovic (sp?) has not been good, and the rest are not worth mentioning.

I agree that they need another PG, and younger players to play behind Beard and Carson. It's a shame that Erin Phillips signed with Dallas; she would be a great bench player for LA.

I agree the scary part is they could've had Jonquel Jones as a back up Post and traded her but they also gained the Sun pick which could end up being a Top 3 Pick. If I am them I would see if the Mystics would take that pick for Ivory Latta & Kia Vaughn, Both Latta & Vaughn are currently coming off the bench in Washington and could do the same in LA (or you can start Latta and Tolliver together and play Beard on the second unit or keep things the way they are and bring Latta off the bench alongside Gray with Vaughn and Lavender also being able to play at a high level on the second unit. My only suggestion for Nneka and Beard coming off of the bench is just because LA doesn't really have as much of a bench as Minny (with Howard, Perkins, Montgomery, and McCarvelle they have 4 players coming off their bench who could possibly start for other teams in the league)! These 2 matchups with Minny and LA will be very interesting though to say the least.

 

[Amb3096]

I agree the scary part is they could've had Jonquel Jones as a back up Post and traded her but they also gained the Sun pick which could end up being a Top 3 Pick. If I am them I would see if the Mystics would take that pick for Ivory Latta & Kia Vaughn, Both Latta & Vaughn are currently coming off the bench in Washington and could do the same in LA (or you can start Latta and Tolliver together and play Beard on the second unit or keep things the way they are and bring Latta off the bench alongside Gray with Vaughn and Lavender also being able to play at a high level on the second unit. My only suggestion for Nneka and Beard coming off of the bench is just because LA doesn't really have as much of a bench as Minny (with Howard, Perkins, Montgomery, and McCarvelle they have 4 players coming off their bench who could possibly start for other teams in the league)! These 2 matchups with Minny and LA will be very interesting though to say the least.

IMO, the ideal bench player would have been a combo shooting guard/wing. Too bad they couldn't get Shekinna Stricklen from CT with the Chelsea Gray package. Stricklen would have been a better fit than having another post languishing on the bench behind Parker, Lavender and Nneka. It would be a waste of their talent.

I don't think the #3 pick will amount to much for 2017. This is going to be a weak, weak draft (assuming all of the transfers or redshirts come back for their senior year). Not a game changer in that bunch.