WEBVTT - Home Court Doesn’t Matter with Cindy Brunson 0:00:00.520 --> 0:00:02.800 Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're pre 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.400 panicking about all the things that could happen in Game 0:00:05.440 --> 0:00:08.360 four of the WNBA Finals tonight. My heart rate is 0:00:08.560 --> 0:00:11.520 through the roof just thinking about it. On today's show, 0:00:11.520 --> 0:00:13.800 we'll be talking to Phoenix Mercury and college basketball play 0:00:13.800 --> 0:00:16.599 by play announcer Cindy Brunson about the wild finish to 0:00:16.720 --> 0:00:19.400 WNBA Finals Game three, and we'll get a grade on 0:00:19.440 --> 0:00:21.880 the twenty twenty four season down in the Valley. Plus 0:00:21.960 --> 0:00:24.800 the NWSL season is getting down to the wire, and 0:00:24.960 --> 0:00:26.720 ooh boy, did I have a night out in New 0:00:26.800 --> 0:00:29.360 York with the folks of the Women's Sports Foundation. It's 0:00:29.360 --> 0:00:40.080 all coming up right after this welcome back slices. Here's 0:00:40.080 --> 0:00:44.839 what you need to know today in WNBA News. Tonight 0:00:45.120 --> 0:00:48.120 could be it. The New York Liberty have a two 0:00:48.159 --> 0:00:50.040 to one lead in the best of five series against 0:00:50.080 --> 0:00:53.040 the Minnesota Links after pulling off a stunner in Game three. 0:00:53.120 --> 0:00:56.040 They've got a chance to win the franchise's first WNBA 0:00:56.120 --> 0:01:00.320 championship on Minnesota's home court. In case you mystic, which 0:01:00.440 --> 0:01:02.200 we're sure you didn't if you're listening to this show, 0:01:02.240 --> 0:01:05.200 but Sabrina Escue took the joy out of the gym 0:01:05.600 --> 0:01:08.040 on Wednesday night with a thirty foot game winner in 0:01:08.080 --> 0:01:10.720 the final seconds of Game three. Earlier in the day, 0:01:10.800 --> 0:01:12.840 it was announced that Unescu had been named the All 0:01:12.959 --> 0:01:16.559 WNBA Second Team. After the game, she was asked about 0:01:16.560 --> 0:01:19.880 what she considered a snub and had this to say, that. 0:01:20.040 --> 0:01:22.759 Was just a great All WNBA Second Team performance. 0:01:24.840 --> 0:01:28.360 It's just too good. Can she put together another All 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:33.240 WNBA second Team performance tonight? Will Brianna Stewart drop another 0:01:33.280 --> 0:01:36.440 thirty piece? Howell and the FISA, Collier and Company respond. 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:39.039 We'll talk about that and more with Cindy Brunson in 0:01:39.120 --> 0:01:42.800 just a couple minutes. Speaking of those All WNBA teams, 0:01:43.120 --> 0:01:45.840 League MVP Asia Wilson of the Las Vegas Aces and 0:01:45.920 --> 0:01:47.600 Defensive Player of the Year and if you Sacalier of 0:01:47.600 --> 0:01:51.320 the Links were unanimously selected to the All WNBA First Team, 0:01:51.720 --> 0:01:55.320 joining them the Liberties Brianna Stewart, the Connecticut Sons Alissa Thomas, 0:01:55.320 --> 0:01:58.639 and the Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark, who became the first 0:01:58.720 --> 0:02:01.520 rookie to make the first team team since Candice Parker 0:02:01.600 --> 0:02:04.600 in eight Always in mark a greatness when a player 0:02:04.640 --> 0:02:07.080 is mentioned in the same breath as CP three Really 0:02:07.080 --> 0:02:09.640 cool stuff for Kaitlin Clark. We'll link to that full 0:02:09.639 --> 0:02:11.920 list of first and the second team players in our 0:02:11.960 --> 0:02:14.960 show notes and the w is back on the big 0:02:15.000 --> 0:02:18.760 screen or whatever screen you're watching streaming channels. On a 0:02:18.880 --> 0:02:21.799 Radical Act, a feature documentary about a big choice made 0:02:21.800 --> 0:02:24.679 by Atlanta dream co owner Renee Montgomery, is officially out 0:02:24.720 --> 0:02:28.040 on Roku. The documentary explores Renee's journey through childhood in 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:30.720 West Virginia, her time starring as a player at yukon 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:33.440 the two WNBA championships she won as a member of 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:36.679 the Minnesota Links, and her move to the Dreams front office. 0:02:37.080 --> 0:02:40.200 It was produced by Uninterrupted and P and G Studios 0:02:40.280 --> 0:02:43.080 and directed by Emmy Award winner Sandren or A Bona. 0:02:43.600 --> 0:02:45.840 Whenever you got some downtime, be sure to check it out. 0:02:45.880 --> 0:02:47.880 We'll link to the trailer in our show notes, and 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:49.880 if you're listening, Renee, we still want to get you 0:02:49.919 --> 0:02:52.440 on the show. In the NWSL, it's the second to 0:02:52.520 --> 0:02:54.840 last week of the regular season and the playoff picture 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:58.280 is getting clearer. First, a crucial matchup between the number 0:02:58.280 --> 0:03:01.639 seven Portland Thorns and the number nine Racing Louisville FC Saturday, 0:03:01.919 --> 0:03:05.519 seven thirty pm Eastern on Ion. Portland needs a win 0:03:05.800 --> 0:03:08.240 or a draw to clinch a playoff spot, while Racing 0:03:08.240 --> 0:03:11.280 Louisville is on the brink of elimination. Right after that, 0:03:11.280 --> 0:03:13.679 the number five North Carolina Courage hit the road to 0:03:13.680 --> 0:03:17.280 play number eight BAFC at ten pm Eastern, also on Ion. 0:03:17.560 --> 0:03:19.799 The Courage are already in the playoffs, while Bay could 0:03:19.880 --> 0:03:22.560 lock up a spot if things go their way. On Sunday, 0:03:22.639 --> 0:03:25.480 Number three Gotham FC hosts the top ranked Orlando Pride 0:03:25.600 --> 0:03:28.280 in a match that could move Gotham into second place 0:03:28.320 --> 0:03:31.520 with the right result. As always, we'll link to Alison 0:03:31.520 --> 0:03:35.480 Gale's excellent playoff scenario breakdowns in our show notes. More 0:03:35.560 --> 0:03:39.320 NWSL sale news out of Southern California, The Levine Likeman 0:03:39.400 --> 0:03:42.640 Family Office has officially acquired the San Diego Wave Football 0:03:42.640 --> 0:03:46.320 Club from its last owner, Ron Burkele. Lauren Likeman will 0:03:46.320 --> 0:03:49.880 be the club's new NWSL governor, and Zachary Likeman Levine 0:03:49.880 --> 0:03:53.400 will serve as the new NWSL alternate governor. Lauren Likeman 0:03:53.440 --> 0:03:56.440 and Arthur Levine are the founders of Lavine Likeman Capital Partners, 0:03:56.480 --> 0:03:59.680 a global private equity firm. Along with this acquisition, their 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:02.240 family office is also added, investing partners from around the 0:04:02.240 --> 0:04:05.080 San Diego area to help bolster the club. In a statement, 0:04:05.160 --> 0:04:07.280 Lauren Likeman said of the move, quote, our commitment to 0:04:07.320 --> 0:04:09.680 the club will extend beyond the field as we pursue 0:04:09.680 --> 0:04:12.080 the construction of a new, state of the art training facility, 0:04:12.200 --> 0:04:15.600 while also supporting local youth development and community programs. Our 0:04:15.640 --> 0:04:18.880 mission is to create an unparalleled experience for fans, players 0:04:18.920 --> 0:04:21.880 and staff, further cementing the Wave's position as the premier 0:04:21.920 --> 0:04:24.599 women's soccer club. End quote. The owners will have to 0:04:24.640 --> 0:04:27.719 hit the ground running this offseason with two pressing matters 0:04:27.720 --> 0:04:31.320 on the docket. Find a new head coach and address 0:04:31.320 --> 0:04:34.240 the allegations against team president Jill Ellis and complaints of 0:04:34.240 --> 0:04:38.680 former staff regarding a toxic work environment. Interesting note, said 0:04:38.680 --> 0:04:41.479 Ellis in a statement about the team's sale. Quote, Arthur 0:04:41.520 --> 0:04:44.279 and Lauren have been great supporters of mine for many years. 0:04:44.480 --> 0:04:46.080 I have no doubt they will fit right in with 0:04:46.120 --> 0:04:48.600 the San Diego Wave community, and it is my pleasure 0:04:48.680 --> 0:04:52.000 to welcome them to the organization. End quote. Elsewhere in 0:04:52.000 --> 0:04:54.040 soccer news, the US women's national team has released its 0:04:54.080 --> 0:04:57.400 October training camp roster. Fresh off leading team USA to 0:04:57.400 --> 0:04:59.720 a gold medal in the Paris Olympics, Head coach Emma 0:04:59.760 --> 0:05:03.120 Hates called up six uncapped players, meaning they haven't seen 0:05:03.160 --> 0:05:05.680 any playing time for the national team yet. Three of 0:05:05.720 --> 0:05:08.159 them are making a US women's national team roster for 0:05:08.240 --> 0:05:11.040 the first time. Worth noting that the national team's collective 0:05:11.040 --> 0:05:14.400 bargaining agreement requires all Olympic players to be called up 0:05:14.440 --> 0:05:17.000 to camps ahead of victory tour games so long as 0:05:17.040 --> 0:05:20.640 they're available and uninjured, which means eighteen players who competed 0:05:20.640 --> 0:05:23.120 in Paris were automatically named to the squad. The team 0:05:23.160 --> 0:05:25.760 will host Iceland twice this month, first at Q two 0:05:25.800 --> 0:05:28.520 Stadium in Austin, Texas, on the twenty fourth, then again 0:05:28.560 --> 0:05:31.320 at Geotis Park in Nashville, Tennessee on the twenty seventh. 0:05:31.600 --> 0:05:33.960 Both Mallory Swanson and Kelly O'Hara will be honored at 0:05:33.960 --> 0:05:37.200 the Nashville match. Swanson celebration for her one hundredth cap, 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:40.159 which came during the Olympic gold medal game Loal O'Hara 0:05:40.200 --> 0:05:43.320 will get a well deserved retirement ceremony at halftime. The 0:05:43.400 --> 0:05:46.120 US women's national team will also play Argentina on October 0:05:46.120 --> 0:05:48.760 thirty at a Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky, where 0:05:48.880 --> 0:05:51.320 Rose LaVale will be honored for her one hundredth cap, 0:05:51.520 --> 0:05:53.600 which she reached back in June. We'll link to the 0:05:53.600 --> 0:05:57.000 full training camp roster in our show notes. In college volleyball, 0:05:57.040 --> 0:05:59.039 the top four teams are at action tonight, beginning at 0:05:59.120 --> 0:06:02.880 six Eastern with number two Nebraska against Michigan State. The 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:06.120 huskers only loss this season is to Southern Methodist University, 0:06:06.279 --> 0:06:09.040 and they're hoping to keep a thirteen game winning streak alive. 0:06:09.480 --> 0:06:11.880 Then at seven pm, number one ranked Pit takes on 0:06:12.040 --> 0:06:15.640 unranked Cal and number four Louisville plays wake Forest. At 0:06:15.680 --> 0:06:18.680 eight pm Eastern, Number three Penn State faces Ohio State. 0:06:19.040 --> 0:06:21.200 There are a slew of other top twenty five teams 0:06:21.200 --> 0:06:22.839 in action tonight as well, so we'll link to the 0:06:22.839 --> 0:06:26.240 full schedule of games in our show notes. In college soccer, 0:06:26.279 --> 0:06:28.280 plenty of games to keep track of tonight as well, 0:06:28.480 --> 0:06:30.960 most notably an in state showdown between number three ranked 0:06:30.960 --> 0:06:34.240 Mississippi State and Ole Miss at eight pm Eastern. We'll 0:06:34.279 --> 0:06:38.560 link to that schedule in our show notes too. All right, 0:06:38.600 --> 0:06:41.880 ceisis some more volleyball news. But this has some implications 0:06:41.880 --> 0:06:44.479 for the upcoming election. Two, we told you about the 0:06:44.520 --> 0:06:47.120 San Jose State volleyball team and how other schools have 0:06:47.200 --> 0:06:49.919 forfeited matches against them this season. The schools who have 0:06:49.960 --> 0:06:53.520 forfeited have not explicitly stated why, but the presence of 0:06:53.520 --> 0:06:56.120 a reported transgender athlete on the San Jose State team 0:06:56.200 --> 0:06:59.080 is believed to be behind the decisions. Last month, as 0:06:59.200 --> 0:07:02.839 JSU Coca captain Brooks Slusser joined a lawsuit seeking to 0:07:02.880 --> 0:07:06.400 overturn NCAA guidelines that allowed trans women to play under 0:07:06.440 --> 0:07:09.880 certain conditions. When she joined that suit, Slusser outed one 0:07:09.920 --> 0:07:12.800 of her teammates as transgender. Now, according to reporting from 0:07:12.800 --> 0:07:15.960 Marissa and Jemmy at the San Francisco Chronicle, former President 0:07:16.000 --> 0:07:19.240 Donald Trump is using the situation as political fodder in 0:07:19.280 --> 0:07:22.600 his run for president. In a match last Thursday, the 0:07:22.640 --> 0:07:25.280 outed teammate spiked a ball that hit a San Diego 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:27.200 State player and knocked her down for a moment, but 0:07:27.280 --> 0:07:30.280 she popped right back up. Trump seemed to reference the 0:07:30.320 --> 0:07:32.720 play on Wednesday during a town hall on Fox News 0:07:32.800 --> 0:07:36.520 channels The Faulkner Focus. He said, quote, I saw the slam. 0:07:36.720 --> 0:07:39.120 It was a slam. I never saw a ball hit 0:07:39.200 --> 0:07:41.920 so hard hit the girl in the head. But other people, 0:07:42.000 --> 0:07:45.120 even in volleyball, they've been permanently. I mean they've been 0:07:45.160 --> 0:07:48.240 really hurt badly, women playing men. But you don't have 0:07:48.280 --> 0:07:50.720 to do the volleyball. We stop it. We stop it. 0:07:50.840 --> 0:07:53.920 We absolutely stop it. You can't have it. End quote. 0:07:54.200 --> 0:07:57.120 This kind of exaggeration and fear mongering is common from 0:07:57.160 --> 0:08:00.920 those seeking to demonize transathletes, and usually involves a ignoring context. 0:08:00.960 --> 0:08:03.720 In this case, the player in question isn't the tallest 0:08:03.800 --> 0:08:06.560 or hardest hitting on our own team, and in volleyball, 0:08:06.680 --> 0:08:09.080 spikes and hard to return balls are not just common, 0:08:09.200 --> 0:08:12.480 they're sort of the point. San Diego State's director of 0:08:12.480 --> 0:08:15.280 athletic communications push back on Trump's remarks in a statement 0:08:15.320 --> 0:08:18.400 on Wednesday, saying, quote this did not happen. The ball 0:08:18.520 --> 0:08:21.040 hit her in the shoulder, she was uninjured and did 0:08:21.040 --> 0:08:23.200 not miss a play end quote. He also added that 0:08:23.200 --> 0:08:26.040 the school has called for corrections from media outlets. A 0:08:26.120 --> 0:08:28.880 video from the San Francisco Chronicle proves that Trump's words 0:08:28.960 --> 0:08:32.160 are inaccurate. The ball not only hit the SDSU player 0:08:32.160 --> 0:08:34.280 in the arms, the result was actually a dig that 0:08:34.320 --> 0:08:36.720 allowed the point to continue. We'll link to the video 0:08:36.760 --> 0:08:38.880 in our notes so you can watch for yourself, and 0:08:38.960 --> 0:08:41.480 again we'll keep you updated on this situation as the 0:08:41.520 --> 0:08:44.400 reporting continues. We've got to take a quick break. But 0:08:44.440 --> 0:08:46.040 first I want to remind y'all that we've got a 0:08:46.080 --> 0:08:49.520 survey we would love for you orange slices to fill out. 0:08:49.920 --> 0:08:52.000 Just visit the link in the episode notes or check 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:54.400 my Twitter at Sarah Spain where I posted the link 0:08:54.440 --> 0:08:57.199 as well. It'll take two minutes of your time, promise, 0:08:57.480 --> 0:09:00.360 and don't forget. One lucky participant will win a sports 0:09:00.480 --> 0:09:03.280 prize pack, So go fill it out. Okay when we 0:09:03.320 --> 0:09:06.000 come back, sab shot and the links on the Ropes 0:09:06.000 --> 0:09:13.800 with Cindy Brunson. Stay tuned. Joining us now the TV 0:09:13.880 --> 0:09:15.920 play by play voice for the Phoenix Murcury. You can 0:09:15.960 --> 0:09:18.959 hear calling Big Ten women's soups on Peacock Arizona Women's 0:09:18.960 --> 0:09:21.320 basketball play by play on ESPN Plus as they pivot 0:09:21.360 --> 0:09:24.440 to the Big twelve. Former longtime sports center host on ESPN, 0:09:24.559 --> 0:09:27.560 principal play by play voice for Athletes Unlimited Basketball for 0:09:27.600 --> 0:09:30.600 the last three seasons, and a proud Washington State alum. 0:09:30.840 --> 0:09:33.199 We partied on a very hot Phoenix rooftop during the 0:09:33.240 --> 0:09:37.520 All Star weekend seeking out mister's hair Bedamned, it's Cindy Brunson. 0:09:37.600 --> 0:09:38.360 What's up, Cindy? 0:09:39.400 --> 0:09:42.920 Oh, A happy slice reporting for duty here. 0:09:44.720 --> 0:09:50.080 We love a certified slice. I'm good. I'm recovering from 0:09:50.320 --> 0:09:56.280 WNBA and pre panicking about WNBA. This series has not 0:09:56.400 --> 0:09:58.760 given us a moment to take a breath, and I 0:09:58.760 --> 0:10:00.600 don't want to be prisoner of the moment here. But 0:10:00.880 --> 0:10:03.360 if we get another classic, and especially if it goes 0:10:03.400 --> 0:10:05.840 to five? Am I wrong in saying this might be 0:10:05.840 --> 0:10:07.400 one of the best series of all time. 0:10:07.240 --> 0:10:10.720 In the w OH I don't think that's an overstatement 0:10:10.920 --> 0:10:13.800 at all. I really do hope it goes to five. 0:10:13.960 --> 0:10:17.440 I know Courtney Williams was very adamant after Game two 0:10:17.559 --> 0:10:19.520 saying that the Links don't want to go back to 0:10:19.559 --> 0:10:21.440 New York. But I think all of us are hoping 0:10:21.520 --> 0:10:25.320 that that indeed happens, except for probably the Liberty. Yeah. No, 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:29.120 I think they'd be happy didn't pack enough clothes to 0:10:29.200 --> 0:10:31.480 go beyond Game four that they want to wrap this 0:10:31.600 --> 0:10:32.200 up on Friday. 0:10:33.040 --> 0:10:36.319 Okay, we got to start with Sabrina and Escut two Daggers. 0:10:36.360 --> 0:10:38.360 At the end of game three. Of course, the second 0:10:38.360 --> 0:10:40.920 one sealed the win. That thirty footer was insane. But 0:10:41.000 --> 0:10:43.880 I have to say the first three, just a couple 0:10:43.920 --> 0:10:47.520 moments before, might be the biggest energy suck I've ever 0:10:47.559 --> 0:10:50.679 heard in an arena. I've heard big shots that caused 0:10:50.679 --> 0:10:53.760 the groans and the screams and the ugh That was 0:10:53.880 --> 0:10:58.200 just silence, just everybody taking the big gasp at the 0:10:58.200 --> 0:11:01.440 same time. And then the second one that just knocked 0:11:01.440 --> 0:11:03.920 everyone out. How big of a shot was that, not 0:11:04.000 --> 0:11:06.599 just for this series, but in the history of the Liberty. 0:11:07.400 --> 0:11:10.120 It was pretty big. I would put it right behind 0:11:10.280 --> 0:11:14.360 t spoons half course shot to extend that series against 0:11:14.400 --> 0:11:19.080 the comments. Yeah, it was ginormous. But PAC twelve fans, 0:11:19.200 --> 0:11:22.560 former PAC twelve fans, and Oregon Duck fans know that 0:11:22.559 --> 0:11:26.719 that is what Sabrina does. She has been showing off 0:11:26.760 --> 0:11:30.480 the mama mentality forever. I mean, you remember she was 0:11:30.480 --> 0:11:34.080 one of the speakers at Kobe Bryant's funeral. She is 0:11:34.280 --> 0:11:37.480 built for this and we saw it all the time 0:11:37.520 --> 0:11:39.880 when she was at Oregon. That's why she walked away 0:11:39.920 --> 0:11:44.120 with twenty seven triple doubles in college. She is just 0:11:44.440 --> 0:11:47.079 that person and hand to God, Sarah and I will 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:50.040 fight people in the streets over this. If the pandemic 0:11:50.200 --> 0:11:53.920 hadn't taken over our lives and canceled the twenty twenty 0:11:54.080 --> 0:11:57.480 NCAA tournament, Oregon would have cut down the nets. They 0:11:57.520 --> 0:12:01.800 had three first round draft picks on that roster, led 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:05.480 by Sabrina. That team was built to win a championship, 0:12:05.559 --> 0:12:08.640 and this is the chip that Sabrina has been chasing 0:12:08.720 --> 0:12:11.280 ever since COVID denied her in twenty twenty. 0:12:11.720 --> 0:12:14.240 Yeah, that was heartbreaking. That was heartbreaking for Sabin for 0:12:14.320 --> 0:12:17.280 that team, and then you know the injuries early in 0:12:17.320 --> 0:12:19.840 her w season, and then you know the questions about 0:12:19.840 --> 0:12:21.920 whether she would translate her game. What we have seen 0:12:21.960 --> 0:12:26.120 from her this season, continuing to be an absolute killer 0:12:26.120 --> 0:12:28.640 from beyond the art, continuing to be an offensive threat, 0:12:28.640 --> 0:12:31.880 but defensively improving, being a point guard for a team 0:12:31.960 --> 0:12:33.960 when they needed one to step up in Courtney vander 0:12:34.000 --> 0:12:38.000 Slut's absence. This is a different Sabrina. And this feels 0:12:38.200 --> 0:12:40.680 like if the Liberty go on to win this title, 0:12:40.960 --> 0:12:43.880 you know, Johnquell and Brianna Stewart and everybody else are 0:12:43.920 --> 0:12:46.200 playing their role, but it's the difference in Sabrina's game 0:12:46.400 --> 0:12:48.040 that might just be the thing that puts them over 0:12:48.080 --> 0:12:48.400 the top. 0:12:48.840 --> 0:12:53.400 Oh, Sabrina is out in these streets proving she deserved 0:12:53.440 --> 0:12:57.600 to be first Team All WNBA, no doubt, because what 0:12:57.600 --> 0:12:59.800 did she do? She led the number one team in 0:12:59.800 --> 0:13:03.760 the league and she did it averaging fewer than three 0:13:03.840 --> 0:13:08.400 turnovers a night. She was efficient, She was effective and 0:13:08.920 --> 0:13:10.920 deserve to be on that first team. 0:13:10.960 --> 0:13:12.440 I was going to ask you about that because after 0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:15.120 the game we played the crack about that was just 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:18.240 a good second team All WNBA performance. Do you think 0:13:18.280 --> 0:13:21.000 she should have been the first teamer? 0:13:21.440 --> 0:13:24.840 Based on wins and losses? What team was at the 0:13:24.840 --> 0:13:27.439 top of the table for the majority of the season, 0:13:27.920 --> 0:13:33.840 Her New York Liberty. That matters. Winning matters, especially in 0:13:33.920 --> 0:13:34.839 the WNBA. 0:13:35.640 --> 0:13:39.040 Yeah, it's interesting obviously, Caitlin Clark a tremendous season and 0:13:39.240 --> 0:13:42.880 records talk and maybe not working with as much on 0:13:42.920 --> 0:13:44.679 a team that needs to pull itself out of the 0:13:44.800 --> 0:13:47.920 lower rung of the league. But certainly an argument there. 0:13:47.920 --> 0:13:51.280 And hey, I bet you if you asked Sabrina and 0:13:51.320 --> 0:13:53.720 the rest of the Liberty if they'd rather have her 0:13:53.760 --> 0:13:55.680 in this series with the chip on her shoulder for 0:13:55.720 --> 0:13:57.760 the last couple games and win it all or have 0:13:57.840 --> 0:14:01.160 her be first team. They would unanimously say, we'll take 0:14:01.200 --> 0:14:04.520 the championship. But they've still got to win going forward, 0:14:04.600 --> 0:14:07.160 and the way this series has gone that is not 0:14:07.240 --> 0:14:10.319 a guarantee. We saw Brianna Stewart put up an effort 0:14:10.400 --> 0:14:12.480 that helped them get that game three thirty points in 0:14:12.559 --> 0:14:16.760 all unbelievable fourth quarter. Defensively, offensively, how do you even 0:14:16.760 --> 0:14:19.280 begin to try to stop Brianna Stewart, especially the way 0:14:19.320 --> 0:14:21.240 she's playing now where they're using her a lot bringing 0:14:21.240 --> 0:14:22.000 the ball up the floor. 0:14:22.680 --> 0:14:25.520 Well, you don't stop her. You hope that you can 0:14:25.680 --> 0:14:29.520 absorb what she puts up and then limit those around her. 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:33.040 I think that that is the game plan that Minnesota 0:14:33.120 --> 0:14:37.280 has tried to use in this series. What I think 0:14:37.320 --> 0:14:40.680 they didn't expect was how much of a defensive impact 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:44.000 Stewie would end up having. She had seven steals a 0:14:44.160 --> 0:14:46.880 WNBA record in the game to win, and three of 0:14:46.880 --> 0:14:50.440 those steals came in the fourth quarter. In Game three 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:53.080 to take a two to one series lead, Stewie scored 0:14:53.240 --> 0:14:57.040 fourteen points in the third quarter to get her team 0:14:57.120 --> 0:15:00.480 level and then provided another eight when it was closing 0:15:00.520 --> 0:15:03.040 time in the fourth quarter to go along with half 0:15:03.080 --> 0:15:06.800 of her blocks on the night two. Stewie is etching 0:15:06.800 --> 0:15:11.360 her name on the MVP Finals trophy right now. All 0:15:11.400 --> 0:15:14.520 the Liberty have to do is help her secure that 0:15:15.040 --> 0:15:15.520 last win. 0:15:16.160 --> 0:15:19.520 Yeah, the Links had the Liberty down early. It looked 0:15:19.560 --> 0:15:22.840 like home court was absolutely the home cooking that they needed. 0:15:22.840 --> 0:15:25.560 They were forcing turnovers, they were in a rhythm offensively. 0:15:25.640 --> 0:15:28.720 Courtney Williams looked fire. Was it just the injury and 0:15:28.760 --> 0:15:30.600 the foul trouble for Alanta Smith that turned the tight 0:15:30.680 --> 0:15:31.600 or did you see something else? 0:15:31.960 --> 0:15:35.800 Alana Smith leaving the floor was devastating for Minnesota because 0:15:35.800 --> 0:15:41.640 it interrupted their defensive rotations. Minnesota has created so much 0:15:41.720 --> 0:15:46.120 havoc and for so many Liberty turnovers that they feast 0:15:46.240 --> 0:15:49.800 on their points off turnovers, averaging the double digits. In 0:15:49.880 --> 0:15:54.120 this series. It's gigantic. And with that little tick of 0:15:54.160 --> 0:15:57.720 an interruption in the rotation, that's how evenly matched these 0:15:57.760 --> 0:16:01.880 teams are. It tilted toward the Liberty. It gave Sabrina 0:16:02.000 --> 0:16:04.880 a little more room to operate in space, and it 0:16:04.960 --> 0:16:08.640 gave New York its advantage coming into this series, and 0:16:08.680 --> 0:16:12.400 that is size. John Quell Jones had five points in 0:16:12.440 --> 0:16:15.240 the fourth quarter. She went on a little five oh 0:16:15.280 --> 0:16:18.080 scoring run of her own when she said, you know what, 0:16:18.600 --> 0:16:21.240 I listened to Stewie in that huddle when she said, 0:16:21.280 --> 0:16:25.640 we are not leaping losing this game and she produced. 0:16:26.000 --> 0:16:30.760 We've been waiting for JJ to exact her force and 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:33.080 she did it in that fourth quarter. 0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:35.880 Well, and it's something we've talked about with these two teams. 0:16:35.960 --> 0:16:39.800 It has been incredible to watch Cheryl Reeve take this 0:16:39.880 --> 0:16:43.920 collection of players with only one Drew superstar in the FISA, 0:16:43.960 --> 0:16:47.240 Collier taking someone like Smith who was out of the league, 0:16:47.320 --> 0:16:49.080 thought she would stay out of the league and then 0:16:49.280 --> 0:16:51.280 got a call from James Wade, went to the Chicago 0:16:51.360 --> 0:16:53.360 Sky and then ended up on this link squad. The 0:16:53.400 --> 0:16:55.760 way shol Reef has put them together has been impressive. 0:16:56.040 --> 0:16:59.000 But with somebody from that starting lineup, when one of 0:16:59.040 --> 0:17:01.080 their big players go out and they have to start 0:17:01.080 --> 0:17:04.760 making substitutions, it's a very different game for Minnesota. On 0:17:04.840 --> 0:17:07.560 the liberty side, when you go to the bench, you're like, oh, 0:17:07.640 --> 0:17:09.720 let's bring up you know, one of the greatest facilitators 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:11.879 in the history of the game in forty Van Right, 0:17:12.080 --> 0:17:14.440 Let's swap out some of our superstars for other people 0:17:14.440 --> 0:17:17.520 who would be absolutely starters on other teams. That depth 0:17:17.560 --> 0:17:20.320 for the Liberty is a killer, So that seems like 0:17:20.359 --> 0:17:22.800 something that will be really important for the Links in 0:17:22.880 --> 0:17:25.040 game four in order to keep the series alive and 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:27.560 force in game five is to keep people out of 0:17:27.560 --> 0:17:29.960 foul trouble and be able to have their leaders lead. 0:17:30.680 --> 0:17:33.680 First of all, if you're a New York Liberty player, 0:17:34.080 --> 0:17:37.160 you need to call out screens for Leona Phoebeish oh 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:40.000 because girl is getting knock all. 0:17:41.000 --> 0:17:43.200 I literally was going to ask you going down the line, 0:17:43.200 --> 0:17:45.200 who's the top person who needs to buy our dinner? 0:17:45.359 --> 0:17:46.800 A couple of them? Do? I think it might be 0:17:46.880 --> 0:17:49.320 John Quall who's gotten the most A. 0:17:49.280 --> 0:17:52.199 Couple of dinners, for sure, But Foebish has got to 0:17:52.200 --> 0:17:56.000 stay on the floor and upright. The defensive switch to 0:17:56.040 --> 0:18:02.040 put Phoebish on McBride was brilliant because McBride struggled with 0:18:02.119 --> 0:18:05.800 that extra height. Again, the Liberty have the advantage being 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:09.040 so tall. Feavish six 's four. All of a sudden, 0:18:09.080 --> 0:18:11.840 those sightlines that were working so well for McBride and 0:18:11.880 --> 0:18:17.160 Carleton went away, and that was huge. And how about 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:21.800 Niara sobely five steady minutes Rookie came in with some 0:18:22.080 --> 0:18:24.760 energy and some oof and it just reminded me of 0:18:24.800 --> 0:18:28.040 a conversation I had with head coach Kelly Graves at 0:18:28.080 --> 0:18:31.639 Oregon who always told me keep an eye on Niara. 0:18:32.000 --> 0:18:36.000 She is just a bigger version of the unicorn that 0:18:36.080 --> 0:18:39.119 we know, as her sister saw to goes. If she 0:18:39.200 --> 0:18:44.560 can stay healthy, she is going to wreck everybody. And 0:18:44.600 --> 0:18:47.880 that I saw that on display, her effort, her energy, 0:18:48.040 --> 0:18:51.639 her fire, her want, the liberty needed that they needed 0:18:51.680 --> 0:18:54.119 to match what Courtley Williams brings to the floor, what 0:18:54.320 --> 0:18:57.199 Fee has brought to the floor. They needed to do that. 0:18:57.320 --> 0:19:00.679 You questioned their toughness muscle, you know, especially when they 0:19:00.840 --> 0:19:03.159 get up so big and lose those leads. So it 0:19:03.240 --> 0:19:06.520 was nice to see a young, young players in Foebish 0:19:06.520 --> 0:19:09.400 and Sodly bring that toughness for New York. 0:19:10.400 --> 0:19:12.360 What can the Links do? What do the Links have 0:19:12.480 --> 0:19:14.960 to do? What do you see going right for the Links? 0:19:14.960 --> 0:19:16.960 In game four? To extend the series. 0:19:17.240 --> 0:19:20.000 It's critical to know the health status of Smith. If 0:19:20.040 --> 0:19:24.439 Atlanta Smith is not healthy and can't contribute, that's devastating. 0:19:24.520 --> 0:19:27.640 But then you tap Maysha heinz Allen on the shoulder, 0:19:28.000 --> 0:19:31.240 remind her she's got a WNBA championship on her resume, 0:19:31.760 --> 0:19:34.720 and to just channel it like we need you. You're 0:19:34.760 --> 0:19:37.280 our person now and you have got to listen to 0:19:37.320 --> 0:19:39.679 the leaders on the floor of where you need to 0:19:39.720 --> 0:19:42.920 be because she's disruptive and she is a sneaky good 0:19:42.920 --> 0:19:47.119 shooter like New York was leaving her open a lot 0:19:47.200 --> 0:19:49.760 in Game three, and if they do that in Game four, 0:19:50.400 --> 0:19:51.520 m aj can make them pay. 0:19:52.920 --> 0:19:54.399 What do the Liberty need to do? What do you 0:19:54.440 --> 0:19:56.639 see happen in game four for the Liberty that helps 0:19:56.640 --> 0:19:58.240 them to win their very first title. 0:19:59.000 --> 0:20:01.679 The Liberty need to re watch Game four in the 0:20:01.720 --> 0:20:04.840 loss against the Aces last year where they were this 0:20:05.040 --> 0:20:08.440 close to extending the series and let go of the rope. 0:20:09.119 --> 0:20:13.800 They cannot do that again because Minnesota is happy to 0:20:13.880 --> 0:20:16.600 force a Game five and we saw what happened in 0:20:16.640 --> 0:20:20.560 Game one. Home court may as well not be in 0:20:20.640 --> 0:20:23.160 play now. They may as well find an empty gym 0:20:23.160 --> 0:20:26.080 somewhere and do this because home court is not helping 0:20:26.160 --> 0:20:28.880 like we normally see it, especially with the role players. 0:20:29.160 --> 0:20:32.440 That was stunning to me with Minnesota. The extra pieces 0:20:32.480 --> 0:20:35.200 that she brings off the bench in like a Natisha Heideman, 0:20:35.440 --> 0:20:37.840 just they were more effective in New York than they 0:20:37.840 --> 0:20:41.240