7.37. That was an extension of the last post and find offense for Atlanta. Chen helps in the paint, her Mark cuts down the middle, LA rotates off the weak side, this time the help for LA comes from the top of the key, but Atlanta calmly throws it to the open player at the top for an open 3.
6.30. This time GSV does not bring help in the paint from the strong side, they sneak it over from the weak side with Billings coming in.
Coach Nakase seems to be negotiating with the players. First calls the fake handoff at the elbow, then shakes head and signals a wing pick and roll.
5.00.Fagbenle, this time fronts the post, which keeps them from entering it into the post. Nakase signals 1. Which is horns one.
4.24. More signals from the bench on the play it's a pick and roll, but anticipated by Atlanta with the near pick-two except for a great defensive play from Veronica.
3.40. Tip injured again.
3.09. GSV getting frazzled. Bad turnovers and Kate with a weird inbound turnover.
2.41. GSV going to rue getting out-toughed on defense down the stretch.
1.45. ATL makes it look easy punishing GSV’s heavy help paint scheme with two straight 3s.
ATL showing why they’re a top team. Good execution and playing well off the advantage with their bigs, Griner and Jones.
In the meantime, GSV kind of punting on re-integrating the Eurobasketeers. No Zandalasini, just a hint of Salaun, no Leite. I don’t know if that’s easing them back in or resting them after a crazy tournament and travel, but NN mainly goes with the non-Euro scrappy team.
Yeah, by 3Q she should’ve been bringing them in. They couldn’t do worse. You can’t wait ‘til conditions are perfect to bring players back into the fold. *Her substitutions weren’t doing squat.
Crunch time offense will probably remain an issue for a team built on depth rather than star power. I think when they play at home there are ways to deal with that but on the road it's probably tougher.
I’m hyper sensitive to any injury looking moment for any of my teams. Way worse when it’s no contact. I’m a worrier. And this 12 person roster doesn’t make it easier!!!!
Also. Atlanta probably hasn’t watched any Leite tape. Put her in, coach!
9.40. If you want to see what happens when show and recover defense goes wrong, ATL recovery happens way too early, and Kate Martin never stops running until she gets the open layup.
9.05. Kaitlyn Chen on track to prove everything I've ever said about her wrong, blowing by on the pick and roll and finishing over Jones in the paint?!
8.27. Kind of brutal minute for Temi. First missed the point black alley-oop layup, then looked late on the inside rotation on the postop. (not sure it was her rotation, but she would've had a better chance than Kate Martin rotating to the big). Then coughs up the ball on an awkward drive.
7.20. Burton calls the horns 1 play, same as the previous horns play I discussed. Billings misses the free-throw jumper. But gets a big and–one play.
6.10. Good counter by Atlanta. Ball enters to the post and they expect Burton to dig in to help in the paint so her mark cuts hard to the basket, gets the ball and gets free throws.
4.07. Griner keeps on getting deep position on billings and shooting over her. Atlanta also going 4 out to make it hard for anyone to help in the paint.
3.49. Burton with interesting signals. Seems to be calling an angle play, which would mean a wing pick and roll on the next play. Then Coach Nakase making some kind of play signal that looks like horns, then a twist.
The answer was that it was HORNS with a fake handoff for KT at the elbow. Foul.
3.35. Fantastic pass. KT sealed her in the paint so that only she could reach a pass over her head and Burton obliged her.
2.38. Tremendous cut by Gray. The ball enters to the post, GSV helps off the perimeter, but instead of that open player cutting, the next player over cuts.
2.25. Hayes blazes into the paint, help comes off the opposite side corner, leaving Laeticia open, but she cuts to the basket when Hayes expects her to stay in the corner and she bullets a pass way too hard for Laeticia to handle.
1.25. Amihere and an off-balance defender? Smells like a barbecue. Chaotic good.
10.00. Valkyries in drop defense Griner guarded mostly one on one in the post but Tip Hayes in from the ark, causing grinder to kick out missed three.
Atlanta court looks like it was designed by the same architect who brought you Mordor.
7.45. More GSV drop defense, daring their big to shoot.
6.50. Atlanta is guarding the pick 'n roll with drop. Also, and Hayes is happy to pull up. Sadly and illegal screen was called.
5.11. Burton calls horns looks like the horns play where you get a screen on one elbow, but then swinging back to the other elbow for a dribble handoff to the corner. But VB just fires it. 3.
4.44. Wow another three with one shoe on. This could be the next market inefficiency.
4.15. Veronica Burton calls another play (I think the same play as last play), but ends up just firing it again when they go under the screen on her. 3.
4.00. Leticia almost with a huge wide block. Almost. Then travels on the next play. Currently the uncontested goddess of chaos now that Van has been waived.
3.49. Griner posts up, Billings guards her one on one with the lurking help of Chen in the paint which makes Griner spin, baseline, and take a tough jumper which she travels on.
That was the Chaotic good of Leticia, Coast to coast rebound and the in control dump off to billings for the and-1.
2.53. Chen on an island defending Canada and she absolutely stays with her with pure feistiness. Then feeling emboldened she fires up a quick three on the other and nothing but net.
1.51. OK, maybe I'm wrong and Chen is the DPOY. Surprise full court pressure causes another turnover from Canada.
1.26. Oh my God, Laeticia just treated a decent defender Jones like a traffic cone.
1.08. Leticia almost with her second street barbecuing, but instead it was a travel. Truly, the goddess of chaos.
0.55. That was low-key a wild play. Kate Martin helps at the nail, switches on to the ball handler off the wing pick and roll, the ball handler kicks out to Martin’s previous mark except Martin anticipates it and just yoinks it out of the air.
Chen is getting good play time. I'm surprised Salaün has only played 4 min, especially with the Dream being so big.
Loved that defensive play by KM in the post! She's really impressing me with her defense, which is something I didn't quite see at first at the beginning of the season.
She’s a player who is always trying to do a lot when she has the ball, and I think her feet often move faster than her brain, if that makes sense. Just one of those situations where a young player has to learn how to calm down the process and also improve her footwork generally
@mingemi.bsky.social: [[ Natalie Nakase says Carla Leite is a game-time decision and Leite told me her “back feels great” and she’s been taking contact. ]]
Playing against the Dream will be a good test to see if small ball can beat brute force height. Brittney Griner is 6 ft 8. Hopefully, the Valks can swarm her and recover to contest 3s from Rhyne Howard. Te-Hina Paopao is also an elite 3pt shooter.
Was only able to catch flashes of the game on Saturday, but I expected us to have a tough game integrating all of our Euro players back in again since I'm sure it messes with everyone's rhythm (on top of it being a road game). I'm pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too big a beatdown though! 11 points isn't horrendous. Plus, I'm glad to see that KT was able to play. Head/neck injuries are always scary. Let's get it, Valks!
Great overview as always, but you might want to tweak that Janelle paragraph:
#13 Janelle Salaün, Fresh off an Italian League Finals MVP, she joined GSV in Game 2 and hasn’t stopped shooting since. She’s reportedly headed for Eurobasket for June so enjoy her while you can.
Q4
7.37. That was an extension of the last post and find offense for Atlanta. Chen helps in the paint, her Mark cuts down the middle, LA rotates off the weak side, this time the help for LA comes from the top of the key, but Atlanta calmly throws it to the open player at the top for an open 3.
6.30. This time GSV does not bring help in the paint from the strong side, they sneak it over from the weak side with Billings coming in.
Coach Nakase seems to be negotiating with the players. First calls the fake handoff at the elbow, then shakes head and signals a wing pick and roll.
5.00.Fagbenle, this time fronts the post, which keeps them from entering it into the post. Nakase signals 1. Which is horns one.
4.24. More signals from the bench on the play it's a pick and roll, but anticipated by Atlanta with the near pick-two except for a great defensive play from Veronica.
3.40. Tip injured again.
3.09. GSV getting frazzled. Bad turnovers and Kate with a weird inbound turnover.
2.41. GSV going to rue getting out-toughed on defense down the stretch.
1.45. ATL makes it look easy punishing GSV’s heavy help paint scheme with two straight 3s.
ATL showing why they’re a top team. Good execution and playing well off the advantage with their bigs, Griner and Jones.
In the meantime, GSV kind of punting on re-integrating the Eurobasketeers. No Zandalasini, just a hint of Salaun, no Leite. I don’t know if that’s easing them back in or resting them after a crazy tournament and travel, but NN mainly goes with the non-Euro scrappy team.
Yeah, by 3Q she should’ve been bringing them in. They couldn’t do worse. You can’t wait ‘til conditions are perfect to bring players back into the fold. *Her substitutions weren’t doing squat.
Crunch time offense will probably remain an issue for a team built on depth rather than star power. I think when they play at home there are ways to deal with that but on the road it's probably tougher.
But they can’t abandon their defense on the road, too. Seemed like they could not adjust at all, got static.
C’mon, where’s the offense since halftime?
I’m not a fan of Tip’s passes.
I’m hyper sensitive to any injury looking moment for any of my teams. Way worse when it’s no contact. I’m a worrier. And this 12 person roster doesn’t make it easier!!!!
Also. Atlanta probably hasn’t watched any Leite tape. Put her in, coach!
Chen got completely lost defensively and then missed a layup, think they take her out here
Chen out, although maybe it was her time to come out anyway.
Q3
I believe this is not only a revenge game for Monique Billings, but also for LA and (in absentia) Iliana Rupert.
OK… Tip Hayes just body slammed someone on the fast break into the stands, no call.
6.02. Can't quite hear what Veronica is yelling at the team on the play. Tip ends up taking a quick shot so we won’t know the full plan.
3.26. Atlanta going back to the feed the post and wait for the help to come offense. This time they cash in with a three.
2.55. Coach Nakase signaling slant again with her hand? That would suggest a wing pick and roll… it's the wing pick and roll.
2.25. GSV seems comfy with Chen guarding Canada. Then a good dig down double team from the blind side, but gets a tough foul.
1.40. This time Chen comes to double team, her Mark cuts, LA with an excellent rotation off the weak side, but ATL scores anyway on the OREB.
1.20. Blob (baseline out of bounds play), great rip screen by Martin for Thornton.
0.50. Great to see Kate shooting those open 3s so decisively.
Q2
9.40. If you want to see what happens when show and recover defense goes wrong, ATL recovery happens way too early, and Kate Martin never stops running until she gets the open layup.
9.05. Kaitlyn Chen on track to prove everything I've ever said about her wrong, blowing by on the pick and roll and finishing over Jones in the paint?!
8.27. Kind of brutal minute for Temi. First missed the point black alley-oop layup, then looked late on the inside rotation on the postop. (not sure it was her rotation, but she would've had a better chance than Kate Martin rotating to the big). Then coughs up the ball on an awkward drive.
7.20. Burton calls the horns 1 play, same as the previous horns play I discussed. Billings misses the free-throw jumper. But gets a big and–one play.
6.10. Good counter by Atlanta. Ball enters to the post and they expect Burton to dig in to help in the paint so her mark cuts hard to the basket, gets the ball and gets free throws.
4.07. Griner keeps on getting deep position on billings and shooting over her. Atlanta also going 4 out to make it hard for anyone to help in the paint.
3.49. Burton with interesting signals. Seems to be calling an angle play, which would mean a wing pick and roll on the next play. Then Coach Nakase making some kind of play signal that looks like horns, then a twist.
The answer was that it was HORNS with a fake handoff for KT at the elbow. Foul.
3.35. Fantastic pass. KT sealed her in the paint so that only she could reach a pass over her head and Burton obliged her.
2.38. Tremendous cut by Gray. The ball enters to the post, GSV helps off the perimeter, but instead of that open player cutting, the next player over cuts.
2.25. Hayes blazes into the paint, help comes off the opposite side corner, leaving Laeticia open, but she cuts to the basket when Hayes expects her to stay in the corner and she bullets a pass way too hard for Laeticia to handle.
1.25. Amihere and an off-balance defender? Smells like a barbecue. Chaotic good.
Fair conclusion. Valkyries up by two at the half.
Q1
Carla Leite is available tonight!
Monique Billings revenge game incoming?
10.00. Valkyries in drop defense Griner guarded mostly one on one in the post but Tip Hayes in from the ark, causing grinder to kick out missed three.
Atlanta court looks like it was designed by the same architect who brought you Mordor.
7.45. More GSV drop defense, daring their big to shoot.
6.50. Atlanta is guarding the pick 'n roll with drop. Also, and Hayes is happy to pull up. Sadly and illegal screen was called.
5.11. Burton calls horns looks like the horns play where you get a screen on one elbow, but then swinging back to the other elbow for a dribble handoff to the corner. But VB just fires it. 3.
4.44. Wow another three with one shoe on. This could be the next market inefficiency.
4.15. Veronica Burton calls another play (I think the same play as last play), but ends up just firing it again when they go under the screen on her. 3.
4.00. Leticia almost with a huge wide block. Almost. Then travels on the next play. Currently the uncontested goddess of chaos now that Van has been waived.
3.49. Griner posts up, Billings guards her one on one with the lurking help of Chen in the paint which makes Griner spin, baseline, and take a tough jumper which she travels on.
That was the Chaotic good of Leticia, Coast to coast rebound and the in control dump off to billings for the and-1.
2.53. Chen on an island defending Canada and she absolutely stays with her with pure feistiness. Then feeling emboldened she fires up a quick three on the other and nothing but net.
1.51. OK, maybe I'm wrong and Chen is the DPOY. Surprise full court pressure causes another turnover from Canada.
1.26. Oh my God, Laeticia just treated a decent defender Jones like a traffic cone.
1.08. Leticia almost with her second street barbecuing, but instead it was a travel. Truly, the goddess of chaos.
0.55. That was low-key a wild play. Kate Martin helps at the nail, switches on to the ball handler off the wing pick and roll, the ball handler kicks out to Martin’s previous mark except Martin anticipates it and just yoinks it out of the air.
Not the Mordor court! 🤣🤣🤣
Chen is getting good play time. I'm surprised Salaün has only played 4 min, especially with the Dream being so big.
Loved that defensive play by KM in the post! She's really impressing me with her defense, which is something I didn't quite see at first at the beginning of the season.
Is there some reason Amihere travels so much?
She’s a player who is always trying to do a lot when she has the ball, and I think her feet often move faster than her brain, if that makes sense. Just one of those situations where a young player has to learn how to calm down the process and also improve her footwork generally
Thanks to your educational episodes, I can understand all this. Very kind of you to do that.
awesome, that was the intended result! And hopefully you'll follow my next installment about show-and-recover gone wrong...
Good start!
✌🏽 Let's go, Valkyries! ✌🏽
FYI Leite is officially available tonight.
Woohoo! Let's go, French Flash! We missed you!
@mingemi.bsky.social: [[ Natalie Nakase says Carla Leite is a game-time decision and Leite told me her “back feels great” and she’s been taking contact. ]]
Playing against the Dream will be a good test to see if small ball can beat brute force height. Brittney Griner is 6 ft 8. Hopefully, the Valks can swarm her and recover to contest 3s from Rhyne Howard. Te-Hina Paopao is also an elite 3pt shooter.
And, I think we got the answer! Props to the Dream for understanding they had a real height advantage and capitalizing
Was only able to catch flashes of the game on Saturday, but I expected us to have a tough game integrating all of our Euro players back in again since I'm sure it messes with everyone's rhythm (on top of it being a road game). I'm pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too big a beatdown though! 11 points isn't horrendous. Plus, I'm glad to see that KT was able to play. Head/neck injuries are always scary. Let's get it, Valks!
Great overview as always, but you might want to tweak that Janelle paragraph:
#13 Janelle Salaün, Fresh off an Italian League Finals MVP, she joined GSV in Game 2 and hasn’t stopped shooting since. She’s reportedly headed for Eurobasket for June so enjoy her while you can.