(Guru Calls a Quick Timeout From Philadelphia: Hi Everyone. For special comments from the Guru applauding Erin's effort the last few days, as well as past work of the entire blogging team, which attached to post referencing her move to substitute for the Guru in Phoenix, please visit our original womhoops guru site at anytime after reading Erin's coverage below. I believe if my link failed in this note, Jonathan also has a link from here to there at the "old blog" line below on the right column just above the "search" line.
-- Mel)
by Erin Semagin Damio
Phoenix and Detroit in this series have alternated wins, playing intense, physical games. Sunday, one of them will win the WNBA title.
Ford Out
Detroit will likely be without the services of All-Star forward Cheryl Ford, who was carried off the court after she went down late in the game Thursday. Ford was already rehabbing from a knee injury and Shock Coach Bill Laimbeer said he was "extremely pessimistic" about her returning.
Home Court
The Shock are excited about returning to Detroit to play for the title in front of their fans.
"That's why we played the whole season," Laimbeer said. "The regular season was a grind for us. We got through it. With the sole purpose of if we had to play a game in a series, we would play it at home. And all these series have gone to the last game in our building; they did what they had to do, now we're going home to do what we have to do."
Friends and Teammates
Phoenix player Cappie Pondexter is excited about high pressure games like Sunday's.
"It's now or never," Pondexter said. "We know that Detroit is a great team, they have great coaching staff, and it's going to be a great fight. And a great game to watch."
Pondexter's teammate Diana Taurasi agreed that Pondexter was a high pressure player.
"She's a closer," Taurasi said. "She's been doing it all year."
Said Pondexter: "I'm a winner. I love to win. And when the game's on the line, I feel like I can win every time."
Taurasi and Pondexter have been professional teammates for just two seasons, but they've been playing together in some capacity for years.
"Cappie and I have known each other for a long time," Taurasi said. "Going back to USA basketball. Going back to Rutgers and Connecticut. Where she couldn't beat us."
Taurasi said that it's much "sweeter" for the two to play on the same team, saying "it's truly been a great journey to share it with her, even last year."
Pondexter explained that they don't only connect well on the court.
"Aside from basketball, I think our friendship off the court has helped us on the court," Pondexter said. "And we have like a real love for each other. And I'm just happy that we are here together and not playing against each other."
Physicality
Detroit star Katie Smith came out to the press conference sporting a painful-looking black eye, and of course the second question she was asked was to discuss the physicality of the game and her injury. Smith shrugged the injury off.
"I don't necessarily think anything is outrageous or different," Smith said. "This is what the league is. This is what we do every day. I got hit in the eye with an off hand, and no, it is what is."
For the Record...
At the end of the first quarter, Phoenix led, 17-12. Detroit's 12 points set a new WNBA record for fewest points in a first quarter in a Finals game. Phoenix' 17 points tied the Finals record for second-fewest points in a first quarter.
Phoenix' three-point shooting began to return to their season form, as they shot 35 percent from behind the arc. Their overall field goal percentage, however, was just 38 percent.
Detroit shot an impressive 50 percent from behind the arc, though just 48.3 percent from the field. Both teams had trouble connecting on layups.
There were three technical fouls assessed in the game: one to Deanna Nolan, and a double technical on Taurasi and Plenette Pierson.
Probably the defining stats of the game were steals and turnovers. Phoenix had 11 steals and just ten turnovers, while Detroit had five steals and 18 turnovers -- including six in the last quarter.
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