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The Detroit Shock are one game away from their third WNBA Championship in five years.
Kylie Minogue's song Shocked may be appropriate for her fellow Australians on the Phoenix Mercury. It's just that in that early 90's hit from down under, she talks about love, and Penny Taylor, Belinda Snell and their American teammates on the Mercury are coping with loss, to a team called the Shock. The visiting Detroit Shock, proudly sporting the red, white and blue that is their away uniform, win on 9/11/07, 88-83 before a loud, lively, yet in the end, frustrated "X-factor" Phoenix fan core at the U.S. Airways Center. Guard Katie Smith, who fouled out with under a minute to play was the unsung hero. Despite not grabbing any rebounds, she went 4-of-7 from3-point country, finished with 22 points altogether, and contributed 3 assists and 3 steals. "Our offense really dictated our defense," says the 33 year-old Ohio State alum. "I think our patience on offense really set our tone with defense and then I think people individually locked into what we needed to do." The lead changed hands just once. Phoenix started the game with a 5-0 lead. Detroit followed with a 9-0 run, led by as many as a dozen throughout the night, and appeared to counter every Mercury basket with poise and determination. "They were hitting shots as well as us," Smith continues. "I think we did a little bit better job. I think we can do a better job of attacking and penetrating." Phoenix had plenty of opportunities to tilt the game in their favor. The 3-pointers so integral to their offensive success of the postseason weren't all there Tuesday. The entire team made only one shot more from downtown more than Smith did, as Phoenix went 5-for-31 from outside. "We missed shots," Phoenix guard/forward Diana Taurasi puts it. "Dee" matched Smith's point total of 22 and grabbed 6 boards. "When you get to the last two, three minutes it's usually the team that make the plays, makes the shots. And they did and we didn't." Equally unnerving for the women in purple, missing free throws they're so accustomed to, posting a 28-of-38 mark from the line. "I think we missed shots down the end, but we'll make them if the opportunity comes up again," says Mercury forward Penny Taylor, who finished with 16 points. "We played hard and I'm proud of the way we played." With game 3 in the books, Detroit stands one win away from snatching their third title in five seasons. Guard Deanna Nolan says getting the final win won't be easy. "It's going to be tough," Nolan says. "It's an elimination game for them. But for us we just have to stay patient like we did tonight, move the ball around, knock down open shots, and get the ball inside." Game 4 of the 2007 WNBA Finals tips off Thursday evening in Phoenix at 8:30pm EST.
The copyright of the article 2007 WNBA Finals Game 3 in Basketball is owned by Mark Fontes. Permission to republish 2007 WNBA Finals Game 3 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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