sxx123: der looks at the things his tea

der looks at the things his tea

7 Jun 2018 at 04:53

You saw the moment: Los Angeles had cut Minnesotas lead to two points with about 7? minutes left in Tuesdays much-anticipated matchup. Womens Penguins Jerseys . This game, which might well have been a preview of the WNBA Finals, was living up to its billing. The Sparks, who had lost just once at Staples Center all season -- to Minnesota back in June -- were one stop away from a chance to tie it up or take the lead.One stop away. Sounds so close, doesnt it? Except if the person you have to stop is Lynx center Sylvia Fowles.In a battle of the top two teams in the league, the visiting Lynx prevailed 77-74. It didnt look like it would end up that close, until a last-second scoring surge by the Sparks. That was the kind of thing that might have Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve waking up in a cold sweat reliving it, kind of like that dream where you havent been to class all semester and then have to take a final. And you say to yourself, How the heck did this happen?But that little stumble before the finish line actually didnt hurt the Lynx (25-5). They won. They have secured one of the top two seeds in the playoffs. And they know theyll be in the best-of-five semifinals.Los Angeles (24-6) is pretty close to nailing down a bye to the semifinals too. But the Sparks know that if they are to make a title run, the Lynx are probably going to be in the way. And Fowles, who was last seasons WNBA Finals MVP after a 3-2 series win over the Indiana Fever, is helping make the Lynx seem just as hard to topple this season.So back to that moment on Tuesday. With the Lynx protecting a two-point lead, Fowles got the ball at the top of the lane on a pass from Seimone Augustus. At that juncture, Fowles had 17 points, and the Sparks tried to collapse on her. Everybody on the team -- and a few of the Sparks fans, it seemed -- got between the 6-foot-6 Fowles and the basket.OK, actually, it was only three Sparks defenders who attempted to stop her. You know, just three terrific players 6-2 or taller: Candace Parker, Jantel Lavender and Nneka Ogwumike. Fowles had to turn around, put the ball on the floor, step to the basket, not lose the ball and make a shot while closely guarded.She did just that. At which point, if youre one of the Sparks, you had to say, Theres just not much we can do about that.That is usually the case with Fowles when she gets the ball where she can do damage. You cant really prevent it, no matter how good your defense. Fowles finished with a game-high 21 points on 9 of 11 shooting and added nine rebounds, three assists and three blocked shots.As great as the Lynx are collectively -- which is very, very great -- Minnesotas individual star power also displayed its wattage on Tuesday. Maya Moore -- who definitely should not be overlooked in the regular-season MVP race -- was outstanding with 20 points and seven rebounds. She followed Fowles big basket by pulling down a rebound off a missed Sparks shot, bringing the ball down the court and pulling up for a 3-pointer that swished.If that were the only one-two punch the Lynx could throw at teams, it would be devastating enough. Add in Augustus offense, Lindsay Whalens court savvy, Rebekkah Brunsons defense and rebounding, the benchs ability to give the Lynx dependable depth at every position -- and it can seem Minnesota is an insurmountable force.Yet the Sparks -- thanks in part to an unexpected but good-to-see 20 points from reserve guard Chelsea Gray -- were able to take it to the wire. Still, they and every other potential challenger to the Lynx have to look at Fowles as a particularly vexing problem.Shes a seasoned veteran and an Olympian. She has great strength, touch, footwork and resolve. And shes tough. Fowles took a fall in the opening moments of Tuesdays game that looked wincingly painful and no doubt felt a lot worse. But after a brief time on the sidelines, she was right back in the game.It was a little over a year ago that Fowles joined Minnesota after the organizations lengthy negotiations to obtain her from the Chicago Sky. Her first Lynx game, after sitting out the season to that point, was against the Sparks on July 29, 2015. She had 11 points and five rebounds that night. And while it did take some adjustments for the Lynx to fully integrate Fowles, it all worked out exactly as planned, culminating with the franchises third WNBA title.Since coming to Minnesota, Fowles has been nothing but a joy for the Lynx staff to coach, so genuine is her desire to do things just as they want them done.It seems odd to say the Lynx are back in the drivers seat in regard to the 2016 championship, because they never really seemed to be out of it. Nonetheless, it should be clear to everyone now: Minnesota is the favorite to win it all, and Fowles is a big reason why. Bryan Rust Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. Kris Letang Jersey . Pettersen, winner of last years Evian Championships, had nine birdies and three bogeys, holding off a series of challengers led by Marion Ricordeau of France. The second-ranked Norwegian made her season debut after missing the LPGA Tours opening event last month in the Bahamas because of a shoulder injury. www.penguinsjerseyscheap.com/?tag=joe-mullen-jersey . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. Match factsJuly 30-August 3, 2016 Start time 1000 local (1500 GMT)Big PictureWest Indies last beat India in Test cricket in 2002, at Sabina Park in Jamaica. They have had three close Tests since. Two of these three Tests were played in Jamaica. It is the venue that gives them the best chance to compete with India. In the last three Tests between the two sides in Kingston, only once did a team go past 300 and only one of the three Tests entered the fifth day, that too to complete formalities of three remaining wickets. Eighteen years and 15 Tests have gone since a Test was drawn of its own volition in Jamaica.Sabina Parks bowler-friendly pitch bridges the gap between the hosts attack and Indias; it also draws them out of their bunkers. On both of Indias last visits to the West Indies, only Sabina Park produced a result. The endeavour has been to stay safe at other venues, and then sneak one up on India in Kingston. This year, though, the Test side has slipped so far it registered its biggest home defeat on a fairly good batting surface in the series opener in Antigua.The plan was from the template: a track with no terrors, a side stacked up with batsmen, go to Jamaica 0-0 and then see how India fare against the seaming ball. Its a sound plan against a better team, but the problem with defensive cricket is that you have to play it excellently for long periods of time. Neither their batsmen nor their bowlers could do it for nearly long enough; not having a defensive option in Jamaica can only do them good now.Indias batsmen came through way better when they were stalled through defensive lines in Antigua. This will be a different test. While not a scary proposition, West Indies have reinforced their attack, adding Under-19 sensation Alzarri Joseph to the squad. The pitch looked neon green two mornings before the Test. India won their last two close Tests here thanks to Rahul Dravid masterclasses; if West Indies bowlers turn up, India might need something similar from their batsmen.Form guideWest Indies LDLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)India WWWDWIn the spotlightDuring the Antigua Test, Darren Bravo became only the 24th West Indies batsman to reach 3000 career runs. By the end of this series he will have played 46 Tests. Given Marlon Samuels indifferent Test career, Bravo should be considered the batting mainstay of this West Indies side. In the Antigua defeat, he happened to play two irresponsible shots: laze angled-bat pushes to short-of-a-length balls well away from his body. West Indies need much better from him.If it is going to be a green seamer at Sabina park, it might just be time to dial Ajinkya Rahane, who has been scoring tough runs for India through his career. He was one of Indias two specialist batsmen to fall to legbreak long hops in Antigua. There might not be room for such concentration breaks in Jamaica, especially if he is Indias last specialist batsman again.Team newsEven if West Indies had managed to draw Antigua through defensive tactics, it was always expected they would strengthen their attack, which had only two specialist bowlerss in Antigua. Tom Kuhnhackl Jersey. . That the ploy failed has only reinforced the need for a change in strategy. Either Miguel Cummins, who was in the squad for the first Test, or Joseph, or both, should make it to the XI. Carlos Brathwaite or Jermaine Blackwood or both could sit out. Brathwaite, though, bowled with discipline and scored a valiant half-century in the second innings.West Indies (probable): 1 Kraigg Brathwaite, 2 Rajendra Chandrika, 3 Darren Bravo, 4 Marlon Samuels, 5 Roston Chase, 6 Jermaine Blackwood/Leon Johnson/Carlos Brathwaite, 7 Shane Dowrich (wk), 8 Jason Holder (capt.), 9 Shannon Gabriel, 10 Miguel Cummins/Alzarri Joseph, 11 Devendra BishooM Vijay has been ruled out with the thumb injury he sustained when he was dismissed on the first morning of the first Test. He played no further part in the match. KL Rahul will slot into the XI in his place. A testing-looking pitch may have sown thoughts of playing an extra batsman at No. 6, but Virat Kohli indicated India would continue with their five-bowler strategy, and said a second spinner may still be required for India to take ten wickets in the second innings.India(probable): 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt.), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 R Ashwin, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 Amit Mishra, 9 Ishant Sharma, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Umesh YadavPitch and conditionsThe pitch had a healthy covering of grass on the eve of the Test match, and Virat Kohli welcomed what he referred to as a result wicket. While the fast bowlers would normally be expected to do the bulk of the bowling and take the bulk of the wickets, he felt the spinners could also come into play, particularly in the second innings, given the amount of bounce expected. A moderately heavy shower hit Kingston soon after Indias practice session had ended on Friday afternoon. Rain is forecast for all five days of the Test as well.Stats and triviaSince 2006, Sabina Park has clocked the best numbers for fast bowlers among venues that have hosted at least five Tests: best average (22.12) and best strike rate (48.8). Overall too the bowlers have registered the best average here since 2006: 24.74.Ishant Sharma averages 19.21 in the West Indies. He played a crucial role in Indias win in Kingston last time around, taking six wickets in the match.R Ashwin needs 17 wickets in next three Tests to join Clarrie Grimmett as the fastest man to 200 Test wickets, in 36 matches.QuotesIn the last Test we got starts but couldnt carry on. Both our batsmen and bowlers need to be more consistent.West Indies captain Jason Holder looks at the things his team can change for the second TestWhen you win theres not that much room for change unless the conditions are drastically different, which they are not. Theres pace and bounce here, and I think this will help the spinners in the second innings as well.India captain Virat Kohli hints strongly at playing five bowlers as in Antigua, and retaining a three-seamer/two-spinner combination Wholesale Jerseys From China NFL Jerseys Outlet Wholesale Stitched Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Black Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys From China China NFL Jerseys ' ' ' 



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