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 Verfasst am: 11.04.2018, 11:21 Titel:
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The Atlanta Dream have weathered a few things this year. Such as the realization that Shoni Schimmel, whom they drafted in 2014 and had high hopes for, just wasnt going to work out at point guard. And a six-game losing streak. And the worry that veteran post player Sancho Lyttle might be lost for the season with a foot injury.They ended up trading Shimmel to New York for a draft pick, and then shipping a pick to Indiana for Layshia Clarendon, who is having a solid season in the Dreams backcourt. Atlanta pulled out of the losing skid -- which lasted from June 18 to July 3, including four road games -- and won five of eight before the Olympic break.Lyttle suffered the injury July 15 and had to miss playing in the Olympics for Spain, which won a silver medal. At first, it appeared that Lyttle wouldnt return to the WNBA in 2016 because of what was thought to be a broken bone in her foot. Then it was revealed she had a partially torn tendon that wouldnt require surgery, and coach Michael Cooper said she is day-to-day.She has started running, Cooper said. She hasnt practiced yet, but were very encouraged by her. I couldnt give you a date [for her return], but we hope its going to be pretty soon.Getting Lyttle back in the regular season would be a huge help to the Dream, who have a very challenging closing run before the playoffs. Atlanta is 14-13 and in fourth place in the WNBA standings, as just four teams have a winning record. Realistically, New York (19- is out of reach for Atlanta to catch, but now the Dream have to be concerned about others catching them.Chicago (13-13) and Phoenix (13-14) are on the Dreams heels, with Indiana also close at 12-14. Furthermore, six of their last seven games are against Western Conference teams, including Phoenix twice, Los Angeles, and defending WNBA champion Minnesota.Cooper still sounds optimistic about the Dream securing the fourth playoff spot, which would come with a first-round bye. The lower seeds -- No. 5 vs. No. 8 and No. 6 vs. No. 7 -- will compete in single-elimination games in the new playoff format, with the winners then facing the Nos. 3 and 4 seeds in single elimination.Even if Atlanta slides into the 5-8 range, which then would require two victories before advancing to a best-of-five semifinal series, Cooper can see a bright side to that, too, saying he thinks his team plays better when it doesnt have a lot of time off between games.What wouldnt be acceptable is the Dream not making the postseason at all, which was the case last year for just the second time in franchise history. That would take a total plunge over the last two weeks, and Cooper sounds confident that isnt going to happen.While Atlanta star Angel McCoughtry was with the U.S. Olympic team, the Dream players back home went through rigorous practices. They did a lot of running and conditioning work, Cooper said, because he wants the Dream to have endurance to get through this part of the season.McCoughtry won her second Olympic gold medal and brought back that triumphant vibe from Team USA.When shes around so many great players, with her being one of them, Cooper said of McCoughtry, theres an attitude, a mentality and a focus that you have to have. Since shes been back, Ive been asking her questions on different things that they did, and the things she says are things our players need to hear. And she needs to hear it, too.The biggest thing she teaches our other players is that she knows what it takes to win at the highest level. And its not just about one player being able to do that, but all of our players. Sometimes your Olympic player can be that glue that pulls everybody together.Atlanta lost its first game after the break, 90-82 at Chicago Friday, and then beat Connecticut 87-73 in Atlanta on Sunday. Then in a quirk in the schedule, the Dream had a whole week without games -- which they didnt really need after the Olympic break -- before they play Sunday in Atlanta against 11-16 Seattle, another team trying to make a surge into the postseason.When Cooper reflects on what went wrong during the Dreams losing streak in June and early July, he acknowledges that its just part of the big highs and big lows that Atlanta seems to experience. The teams confidence sometimes can plummet.I always tell our players winning is contagious, but so is losing, Cooper said. When there were games that we thought we should have won, but we lost, we tended to drop our heads. But you have to keep competing every game.In general, Cooper has been happy with 2016 additions Clarendon and post player Elizabeth Williams, whom the Dream also obtained in a trade. Hed like to get Clarendon (11.3 PPG, 3.1 APG) more time at shooting guard to take advantage of her perimeter scoring ability, but shes certainly filled a need. Williams (12.0 PPG, 7.6 RPG) has blossomed in her second season in the league after coming from Connecticut.Cooper says Tiffany Hayes is the Dream player who most reminds him of himself in his playing days, as she always given the toughest defensive assignments. But Hayes also has proven to be a consistent offensive presence; shes averaging a career-best 14.6 PPG in her fifth season in the league.The Dream know that as the calendar turns to September, its very tough from here on out. Theyll need McCoughtry (18.4 PPG) to be her Olympian self. Theyll have to clamp down defensively, which Cooper sees as the biggest key. Theyll need a little more from their bench.They also have to remember this is a franchise that, in its relatively short history (starting in 2008), has had a lot of postseason success, including three trips to the WNBA Finals. With so much attention, understandably, on Minnesota, Los Angeles and New York this season, its still worth keeping an eye on the Dream.If we have all our players and are playing the way I know we can play, Cooper said, I still feel we can compete with anybody in the league if were healthy. Nike Air Max 270 For Sale Cheap . -- Devin Hester is done returning kicks in Chicago. Australia Air Max 270 Hot Punch Mens Black/Black-Hot Punch Cheap . Galatasaray said in a statement on its website Monday that Mancini signed a three-year contract and will be paid 3.5 million euros for the upcoming season, with his salary upped to 4. http://www.airmax270australia.com/australia-air-max-270-ultramarine-mens-white-ultramarine-solar-red-cheap.html . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. Air Max 270 For Sale . Dukurs winning time was 1 minute, 45.76 seconds, a quarter-second better than Russias Alexander Tretiakov. Lativas Tomass Dukurs was third, 1.41 seconds off the pace. Jon Montgomery of Eckville, Alta. Air Max 270 Australia . It was hard for Luck to pull off another comeback, or even get into the end zone, while standing on the sideline. Rivers threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to rookie Keenan Allen and Nick Novak kicked four field goals to give the Chargers a 19-9 victory against the Colts on Monday night. CHICAGO -- Over the course of a calendar year, Chicago Cubs starter Jake Arrieta underwent an amazing transformation. Like Nick Bottom from A Midsummer Nights Dream he enjoyed a magical night -- a series of them -- then suddenly woke in the forest, returned to the land of the mortals. Was any of it real?Admittedly, thats laying it on a bit thick. But thats what numbers like Arrieta put up can do to a sports writer. From June 4, 2015 until May 16 of this season, Arrieta went 27-2 over 33 starts with a 1.36 ERA. It was real in that it happened, and it was unreal in that it could not keep going.Since then, Arrieta has been a solid major league pitcher, going 8-7 with a 3.68 ERA. Thats good. Its fine. The ERA is about 5 percent better than the big league average over that span. It ranks 32nd amoong 79 qualifying pitchers.ddddddddddddMeanwhile, teammates Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks have left Arrieta behind in pursuit of the Cy Young Award Arrieta won last season.Arrieta takes the mound Friday against the St. Louis Cardinals. Mostly likely, hell have one more regular-season start after that but this is probably the last one played under true competitive circumstances. Manager Joe Maddon has pledged to play this weekend series straight up out of deference for the Cardinals place in the wild-card derby. After that, the Cubs player usage patterns will be more spring training-like. On top of all that, the afternoon tilt will be nationally televised on ESPN. Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys China China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Stitched Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys 2018 ' ' ' |
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