In four seasons from 2006 to 2009, the Shock won two championships and started Deanna Nolan and Katie Smith in their backcourt. But those blue uniforms were so boring that they were ugly.
The 2010 Shock wear a handsome yellow. But their starting guards are Shanna Crossley and Scholanda Robinson.
Sacramento never gave up on Robinson, who can be the peskiest defender, and occasionally a dramatic offensive finisher. Crossley plus a couple of Oklahoma City Thunder can win the All-Star Game shooting contest.
If you could combine Robinson and Crossley into one player, that would be a pretty good player. But even if you had two of them, you’d still prefer Nolan and Smith.
Then there’s the frontcourt, which was Ford-Cash-Riley not too long ago. Today’s starters are Braxton-Hornbuckle-Pierson, which feels like an excellent second unit behind Ford-Cash-Riley.
Sure, I’m being unfair to the 2010 team by comparing it to the 2006 champions, but the 2010 Shock aren’t close to the 2009 East finalists, either.
San Antonio won 7 games in 2005, then 13, 20, 24 before falling off to 15 in 2009, and Dan Hughes heard the window close.
If you buy into the notion that a team has to have three strong contributors to be a contender, then the Silver Stars are probably a 15-game winner again, unless Michelle Snow figures it out, or — I’m hoping for this — Jayne Appel is the rookie of the year.
The oddsmaker will favor the Shock perfunctorily, say -2. I expect the totals in Tulsa’s games to be wrong on the high side until Nolan Richardson finds the right mix. Last Saturday, I thought 166 was a joke, but Thursday’s total might be in the same neighborhood.
Yep, Shock -1.5 and a 160 total. Like I said, I think Shock games are going to hit under for a while, but the linesmaker wants us to consider Becky Hammon and Sophia Young playing at the pace Tulsa wants to push. Hammon and Young are going to make half of San Antonio’s points all year — for SA to score half of 160, then their All-Stars have to get 40.
Pick: under
I had typed Tulsa and the under, but changed my mind while I stood at the virtual sportsbook window with $5 in my hand. San Antonio might prove to be a crappy road team, but Tulsa has to show that they win at all.
