LA Sparks Basketball | Rickea & Rae Postgame Presser

Coach is a fun ass whooping questions uh coach just um maybe the the energy of the ladies started off early it wasn't really wasn't there do you think it's just kind of some Rust with with some of the Liberty players having played in the Olympics to be able to keep it going to where some of your ladies just you know haven't played a game in such long it's a good question you you'll have to ask them I mean obviously that 10 start uh got punched you know in the at first and you know we have to respond but then there was a 90 run to start the second quarter so that 10 run that 90 run to start quarters he we just didn't step back up to the first punch thrown coach would a defeat like this how much does this stay on your mind knowing that you also have to look at the next games and there's you know a lot of high competition coming up and is there any positives you take away from a game like this um the positive is we play two more games in three days so we get right back on the horse and be able to play and um you know we we've got to respond and practice tomorrow and then be ready for Chicago coach you've talked a lot this season about the need to match the physicality of of your opponents and you know this game just kind of seemed especially from the get-go um was really physical um just kind of what did you see on that end you know in terms of your response yeah you know I thought we got out physical I thought we got out toughed um and then you have a reactive approach instead of a proactive approach and it started from the tip I thought they were the aggressor I thought they were the physicality team you know you've got multiple Olympians on both teams um and how physical international basketball is but it seemed like they were much more ready for the physical game tonight than we were um from the from the jump hey coach DJ inanity TV um you talk a lot about the rebuild and the rebuild season that we're in how much of this loss can you attribute to the fact that we are playing a number one team and we are currently sitting at number 10 yeah I mean I think they showed tonight why they're in first place they could have games like this you know it's disappointing that now we played them three times and I think they have 45 three threes um a big goal tonight was to try to limit some of their threes um and you know you wouldn't have thought that that was our game plan going in so um you know just frustrating that we could not execute some of the things at halftime we didn't know if we should change our defensive approach because we felt like 20 minutes went by before we've even had a chance to get to the execution of what we were trying to accomplish so it's like do you try to go back and use the same approach uh because we never really got to it or do you just totally scrap the game plan and make adjustments and do that so um you know it's a tough night you know I I haven't been involved with that a kind of game like that in a long time and I you know I feel I feel bad for them but if they have to Rally in that type of game uh with energy and passion and desire um before X's and O's even become a factor John W Davis Southern Califor News Group I was going to ask you that how do you want your team to feel after a loss like this I think that should bother them you know like I I definitely think that on your home court uh to be embarrassed like that you know they they better they have to come back with more Pride you know that's disappointing individually for all of us players and coaches uh but also that you know this is a franchise with a rich tradition um that this doesn't happen to the Sparks on the Sparks home court and so you know like my hope is that it bothers them uh but we've got to move on you know tomorrow when we wake up this game is over um and we start to prepare for Chicago which is also one of the more physical teams in the league uh coach tonight it seemed like there were a lot of turnovers High turnovers tonight A lot of them on your um dribble handoffs on the side ball screens how much of that is the New York defense versus just miscommunication with with your players yeah I mean we had six turnovers in the second half so we obviously got better at that but um the dribble handoffs where what you're talking about the dhos was again back to the word of the night was the physicality they were so disruptive at the point of attack in in the dhos well it's everybody's approach in this league and they were accomplishing that and we weren't and their Tempo at the offensive end off of their dhos was better than our Tempo off the dhos and it became a problem coach you just came off a gold USA medal performance in in Paris um what were some of the key takeaways that you were able to uh take away to I guess incorporate into your culture philosophy and second part of that question is what does it mean to be an American and and represents your country yeah it was an unbelievable experience obviously I've been involved with that team in this cycle so not only the Olympic gold but we the World Cup Championship qualifying events and every training camp along the way um it's really special to represent your country um it was special to be with those 12 and the word that I used from the beginning was it's a sacrifice you know with the exception of probably Asia and Stewie everyone is sacrificing and not truly being themselves on that team for the betterman of the group so it's you've heard Sue bird talk about it it's an uncomfortable basketball for the greatest players in the world because they can't always be themselves they got to sacrifice the sacrif sacrifices that go into that team being successful um is amazing and how they have to uh play not necessarily their games that they're going to come back to their own individual teams and play but in order to keep that dynasty that USA Women's Basketball is um is really remarkable to be in it day in and day out with them um you know for me also they just think you're the crazy opponent coach you know through the years right and we have perceptions of these great players but when you get to know each other and you get to know those like like I I am truly like totally think different of Stewie and Sabrina after coaching them and have such a special relationship with them watching Stewie be a mom like it was unbelievable the grind that goes into and the pressure and the pressure that Stewie has to be one of the best for us and to walk wake up the next morning and see her with her two children in the breakfast room up earlier than almost all anyone um and watching her being a mom and trying to win a gold medal it's just you know it was a special Journey with that group and you know Sabrina and Stewie were two of the special ones for me uh coaching them and to have them back in the building in the first game you know was really cool for me last question oh coach uh with with Ry it LA Sparks seems like even before the break she she has become more more aggressive when it comes to going downhill trying to get to the basket tonight 13 free throw attempts of making 12 of them is that something with her just feeling feeling more comfortable with what she's doing or are you guys telling her hey we need you to get downhill to attack the basket yeah her ability to attack the basket but score at the arc is important for us she is a really talented offensive player and it comes in streaky wavs and you really got to ride that wave um night the physicality the the desire to run us off the ark you know made the game important for her because she can get to the rim you know there was times where she handled the physicality um and loved it and she was able to get to the foul line there's other times that you know we want her to continue to play not always off of one foot but you know like I If it wasn't for Ry being able to handle some of that this County and get to the line for us we would have really struggled so you know um again she gave us good stretches tonight thank you Kur thank you start all right this question is for both of you but r i want to start with you um your schedule's not going to get any easier obviously this game was rough but how do you take this in learn and then I know we always say you know next game next game but sometimes that's easier said than then so what are you going to take so you can kind of look at your schedule ahead head and know that the fight is not done yet um honestly what you just said just saying in it knowing that um this isn't what we expected but at the same time we did it to ourselves so we just have to come out with a more focused mind more focused mind on both ends of the court next game DJ hey this question is for both of you DJ from inanity TV tough loss tonight um on the LA Sparks weekly show we regularly talk to fans who are like 10 tolles down with y'all is there a message that you want to give your fans right now in the season um to just reflect where you see this team going I mean yeah we're just always so appreciative of the fans and like the ongoing support that they give so I mean just to you know stay supporting us and we feel it on the core and uh we want to do good for y'all and for us too so just keep supporting us and we still love you all for either of you guys did it feel like your team came out rust you from the Olympic break or was it just the Liberty was the better team tonight I mean I feel like it was expected to come a little out a little bit you know at our best after a month off but um because you know we've all been we've been AP part we had a few people at the Olympics so you know we haven't been a team as as long as you know some other teams but you know we're not going to use that as as an excuse and uh what was control controllables tonight was effort and um I think we just lacked a little bit of effort tonight but um you know something that we can always get back next game all right just you know you were able to get to the line 13th time today um it seems like you know even before the break you're becoming very very aggressive attacking the basket even getting your shot up are you just becoming more comfortable out there on the floor yeah um I just try to make sure I mean you guys know I always try to come in with energy and you know bring a spark and I think sometimes we need that aggression and um just to see the ball going a few times and uh just to like I said just we need that aggression so I just try to bring that John just wondering what's the feeling and what's the mood like after a 35o loss I mean I don't know like we just just got to do better questions for RIA um first time play delivery was a seveno deficit and then this the last one before that was 10 but this one obviously got away from you a lot earlier um what was the difference between those games and this one that allowed for the deficit to get so big just our effort um both ends of the floor um not convert and that's really it thank you ladies thank you