lightning v caps will be a close encounter - no clear favourite

I agree that it could be a competitive game.
The money says otherwise. Surprisingly Adelaide are heavy $1.28 favourites vs Canberra at $3.25

Certainly the travel schedule will not help Canberra's chances. It's a long trip from Perth, and they lose 2.5 hours on the way.
On the plus side, last night's blowout meant that no Capital had more than 29 minutes of playing time last night.

I say the Caps are going to get one very soon and hopefully it will energise their season. Somehow I don't think it will be at Adelaide's expense.

What's the Lynx home record vs on the road?

Lynx are 6-1 at home
5-3 on the road

Remaining games this season:

Home:
Townsville x 2
SEQ
Melbourne
Adelaide

Road:
Sydney x 2
Canberra x 2

adelaide has been in top 4 form lately - so at it's best - they should beat caps - at their worst - caps will get the first W

purely IMO

Caps definitely out of sorts at present.

Lelani showing why in opals

Love Michalea Reuf's game - sign her for 2016/17 !

Montgomery was great

Standish quality player - how nobody had signed her ??????

caps vs Lightning

It was like watching two bizarro twins.

One team - Under-coached, unpredictable, filled with top talent that looked they knew that they and the coach should be in the WNBL, but knew they probably weren't going to be there next season and didn't much care,


Over-coached, extremely predictable, filled with (mainly) players of low to mid talent that looked like they knew that they ( and possibly the coach) didn't expect to be in the WNBL this season, and didn't much care anyway , cos they were going to go for broke now while they were there.


I don't think that the caps are going to play against a more predictable , more mistake prone (10+ ??? hard bullet passes that killed certain scores ?), less talented player list, WNBL team for the rest of the season , could this be the first windless WNBL season for any team ? Did perth do a winless season ?

DeNesha Stallworth had a lot to say to Jerome Randle after the game, none of it about how much she was hoping that she would get a caps contract for next season.

easy to see why that was, considering the few passes ( or plays) given to her in the first half.

Also hard to see how Bishop could play on 3-4 fouls for almost an entire final 2 quarters without a single Adelaide player being coached to drive on her in the post or being posted up in front of her, particularly when every dribble penetration from anywhere from the top arc in the second half got the driver to below the foul line and single coverage every time. - but these Adelaide players ( and the caps) knew that their offense against a zone was 5 man out with ball rotation and a weak-side exchange down-cut for a backdoor pass, and by God they were going to run it no matter what - every - every time. Which is why the caps couldn't stop the 7 last "live' 9 not free throw) scores that got the lightening ahead.

given the "undermanned" caps team - http://www.smh.com.au/sport/basketball/weary-canberra-capitals-fail-to-close-out-first-wnbl-win-in-adelaide-loss-20151219-glrj1e.html - home town press

- still managed to field 2 ex-wnba players, three ex - Opals players and 4-ex Opal squad members and 2 good US imports ( total of 6 players ) and 3 more players with quite a few accumulated years of WNBL experience against a team with 1 import that is gasping for breath after 4 minutes of play and one Opals players/squad member.





interesting game to watch Adelaide deserved not to lose more than Canberra deserved not to lose.



Feel really sorry for Carly Wilson.
This is not a season to remember for Jess Bibby either.

and the canberra bench players , one with 4 years in college , 5 years and 106+ games in the Caps being developed and re-signed by Graf with "next season" beinh "her season" for half a decade, and she can't be trusted with even 1 minute in an undermanned second game of a road trip against the second worst WNBL team ? Averaging less than 10 min minutes @ game in a season without a win - ???

Final note - these Adelaide players deserve a lot of respect , they are clearly putting their trust into the WNBL newbie coaching staff, following exactly what their coach is demanding, they are playing and putting it on the line and good on 'em.

If they keep together for next season and get one or new player ( a great power forward or small forward with range would be good) with commitment and talent they will do well next season.

Nice detail WNBL fan, thanks, great report.

Caps and Lightning as the bizarro twins? Well, they do share some similarities apart from ladder position. Both are re-shaping and or inventing their respective management models. Both have an illustrious WNBL record. I suppose if win percentage is any measure of success then the Lightning seem to be more advanced along the path.

WNBL fan, if the Caps go winless, they'll be far from the first team to do so. It has happened 8 times before.

Re. Penaluna, yes, injury sadly.

Yeah, agreed.
I couldn't write them off completely because it has been such an unpredictable season, and they've only got one fewer win than 3rd-placed Townsville, but the odds are really stacking up against them now, particularly if Penaluna's injury is even remotely serious.

Will be interested to see how the Rangers go against the Fire today. Both teams on 8-5, and a win would really consolidate a top 4 spot for whoever can get it. (TSV $1.25, DAN $3.50)

caps have 4 with wnba experience - bibby, bishop, montgomery and stallworth - think talbot was drafted but not been to camp ?

wow that was some comeback by the flames. GF predictions yet ? spin the wheel - could be any of the top 4 !

Pretty sure Stallworth does not have WNBA experience.
You are correct about Talbot. Drafted by Phoenix but is yet to try out.

lightning need to read and react to the game with confidence - so many times wide open on the wings and didn't take the open shot or drive - just skipped to the corner for a 1 on 1 and often coughed it up from that - second tier players will get better with experience

luuuc - 2014 con sun

I know she was drafted in the last round by Connecticut, but she did not make their roster.

Fire & Rangers all tied up at half time.

2 point game at the last change turned into a 9 point win for the Fire.

Is it possible to rebound the lights out? That's what Cayla is doing lately. She already led the league, and another 16 today will bump her average up even more.