Detroit Shock: Bill Laimbeer | Katie Smith | Swin Cash
Sacramento Monarchs: John Whisenant | Kara Lawson | Kristin Haynie
Coach
Bill Laimbeer, Detroit Shock
Q: Can you talk about the ups and downs you have had over the series?
A: A couple blowouts here or there. It’s one of those series where one team gets the upper hand and puts the pedal down and makes a move and wins a game easily. They are all hard fought games. It’s just a matter of being able to execute and getting the rebounds.
Q: Does this series come down to who is mentally tougher?
A: Yes, it always comes down to mental toughness, will, desire and who wants it more. We know each other. They know us and we know them. There are no secrets and there is nothing new.
Q: Is playing in the Joe Louis Arena going to affect the outcome for either team?
A: No, I don’t think so. It’s our floor, it’s our fans, it’s our chairs. It won’t make any difference [to us]. All I know is that there are going to be 19,000 people here screaming and yelling for us.
Q: Do you think the arena will sell out?
A: I think it will be full.
Q: What has this finals experience been like for you?
A: This is fun. It’s been hectic. It’s been great basketball. It’s been a little draining, but it’s fun to be here. When you start playing in the WNBA this is where you want to be. You want to be in the WNBA championship. We are in Game 5 and basically, you have one game and that’s it; either you are the champs or you’re not. It’s been fun. Obviously it has its ups and downs and there are more demands on you than in the regular season. You weed things out and you go out there and play.
Q: If you do win the championship who will be the first person you seek out and give a big hug to?
A: Teammates for sure and my family will be here. I’ll give Bill [Laimbeer] a little love for getting me here and Kristin Bernert, who works for the league now. There are some folks that definitely deserve hugs for all the good things.
Q: When do you leave for Russia?
A: We head out Monday.
Q: How would it feel to win one on your home court?
A: It would make a season with its ups and downs all worth it.
Q: How strange will it be to be playing in the Joe Louis Arena instead of The Palace?
A: I’m not going to lie to you, it’s going to be different. It’s all about familiarity and obviously in basketball you can play where ever the court is. People really don’t recognize how it is to be familiar and comfortable with where you run in at and you know every tiny little step, you know where the season ticket holders sit, you know who’s screaming for you. It’s a lot of different intangible things people don’t really understand when you move a venue that I hope don’t come into play. I don’t think they will come into play, but it makes it a little bit uncomfortable.
Q: What is the psychology of the team heading into tomorrow night?
A: Do or die. My whole thinking is that it’s like the NCAA tournament; one and done. I think we’ve worked really hard to get to this point.
Coach
John Whisenant, Sacramento Monarchs
Q: Are you, Kristin [Haynie] and the rest of the team going to try and get half of Lansing here to fill the upper bowl?
A: We haven’t done that. I’m sure the Haynie-ac’s will be out, they all like Kristin, everyone likes Kristin that knows her. She’s a likeable young lady. Michigan air does her well. In her previous two games she had two of her better games.
Q: What is the confidence level since your Game 4 loss?
A: We are here to have a good practice. We have lost before and we have recovered before and that’s what we have to do.
Q: What happened with your flight into Detroit?
A: After sitting on the runway for two hours for them to work on some undefined problem on the aircraft, they unloaded us around 11am and told us we they would have to try and find another flight for us. All of their flights were full, they then located a flight on Delta that would have gotten us here at midnight and that looked like our only option. The US air lady, who was a fan, stopped us and said they had a flight through Phoenix that would get us here at 10:30. We got on that flight at 1:30 and it was late. It was suppose to leave at 12:45 and we almost missed the connection in Phoenix. We got here last night at 10:30. We need a good nights sleep, but that’s life in the WNBA.
Kara Lawson, Sacramento Monarchs
Q: Talk about coming back from Game 5 and the frustration from losing your chance to win a championship on your home court.
A: I don’t think you let it go. It’s a series, you win some games in a series, you lose some. It’s all about how you respond in a series. Both teams have shown the ability to respond in a series because we have gone every other game. I’m hoping that trend continues.
Q: Can you talk about why you lost Game 4 by such a large margin?
A: We just didn’t play in Game 4. They should have beat us by 40. We weren’t defending them at all, we weren’t forcing turnovers, they were killing us in the paint. It’s right there on the tape. When you watch you see we should have lost by a lot more than that.
Kristin Haynie, Sacramento Monarchs
Q: Talk about the inconsistency both teams have shown throughout the series.
A: I mean we are two really good teams. We made it this far. We are physical and we both play great defense. Tomorrow night I don’t think it’s going to be a blowout. I think it’s going to be a fun game to watch and it should be. It’s Game 5 and we just have to leave it all out there on the floor.
Q: Is it more of a mental thing at this point?
A: Yes, I think it is. We played each other twice during the season and it’s Game 5. We know what each other’s tendencies are and we know each other’s offense and defense. I think it’s just everybody going out and just playing how we are capable of playing.