Question: Does your experience in the Finals give you an advantage this year?
Laimbeer: We have six players from our championship ball club here and they are all key players for us. They know what to expect.

Question: Do you think your confidence can rub Sacramento the wrong way?
Laimbeer: You don't really care what rubs the other team the wrong way. You worry about yourself; you focus on your own ball club. We are very driven right now. We think we are a very good basketball team and we think we are the best team. We just have to prove it on the court and that's what we are going to try and do.

Question: Don't you always like rubbing the other team the wrong way?
Laimbeer: At this point in time, both teams think they are the best team in the league. That's what's great about this series, both team believe they are the best and there is a big collision coming.

Question: What's the biggest challenge that Sacramento presents to you?
Laimbeer: I think their defense is very swarming and they try to disrupt your offense. Second is their rebounding, they are an outstanding rebounding team.

Question: Does the best-of-five series, instead of a best-of-seven, make homecourt more crucial?
Laimbeer: It's better than the best-of-three we use to play. Best-of-five gives you the opportunity to drop a game somewhere and still recover. Best-of-three you can't do that, I'm very happy we moved to a best of five series.

Question: Do you feel like this is your time and your season to come together?
Laimbeer: We believe that we are together at the right time. We talked all year long about preparing for the playoffs and to have our defense and offense in place. We worked very hard to get here.

Back to top

Shock Center Ruth Riley

Question: Do you like this best-of-five format?
Riley: It'll be interesting. A lot more game experience when you play the same team five times versus three, possibly. You have to grind it out a little more I think.

Question: Does the team with the most talent definitely win a best-of-five?
Riley: I would think so. I think ... it's just going to be interesting because I've never been in the situation before. So, I don't really know what to expect, you just have to go in and play as hard as you can and try to get every game.

Question: Talk about Sacramento's style of play. Is it similar to yours?
Riley: They are very similar. Their defensive philosophy is a little different; obviously, they overplay everything. But the physicality of their game is similar to ours. I think it's going to be a battle. We match up well. They have a big frontcourt; we have a big frontcourt. It's going to be a fun series.

Back to top

Shock Forward Swin Cash

Question: Does your experience give you an advantage?
Cash: I think it gives us advantage ... not necessarily, because both teams have won a championship. The Shock, we have six players from 2003 that won a championship. Sacramento, they pretty much have their whole squad back with the same experience. We are kind of matched up the same. They're physical on the frontline, so are we. I think it's going to come down to a test of wills: Who can come out here and execute. The game is going to be won right in here (points to her head).

Question: How important is Cheryl Ford's rebounding going to be?
Cash: Cheryl has been phenomenal all year long. I thought that from the start she has been playing like an MVP candidate. She controls the boards. You have to respect her anytime she is on the floor, down low.

Question: How much has this team matured from that 2003 title team?
Cash: Once we got EP (Elaine Powell) back I kind of sat down and told that God works in mysterious ways. We had a magical time in 2003, not only with the city, but how we played and everyone knew each other. I think we matured a little bit and we understand what it takes not (only) to get here but to win it.

Back to top

Shock Forward Cheryl Ford

Question: These are two veteran teams. What kind of series do you expect?
Ford: The Monarchs, they are a great team as well. Everybody is playing their position, contributing, doing what they are supposed to do. Like I said, it's going to be a tough series and I'm real excited about it. I can't wait to start.

Question: Is there anything that the Monarchs do that you are going to have to overcome?
Ford: We have to be mentally tough. Period. If we let them take our mental toughness away then we are in for a long series.

Question: Do think the team is playing its best ball right now?
Ford: Without a doubt. We are all on the same page. Everybody is facing the same thing. Everybody is clicking. Everybody is doing what they are suppose to do.

Back to top

Shock Guard Katie Smith

Question: (Inaudible)
Smith: It's now a five-game series and you basically take one game at a time. Basically you take it one game at a time and that's tomorrow night. It's a big game for us and home-court is huge. If we can take care of that, good things will happen. It's going to be fun. A lot of it is going to be mental; it's not going to be all physical. I think our team is ready and we have obviously made some adjustments today.

Question: What concerns you the most about Sacramento?
Smith: Their defense, because it is different. And on top of that, it's their rebounding. They are on the boards non-stop, three, four players and we have to put a body on people. All of us have to rebound, not just our bigs.

Question: Do you mentally treat the first game like it's an elimination game?
Smith: You have to understand that it could be over in three games. You have to be in the moment and treat every game as your last. I think the first game sets the tone, especially if they come out here and rock us on our home court. That would pump them up even more and they are already confident.

Question: You haven't won the championship like a bunch of these players in 2003 did. How will that help this team?
Smith: I hope it's a little bit of an edge. I think for myself it's that steadiness that I have brought all year. I haven't been in the WNBA Finals, but I have been here in this kind of setting; it's understanding what it's going to take. I'll do my part and hopefully everyone will do theirs.

Back to top

Shock Guard Deanna Nolan

Question: How excited are you to be back in the Finals?
Nolan: I am very excited to be back here. I think we have worked very hard to get back here this year.

Question: Does this feel different than the one in 2003?
Nolan: I don't think it's different. It still feels great and we almost have the same core as we did in 2003.

Question: Do you see a certain maturity on this team?
Nolan: I do. I see that all of us have matured a lot. We did take the year after we won for granted because I don't think we expected the teams to come out at us as hard as they did after winning it; but we still have to play hard. I think that's what we have done this year is we played hard 40 minutes as a team and that's what you have to do to win the Championship.

Question: Do you feel like you are the favorite because you have home-court advantage or the underdog because you are going against the defending champions?
Nolan: I think we are the underdog even though they are the No. 2 seed. They are the defending champions. They are the same team as last year, but even better and that's the way I feel about us.

Back to top

Sacramento Coach John Whisenant

Question: Can you talk about the importance of rebounding?
Whisenant: An insulator against bad shooting is offensive rebounding and defensive rebounding is the tail-end of your defense. If you don't do that then you have wasted all your effort guarding someone hard-core.

Question: Is the Shock's offensive rebounding a worry to you?
Whisenant: It always is against every good time. That's why offensive rebounding is critical. Offense, you have got to have the break, run your half-court offense and then the third phase is offensive rebounds. Their whole team is a great rebounding team.

Question: What are you expecting out of your team the most?
Whisenant: I'm not expecting any one thing. I'm expecting it to be a really hard fought game. I think they are playing at the top of their game. They are playing great defensively and they are rebounding great. They are full of good athletes and it will be a great challenge to try and compete with that. I can see five games coming down to the last minute if we can continue that play. I believe our team is confident.

Back to top

Sacramento Forward Yolanda Griffith

Question: Both teams have a lot of confidence, what do you think this series is going to come down to?
Griffith: You have to think like that. You can't go out here second guessing and thinking that another team is going to beat you. We know it's going to be tough against Detroit; they have home court advantage. Our goal is to get one of these games. We both dominate on the boards, and have some great guards and points guards. It's going to be a dog fight. I guess whoever out-rebounds the other is going to win.

Question: Any advantage with you guys being the defending Champs?
Griffith: No, there is no advantage. I think the addition of Katie Smith has turned their team around. She is leading this team as a veteran and they are following in her footstep. They did a good job going into Connecticut, getting that last game. Detroit is the toughest team in the East. We have our work cut out for us, but if we keep doing what we are doing, we will be okay.

Question: Do you feel like the underdogs coming in here?
Griffith: We have always been the underdogs. Even when we won last year, we didn't get the respect. We have confidence we can do what we need to do to get a victory here in Detroit. It's going to be tough. We are healthy and since All-Star we have been playing well and we are here for a reason and I think we are going to get it.

Back to top

Sacramento Guard Kara Lawson

Question: From a health perspective, where are you now?
Lawson: I feel better. I am as close to 100 percent as you could hope to be this close to the Finals. I am very happy with where I am and my body feels great.

Question: How does it feel to be in the Finals again?
Lawson: I think you have to relish the opportunity and understand that it's something that doesn't come along too often. For us to be here two years in a row is a great accomplishment. We are excited about the opportunity to play for two straight championships and we know this is going to be the best opponent we play all year and we are going to have to play our best to win.

Question: Do you see any parallels between the two teams because of the confidence level?
Lawson: Both teams would not have gotten this far if they didn't have a strong sense of self belief and a great deal of confidence. There are tremendous players on that side and we are going to have to play really well. This is going to be a battle in the paint, a battle on the boards, and which team defends the best. I know those are key things for them and they are key thinks for us.

Question: How does (inaudible)
Lawson: There are some similarities and are able to keep the same schedule as last year. We understand from experience what it takes to play the first two games on the road. We know the importance of trying to win game one and that setting you up for the series.

Back to top

Sacramento Guard Ticha Penicheiro

Question: How does experience factor in to this series?
Penicheiro: I think experience plays a factor in the series. When you have played in the Finals there is probably going to be 15,000 people watching the game and either rooting for you or rooting against you. You have to keep your composure, knowing that every possession is important. I think it's important that we try to start a game strong and try to take the crowd out of it.

Question: Do you view yourselves as underdogs coming in to this series?
Penicheiro: I think we have been underdogs since the series started. We really don't care what people say. We worry about ourselves and we, in the locker room, know what we can do and we know that if play Monarchs' basketball we can beat anyone in this league.

Question: In a best of five series, how important is winning Game 1?
Penicheiro: It's very important. It puts the pressure back on them. If we can steal Game 1 here it will be great to go back to our court knowing that we can finish one up at home.

Back to top

Sacramento Forward Nicole Powell

Question: What is it going to take to repeat in this series?
Powell: It's going to be a battle. We know what each team is going to bring to the table and at this point in the season it's 'who wants it more'. Who is going to play every single play and play for 40 minutes, I think that's what it's going to take.

Question: Do the similarities between teams make it easier or more difficult?
Powell: Any team you play at this level it's going to be hard. They have some great rebounders and great individual athletes. We just have to be prepared for them and try to do our best.

Question: Does it feel like you guys are the underdogs?
Powell: It does. We seem to take people by surprise. We are back again going through the same thing, which is fine with us because we are here and I think we can do it and that's all that matters.

Back to top

Sacramento Forward DeMya Walker

Question: Do the similarities between the two teams make it easier or more difficult?
Walker: I don't know if it's easy or difficult, it makes it a challenge for both of us because it's like figuring out how to beat yourself. I think it makes it exciting.

Question: Do you guys consider yourselves underdogs?
Walker: We are always underdogs, we don't care. Everybody always assumes that Sacramento is going to lose this time or that time, but nobody knows what we are going to do except us and our coaches.

Back to top