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WNBA FINALS: SPARKS VS LYNXOctober 16, 2016Maya MooreLindsay WhalenLos Angeles, California Lynx - 85, Sparks - 79 Q. Maya, in the fourth quarter, the Sparks came back and tied it once, twice, two other times they came within two. You guys were able to repel them each time. It was nerve-racking to watch. What did it feel like to be part of that, and what did you see in your teammates' eyes during those moments? MAYA MOORE: That's a great visual because we look in each other's eyes and we can see and we can feel each other, and we were just talking about this walking up, from about midway through the first, when the came just starts and you're trying to figure out what's this game going to look like, I knew we were going to fight. If we were going down, we were going out fighting, and we were able to bounce back and match their runs, and giving ourselves a little cushion to have that edge. When we did come back from their runs, it meant we were getting our cushion back and not tying the game up and playing from behind. Every possession was so crucial in this game, and we just made more of them. Q. Maya, speaking of possessions, you were able to get back on the boards tonight, go plus 16. How were you able to adjust after LA really took it to you in the last game, and now that result helps you force a Game 5 on Thursday? MAYA MOORE: Well, it's a battle. Everybody remembering what it takes to win on the road, and it absolutely is rebounding. Sylvia has been so huge for us, whether she actually secured the rebound or created a window for us to get a rebound was huge for us. Whay I believe had six rebounds tonight, and so guards owning the boards, as well, and not just saying, good job, Brunson, good job, Syl, go get those boards. We have to help our posts. So when we play team defense like that, getting stops and then securing the rebound, it gives us that much more energy to go run and try to get some buckets in transition. Q. Lindsay, before Candace got called for that foul, did you think you guys had gotten the ball across the line in time? LINDSAY WHALEN: I remember I had it at one point, and after that I didn't really see what happened because I think I was on the floor. It was just kind of a wild play, and luckily we got it -- I think she got fouled. Q. Maya, obviously a great team win for you guys, but it seemed like you channelled your inner Mamba, especially with Kobe on the sideline. How was that just mentally coming from Game 3 into Game 4 knowing what was at stake? MAYA MOORE: You know, this is The Finals. You can't dwell too much on the past mistakes or past struggles. You have to just stay in the moment, and that's what I tried to do, being aggressive. Whalen is always encouraging me to be aggressive, take it to the rim and create. Just tried to do that. A lot of times we just have to just have that feel in the moment, and finding that rhythm, and eventually those moments happened. Any way that I can help my team, whether it's getting offensive rebounds or getting steals, all those things create momentum and create rhythm for me. I never get too down because I know I have the ability to get myself back into a rhythm, especially when I think defense first. Q. It seems like in this series every time a team lost, the next game they came with a different energy. What kind of energy do you think the Sparks are going to bring, and what do you have to do to match it in Game 5? LINDSAY WHALEN: I think both teams will come with a lot of energy. Like you said, it's Game 5, so that's what it all comes down to. Obviously it's been a great series, lots of ups and downs, and two great teams battling it out. There will definitely be a lot of energy for both sides on Thursday. Q. Maya, you went 11 for 12 from the free-throw line tonight. Lindsay, you went 5 of 6. In your case it's almost twice the margin of difference in the outcome of the game. How much of your time do you spend practicing free-throw shooting? MAYA MOORE: I include it in my just general rhythm of getting shots. It's not something that I spend hours and hours after practice. We're at a point in our careers to where free throws are more mental than physical. Stepping up to the line is more about your head space. Your muscle memory is there already. That's more of what it takes is just having the right mindset when you step up to the line. And obviously experience in those pressure situations helps, but at the end of the day, you still have to step up and knock it in. Just, again, happy that our team had that flow, had that energy, had that connection to give me the confidence and comfort to know we're in our rhythm, we're in our groove, let's knock them in and move on to the next play. Q. Lindsay, did you get a poke in the eye there? At what point did that happen? LINDSAY WHALEN: I don't really remember. You know, it's just -- that's part of it, part of the game. I think everybody on both sides of the floor probably has something. They got hit or whatever, and that's two teams competing. That's what the Finals is all about. Just two teams fighting hard and wanting to win every possession. You know, that's what it takes. Q. Now going into Game 5, is this sort of an example that the new plan format is pretty good? LINDSAY WHALEN: Yeah, I mean, I think this is -- like I said, it's two teams, a lot of good players on the floor and competing hard at a really high level. Two years in a row we've had Game 5s, and this year worked out that us and LA were able to get the first two seeds, and it worked out that we're in the Finals. You know, we're just happy we're here. We have another day. That was our main focus going into tonight. Q. Maya, what rattles you? MAYA MOORE: What rattles me? Q. Yeah. MAYA MOORE: Well, sometimes I get rocked on screens. That rattles me a little bit. No, I know what you're saying. That's the name of the game. You have to be able to just mentally lock in and let things go. You know, if you hold on to things too long you don't have time to focus on what you need to do in the next play, in the next few possessions. Strength of our team is something I try to lead in is next play, next play, and not get rattled. But at the end of the day, I just want to leave it all out on the floor. No regrets. That's probably when I feel the worst, if I feel like there was something left that I didn't give or something that we didn't quite do that we know we can do. That's probably the worst feeling as an athlete, when you end a game and you know you could have been so much better. I guess that's the best way I can answer that question. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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