	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

WNBA FINALS: SPARKS VS LYNX

September 29, 2017

Brian Agler

Los Angeles, California

Sparks - 75, Lynx - 64

BRIAN AGLER: I thought it was a hard-fought game. Both teams competed hard. I think we're fortunate to have fought off their charge there in the third or fourth quarter. Try to get rested up and get ready for Sunday.

Q. What do you think the difference was when you guys were able to create separation, especially in that fourth quarter when Minnesota made the run? What do you feel like the difference was in that moment?
BRIAN AGLER: You know, they went with a small lineup, and it put a lot of different -- every time you make a change, and they did some great things, their small lineup caused us some problems, put a different kind of pressure on us because they're putting Maya Moore in different spots with shooters around her, where it's difficult to get Alana or Essence support, and you still have to play in plays with fouls.

They made a nice run there, hitting some shots. You know, I thought we eliminated second shots, which helped us. Made some good plays, got ourselves to the free-throw line, which was big, and kept our turnovers down.

Q. You had to be very pleased tonight with the hustle plays, especially with the loose balls on the floor with your team tonight.
BRIAN AGLER: Yeah, we were just talking about that in the locker room, that a lot of the intangible things that happened in these games are just as important as the X's and the O's. You know, we had several people chase down long rebounds, loose balls, which helped us quite a bit. You know, it's just happy that we played the way we did, competed hard. Both teams competed really hard.

But now we're just focusing on Game 4 right now.

Q. Coach, down the stretch when you guys ran L with Candace in the high post and Alana cutting to the basket, it gave you guys that basket and one, how much do you think that play in particular helped give you the momentum you needed to close the game?
BRIAN AGLER: Yeah, I don't even know what the score was. I know it was tight. The game was closing down. We needed to have a really good possession, and you know, we just tried to keep it really simple late in the game. Alana made a nice cut and Candace made a nice pass, and the basket area was open, Alana finished it.

Q. What did you like about what you guys did in defending Maya Moore in that first half? Obviously she got in foul trouble and was held scoreless in that time, and what was the difference in the second half when she kind of got going there?
BRIAN AGLER: Well, I mean, the foul trouble -- I always enjoy watching Alana defend great players. I mean, even if she gets scored on, you know she's doing everything possible to stay in the play. And Maya in the second half really made some great shots, some just real good poised one-on-one moves, jump shots, mid-range and threes. I thought we tried to stay in plays with her early. Obviously the foul trouble helped our situation where it was forced to take her out of the game. I don't know -- I can't tell you we played great defense on her because she didn't play that much. You've just got to try to fight, you know, and stay in plays with these really, really good players, and they've got several of them.

Q. Coach Reeve talked about the team which came out most aggressive first has been the team to set the tone. What did you do tonight and in Game 1 maybe that your team didn't do in Game 2?
BRIAN AGLER: I don't know if I did anything differently. I try to be as consistent as possible. I just think a lot of it has to do with sense of urgency. A lot of it has to do with -- I really think in these games, you get in a series, team wins, everybody gets phone calls, texts, telling them how good they are, patting them on the back, all that. Not just our team, I think it happens to all teams, and it softens you up. It loses your focus. You know, our team and Minnesota, we're -- I mean, we all have our -- both teams have their strengths. We're both, as everybody can see, it's highly contested games every time we play. There's not a lot of room for error.

You know, the intangibles and the focus that you have and the ability to play to your scout and then your good players have to make good plays, big plays. Tonight was our night, and I think both teams will just really try to stay focused ready for Sunday.

Q. How would you evaluate the play of your bench tonight, specifically Riquna Williams, who played a couple more minutes than she has in Games 1 and 2?
BRIAN AGLER: Yeah, Riquna gave us some good minutes tonight. Essence was solid for us, Jantel was solid for us. I was happy with the way those three played, and we'll need that, if not more, on Sunday.

Q. This is the first game in which the Sparks have controlled the glass. Was that a point of emphasis for you coming into this game, and what adjustment did you make that enabled them to box out and get the board?
BRIAN AGLER: Yeah, I don't think we made an adjustment. Against Minnesota it's always a point of emphasis to -- we've got to put our best foot forward in our rebounding because they're one of the best rebounding teams if not the best rebounding team in the league.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297