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WNBA FINALS: MERCURY v SHOCK

September 16, 2007

Paul Westhead

DETROIT MICHIGAN: Game Five

KAREN KASE: Go ahead, coach.
PAUL WESTHEAD: Well, it's a great feeling -- it's a great feeling. The players, I think, intentionally went straight at me with the champagne. The celebration was to see if we can get him. They've been trying to get me all season.
First I want to say I think it's a great series. Any time you're 2-2, I think it shows that both teams belong and could easily have won a championship.
We came out today and made shots, and you know, that's what we do. So when we make shots, we put ourselves in a great position to be on the top end, hard to beat when they're scoring like that.

Q. You've got a ring from way back when, 1980. How does this compare?
PAUL WESTHEAD: Believe it or not, I think there was more champagne for this one (laughing). At least my players 27 years ago didn't worry about getting me, you know, sprayed. These players they were gunning for me.
But it's a great feeling. I mean, to be honest, I was happy with one in a lifetime. You don't need multiple championships.
But this was very enjoyable. And mostly because I've gone on record, just this group has been a delight to coach. I mean, I've used the line from the song "Drift Away," and I sincerely mean it. I said it to them again, "Thanks for the joy that you've given me. This has been fun."

Q. You told them that afterwards?
PAUL WESTHEAD: I told them that afterwards. And you know, they just play so hard, they're such a team, a group. You know, we get different people helping us. Penny Taylor from Game 4 to Game 5, you wouldn't believe the change in her performance. She was spectacular.

Q. Even after you won the game in Phoenix the other day, how much concern did you have coming back here to Detroit's home, playing with the crowd? How much concern was that for you?
PAUL WESTHEAD: I wasn't like -- well, in a sense I was thrilled. Because there for a while, I didn't think we were ever going to get here. But once we had tied it up, to be honest, we didn't really care where we were going to then play.
We just wanted to exhibit our speed game, and try to get our break going. We knew it would be very difficult to play here. But you know, if you're going to win a championship, you have to win it somewhere. And you have to perform very well.
So I think when you get to Game 5, home court advantage almost disappears. It's a one-game, and hopefully the better team wins.

Q. Can you just talk about Cappie's performance in the playoffs in general in this series, specifically?
PAUL WESTHEAD: You know, it's really hard on our team to pick an MVP. We've been debating this all season.
You know, Penny Taylor certainly was our great performer throughout the season. We don't win anything without Diana Taurasi. Cappie Pondexter proves surely in the playoffs that she was the key player for us in all of the playoffs, especially this last series.
And I repeat again, if you were to ask our team, they'd probably say well, obviously, Kelly Miller's our MVP.
But back to Cappie, I mean, well deserved. I mean, she made every big basket in Game 4, and again today when in doubt, we just spread that court out and gave her the ball and said, "Hey, do your thing, girl." And she just breaks people down. She's a relentless offensive player who goes right at you.
Well-deserved award on a team that had three or four other people that really were very valuable.

Q. If I can just follow up: I was going to ask you about Miller. She's sort of an unsung hero on this team?
PAUL WESTHEAD: Pardon me?

Q. Miller?
PAUL WESTHEAD: Yeah, well, Kelly Miller, she's the point guard who runs our offense and makes us go fast. I think sometimes our players feel tired, but they say, Uh-oh, here goes Kelly with the ball. She will not let them slow down.
So she's the speed that keeps our fast break, and therefore open shots coming over and over again.
KAREN KASE: Thank you very much, Coach.

End of FastScripts

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