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WNBA FINALS: FEVER v MERCURY

October 4, 2009

Lin Dunn

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA: Game Three

Phoenix Mercury 85
Indiana Fever 86

THE MODERATOR: Coach, thanks for coming in. We'll go ahead with an opening statement followed by questions and answers.
COACH LIN DUNN: I thought it was a great game. We were expecting a super effort from Phoenix after we were able to steal a game out there.
I just thought our players did a magnificent job down the stretch in crunch time of getting stops when we need them and I thought our defense stepped up and we got some key rebounds. But, you know, we're happy to be in this situation, we know we're one step closer to our goal.
And I can't say enough about the crowd. I thought the last three minutes of the game, when the game was on the line and everybody was standing and screaming, it was awesome, it was wonderful. It gave our players a little extra boost of energy down the stretch. So I want to say thank you to the fans and I would like to see them all back Wednesday night for the championship game.

Q. Coach, they have so many weapons, they had one possession with a chance to win the game. What did you say during that time-out as far as a defensive strategy?
COACH LIN DUNN: We had a foul to give, we were prepared to take it but we wanted to be careful that they didn't just catch the ball and sling it and now we've give 'em a three-point -- three shots. So it was get a stop, switch, after the ball comes in, switch if there is a good screen, keep 'em in front of ya, you know, play great defense and I thought our players rose to the occasion there.
The other thing I thought that was the key to the game was our ability to hold them to 17% from the 3-point line, That is a key for them. They need to shoot threes in order to win, and I thought our effort to run them off the 3-point line was a great effort tonight.

Q. Coach, where does this game rank for you?
COACH LIN DUNN: Well, I mean, I've been a part of a lot of games. When you've been coaching for 39 years there have been awesome games in your career, but I don't know that I've been in a series like this where every game we've played with them -- this is the third game, has been so hard fought, two warriors out there battling each other back and forth, back and forth. So as far as that type of atmosphere, I have never been in anything like this has been.

Q. Talk about the last couple minutes of the third quarter when Briann January got you going.
COACH LIN DUNN: Well, we were down I think five or six and we put Briann in and she stepped up and maybe scored six or eight straight points. But the bench as a whole really helped us, Jessica Moore gave us points, Tamecka Dixon, Briann January, so that boost that Briann gave us was key. I thought the momentum -- they had the momentum and the lead and when she came in and hit her shots. It swung back and I don't think we gave up the momentum from that point on.
She sure didn't look like a rookie, did she?

Q. Coach, you said about two months ago in order for the Fever to play at a very high level, you needed Ebony Hoffman to play at a very high level, and it looks like you're pretty prophetic in that regard. Could you elaborate on everything she's done and say anything about the condition of her shoulder.
COACH LIN DUNN: Ebony has played at the highest level of her career I've ever seen her play during the series. Tonight she was 6 for 7, hit that big shot in the corner. I think her shoulder popped out but we were able to get it back in and she was able to finish the game. She has been key for us. But the fact that we're getting points every game we've had either four or five players in double figures. That's really been good for us. And Ebony has been in double figures in all three games.

Q. Lin, Katie Douglas does it lots of little things, tonight she had seven assists. When she isn't shooting well she is doing other things on the floor. Talk about Katie.
COACH LIN DUNN: She was 1 for 5 in the half and 5 or 9 in the second half, so she shot much better in the second half. Katie is a deceptive defender. Some of our players are different type defenders and she does a lot of great things for us, but what she did for us. She hit some big shots in the second half. She guarded Taylor, Diana Taurasi, Pondexter. We were constantly rotating different people because we were struggling with Pondexter. Tonight she was the handful, the other night it was Penny Taylor and tonight -- I thought we made an adjustment and started just trapping Cappie and said "give it up" because somebody else has to take a shot, and she was so effective.
THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Coach.
COACH LIN DUNN: Thank the fans they were awesome and thank you guys for covering us so well.

End of FastScripts

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