Kelsey Mitchell, Myisha Hines-Allen & Stephanie White — Postgame Media vs. PHX

[0:00] Kelsey, how would you describe the end of the game [0:02] and maybe not finishing getting over the hump? [0:05] Say that again? [0:07] I'm sorry. [0:07] How would you describe the end of the game [0:09] and why you all were not able to close it out? [0:11] I think we, I don't think what happened at the end game [0:15] came down to why we lost. [0:17] I think that a lot happened before that. [0:19] I think you got to take accountability [0:20] and look in the mirror as far as defensive assignments, [0:24] foul trouble, keeping the reps out the game, discipline. [0:29] So it's a lot that you got to take on the chin in regards [0:32] to why we lost. [0:33] And at the end, wasn't it. [0:36] And Myesha, as one of the defensive leaders of this team, [0:38] and Kelsey as well, how do you all view your defense [0:42] at this stage of the season and what issues continue to arise? [0:45] Yeah, I mean, I think we can get better. [0:47] We have to get better. [0:49] We're capable of doing it. [0:50] We have everyone in the locker room that can defend. [0:52] So we just got to take accountability, [0:54] like what Kelsey was just saying, and do it. [0:58] So yeah, I mean, we all play defense though. [1:01] Maybe accountability is the answer to what you're saying, [1:03] but where do you feel the biggest difference [1:05] between your defense at its best and at its worst recently? [1:08] We're dictating. [1:08] When we're at our best, we're dictating. [1:10] We're forcing teams into tough twos, which is something [1:13] that we want to do. [1:14] We're not letting teams get to the free throw line and shooting. [1:17] I mean, they shot 33 free throws today. [1:21] So I mean, just being able to defend without fouling, [1:24] having them shoot over our hands, and just playing disciplined. [1:29] Just kind of to your point, Myesha, [1:30] Steph talks a lot about defending without fouling. [1:33] And how did that kind of just fall apart in the fourth quarter [1:36] a little bit, especially at the end? [1:40] Oh, I thought you were about to take it. [1:43] I mean, I felt like we got undisciplined. [1:45] The first three quarters, we were, for the most part, [1:50] having them do what we wanted them to do. [1:52] And then the fourth quarter, we slowed it down [1:54] by them shooting free throws. [1:56] So I mean, just getting undisciplined, honestly. [2:00] They ran the same play over and over, [2:01] and we just had to figure out how to stop it. [2:05] And I think we were unable to do that. [2:07] But again, this is a learning curve, [2:08] and it's something that we have to go through. [2:11] And I'd rather do it now than in a few months. [2:15] Kaelin left there in the third quarter. [2:17] Did you obviously notice it, but like, [2:19] how do you adjust on the fly when you're [2:20] used to having a player out there in a certain amount [2:22] of minutes or rotations, and you try to close the game? [2:25] Uh, you try not to think about it. [2:27] You try to keep your mind focused on what's [2:29] important for the rest of the team. [2:30] It's the next man up mentality. [2:32] It's unfortunate that CeCe wasn't a part of it. [2:33] But that's what this job is about. [2:36] That's what this game is about. [2:37] And so the next person up was Ray. [2:39] And so you pour in the Ray like you would anybody else. [2:42] And I would like to think that that's how our locker room is. [2:45] And so, like I said, it sucks that CeCe wasn't part of it [2:47] down the stretch. [2:49] But this is what it's about. [2:50] And you've got to be able to take the challenges as they come. [2:53] And then with Kaitlin in particular, [2:54] when she is out, I guess, what responsibilities [2:57] do you have to take on if it is an extended period of time? [3:01] I don't think my job is too different. [3:03] I think stay aggressive, be me, but also [3:05] be able to make the sacrifice for everyone else around me. [3:09] I'm one of those people I want everybody to eat around me. [3:11] And so if I've got to give two here and give AB a three [3:15] and give mine what she got to get and Lacey, [3:17] I just think that that's how we're going to be our best selves. [3:20] Mention Raven being the next woman up. [3:22] What did you see from her tonight that you looked? [3:24] I just think that experience is going to keep back in her, [3:26] you know, the PG that she is, the PG that she's going to be for us. [3:30] I think that just comes with experience. [3:32] She got through in the fire as far as situation is concerned. [3:34] And I thought that she responded well. [3:36] I thought she was aggressive. [3:38] I thought that we all aggressive, [3:39] maybe a little too aggressive for the refs. [3:41] But I thought that, you know, at the point of attack, she was there. [3:44] She was present. [3:44] And I think that that's how it got to be. [3:47] Them the people that you want to fight with, go to war with, [3:50] and them the ones that you want to rock with every night, no matter what. [3:52] Okay, so you mentioned keeping the refs out of the game earlier. [3:55] I think you just touched on them again now. [3:56] In what ways is that affecting you guys, [3:57] and how do you feel like that was potentially a problem tonight? [3:59] Yeah, it was tough. [4:00] I fouled out, so you can imagine how I feel. [4:03] But I think that we, you know, a little handsy. [4:06] Obviously, it's a 50-50 in everything that you do in life. [4:09] And so the refs called in, and so we got to be smarter. [4:12] We got to be a little bit more aligned in what we need. [4:14] And just not letting the discipline take us and not letting anything else get above that. [4:20] You're coming in here aware of what happened two nights ago? [4:24] And that still happens? [4:27] Absolutely unacceptable. [4:29] Absolutely unacceptable. [4:32] And the reckless closeout that they actually reviewed, [4:35] and the foot still comes down on top of the defender's foot that wasn't upgraded? [4:40] Absolutely disrespectful. [4:43] We have a generational talent and a WNBA superstar who had two cheap shots right there [4:51] that weren't called. [4:54] And I just say, again, absolutely unacceptable. [5:01] Steph, do you think that the league needs to look into how Kaitlyn Clark is defended [5:06] or how she's officiated going forward? [5:11] I mean, we spent all offseason looking at officiating, all offseason. [5:18] And I still say the one thing that we keep asking for is consistency. [5:23] She is not called the same way everybody else is called. [5:32] Stephanie, at the end of regulation on that final play, [5:34] were you aware that you had a reset timeout, [5:36] or are you just basing that solely on the scoreboard? [5:39] No, we were aware. [5:40] We were supposed to use it. [5:42] Did you attempt to call it and the referees didn't call it, [5:44] or was it miscommunication? [5:45] What happened? [5:48] I think it just didn't get called. [5:50] It didn't get called. [5:50] That's something when we get the rebound, we secure the rebound, [5:52] we call timeout. [5:54] We got the rebound, and we were getting ready to call it, [5:56] and it didn't happen. [6:01] You talk a lot about defending without fouling, [6:04] and that seemed to be an issue late in the fourth quarter, [6:07] and especially with that offensive foul on Kelsey at the end of the game. [6:11] Just what do you have to stress to kind of continue defending without fouling, [6:17] and just what do you think of that last foul on Kelsey or the offensive fouls? [6:20] I thought the last offensive foul was soft compared to the couple that had happened earlier in the game. [6:24] You know, was there extension? [6:27] Yeah, it was down. [6:28] It wasn't out. [6:30] You know, I thought that that's a really soft marginal contact call right there. [6:37] There were multiple plays in the game where I felt like we should have gotten that call, [6:40] and we didn't. [6:42] You know, as far as the defending without fouling, it's discipline. [6:44] I thought Phoenix in that fourth quarter did a really good job of just attacking downhill [6:47] and coming straight at us. [6:49] You know, we've got to be a little bit more disciplined. [6:53] You know, I think it was, what, 12 free throw attempts. [6:56] I think there were a couple where we fouled intentionally. [6:58] But, yeah, I mean, that's just, we just, we have to have a little bit more want to. [7:03] We've got to be more disciplined in those situations. [7:07] And that's, you know, on us as coaches, like, we've got to keep working it. [7:09] We've just got to keep working it. [7:12] Steph, one more on Katelyn. [7:14] Obviously, you're very forceful tonight. [7:16] What made you want to maybe make that statement so forcefully tonight, [7:20] after you defended her in the past, but obviously a little more fighting? [7:24] Because they were so egregious. [7:26] I mean, the fist in the throat is crazy. [7:30] It's crazy. [7:31] It's dangerous. [7:34] The landing spot, when you went to review it, [7:39] and she still comes down on top of another foot, like, I don't know. [7:45] Because to me, that's like a do-over on a test. [7:46] How do you screw it up again? [7:50] And it's just, when you have these things continue to happen time and time and time and time and time again, [7:56] eventually it gets frustrating. [7:58] But I thought those were just more egregious. [8:00] Steph, when Katelyn went out and Raven came in to run point more, what did you just, I guess, [8:08] what did you see from Raven in those moments, and what would you like to see her grow from this? [8:12] Her pace, number one, you know, she's an activity on the defensive end of the floor. [8:17] You know, she's got great size. [8:19] She's got good speed and quickness. [8:21] I thought she did a good job of getting the ball down the floor. [8:24] She's good at good playing with pace in the open court. [8:27] And, you know, in terms of growth, it's just consistency. [8:30] You know, a couple of those fouls, you know, [8:33] some things that she was used to getting away with in college that you can't in the pros, [8:36] just discipline from that standpoint. [8:37] She's going to learn that, you know, offensively. [8:41] Some opportunities that she probably had to rip and go on some extra passes, [8:47] and she gave it right back instead of attacking. [8:51] But the thing I'll always love about Raven is she's not afraid to take big shots, [8:53] and she had a big shot in the corner, big three in the corner. [8:56] She's not afraid of the moment. [8:58] She gets to the next play. [9:00] She's going to keep getting better. [9:03] Steph, with, I know you say you don't have an update on Katelyn, [9:05] but when it comes to her back, how careful do you all have to be? [9:07] Moving forward, and if she has to miss time, how does your team have to adjust? [9:12] I think we've got to be careful. [9:14] You know, it's a long season. [9:17] We've got to make sure that she's healthy. [9:22] You know, as far as adjustments, like, it's next player up. [9:26] You know, Ty's got to be ready to play some more minutes. [9:28] You know, obviously Raven has to be ready. [9:30] We've got to take on a little bit more collectively. [9:34] I think find ways to get our bigs a little bit more involved. [9:37] Specifically, you know, we think about Moe and, you know, her ability to get some shots [9:42] off the move, you know, get her in the two-man a little bit more. [9:46] This is, unfortunately, not unfamiliar territory for some of the players on our team. [9:53] But everybody's a pro, and everybody's got to be ready to go. [9:56] You mentioned talking to the officials at halftime and then, I think, two in the first quarter. [9:59] Either way, what did they say? [10:00] Did they offer any explanation or any guidance on their calls, lack of calls? [10:05] On the play specifically with Caitlin? [10:08] Yes. [10:09] They didn't see it. [10:10] They didn't see it.