2008 Detroit Shock season | |
---|---|
Coach | Bill Laimbeer |
Arena | The Palace of Auburn Hills |
Attendance | 9,569 per game |
Results | |
Record | 22–12 (.647) |
Place | 1st (Eastern) |
Playoff finish | Won WNBA Finals |
Team Leaders | |
Points | Deanna Nolan (15.8) |
Rebounds | Cheryl Ford (8.7) |
Assists | Deanna Nolan (4.4) |
The 2008 WNBA season was the 11th for the Detroit Shock, an American women's professional basketball team. The Shock returned to the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive year, winning their second WNBA Championship in three seasons, and their third in six years.
During the Finals, Katie Smith averaged a team high 21.7 points per game to be named WNBA Finals MVP.[1] Similar to Kevin Garnett with the 2008 Boston Celtics, Taj McWilliams-Franklin won her first championship after 10 years in the league.[2]
The following player was lost in the Atlanta Dream expansion draft:
Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 4 (from Atl. via Sea.) | Alexis Hornbuckle | United States | Tennessee |
11 (from SA) | Tasha Humphrey | United States | Georgia | |
2 | 18 (from Atl.) | Olayinka Sanni | United States | West Virginia |
3 | 42 | Valeriya Berezhynska | United States | Rice |
Date | Trade | |
---|---|---|
February 6, 2008 | To Detroit Shock | To Atlanta Dream |
LaToya Thomas and the 18th pick in the 2008 WNBA draft | Ivory Latta | |
February 19, 2008 | To Detroit Shock | To Seattle Storm |
The 4th pick in the 2008 WNBA draft | Swin Cash | |
June 22, 2008 | To Detroit Shock | To Minnesota Lynx |
Eshaya Murphy | LaToya Thomas | |
August 12, 2008 | To Detroit Shock | To Washington Mystics |
Taj McWilliams-Franklin | Tasha Humphrey, Eshaya Murphy, and a second-round pick in the 2009 WNBA draft |
Additions[edit]
|
Subtractions[edit]
|
The Shock season opener resulted in a record-breaking debut for rookie guard Alexis Hornbuckle. Hornbuckle set a Shock record with seven steals to help the Shock beat the Houston Comets on May 17. Deanna Nolan scored a franchise-record 44 points (28 in the fourth quarter and overtime) in a 98-93 victory over the Minnesota Lynx on June 20.
Main article: Sparks–Shock brawl |
In July, the Detroit Shock signed Nancy Lieberman, the franchise's first head coach and general manager, to a 7-day contract. The 50-year-old Lieberman broke her own record for being the oldest player in the WNBA.[5] Lieberman, a Hall of Famer since 1999, was 39 years old when she played with Phoenix during the league's first year in 1997.
The 50-year-old Lieberman played nine minutes and had two assists.[6] One of the assists included a no-look pass in the closing minutes of the Detroit Shock's 79-61 loss to the Houston Comets on July 24.
Lieberman made an appearance in the Shock's first game against the Los Angeles Sparks on July 22 due to the bench-clearing brawl. Five Shock players were suspended and Cheryl Ford suffered a season-ending injury, prompting coach Bill Laimbeer to offer Lieberman the seven-day contract.
Detroit Shock roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Eastern Conference | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Conf. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detroit Shock x | 22 | 12 | .647 | – | 14–3 | 8–9 | 16–4 |
Connecticut Sun x | 21 | 13 | .618 | 1.0 | 13–4 | 8–9 | 13–7 |
New York Liberty x | 19 | 15 | .559 | 3.0 | 11–6 | 8–9 | 11–9 |
Indiana Fever x | 17 | 17 | .500 | 5.0 | 11–6 | 6–11 | 12–8 |
Chicago Sky o | 12 | 22 | .353 | 10.0 | 8–9 | 4–13 | 10–10 |
Washington Mystics o | 10 | 24 | .294 | 12.0 | 6–11 | 4–13 | 6–14 |
Atlanta Dream o | 4 | 30 | .118 | 18.0 | 1–16 | 3–14 | 2–18 |
2008 Game Log: Regular Season | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
June
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
August
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September
|
2008 Game Log: Postseason | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Conference Semifinals
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Conference Finals
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
WNBA Finals
|
Legend | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader |
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deanna Nolan | 34 | 34 | 33.6 | .465 | .374 | .863 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 15.8 |
Katie Smith | 34 | 34 | 33.9 | .383 | .360 | .887 | 2.8 | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 14.7 |
Plenette Pierson | 28 | 0 | 23.2 | .457 | .000 | .752 | 4.9 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 11.9 |
Taj McWilliams-Franklin | 7 | 7 | 26.2 | .422 | 1.000 | .909 | 6.7 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 10.7 |
Cheryl Ford | 24 | 24 | 26.5 | .481 | .000 | .560 | 8.7 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 10.1 |
Kara Braxton | 33 | 10 | 17.9 | .415 | .000 | .743 | 5.1 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 8.9 |
Tasha Humphrey | 22 | 16 | 13.5 | .500 | .385 | .955 | 2.9 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 7.3 |
Alexis Hornbuckle | 34 | 0 | 22.0 | .354 | .356 | .636 | 4.1 | 2.1 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 5.4 |
Elaine Powell | 16 | 16 | 19.6 | .490 | .500 | .750 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 3.6 |
Olayinka Sanni | 31 | 9 | 10.5 | .500 | .000 | .649 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 3.4 |
Ashley Shields | 7 | 0 | 6.3 | .364 | .333 | .750 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 3.1 |
Sheri Sam | 32 | 15 | 14.9 | .309 | .286 | .692 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 2.9 |
Eshaya Murphy | 13 | 3 | 9.4 | .300 | .263 | .667 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.5 |
Kelly Schumacher | 7 | 0 | 12.7 | .375 | .000 | 1.000 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 2.0 |
Stacey Lovelace | 7 | 2 | 6.3 | .286 | .400 | .667 | 1.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 1.4 |
LaToya Thomas | 7 | 0 | 5.7 | .267 | .000 | .000 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.1 |
Chrissy Givens | 3 | 0 | 3.3 | .000 | .000 | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
Wanisha Smith | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Nancy Lieberman | 1 | 0 | 9.0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Detroit Shock Regular Season Stats
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Deanna Nolan | 9 | 9 | 38.8 | .359 | .341 | .939 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 0.3 | 17.6 |
Katie Smith | 9 | 9 | 34.3 | .410 | .354 | .758 | 4.0 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 15.3 |
Taj McWilliams-Franklin | 9 | 9 | 32.6 | .490 | .500 | .864 | 7.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 12.9 |
Kara Braxton | 9 | 9 | 20.0 | .500 | .000 | .650 | 5.3 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 8.6 |
Plenette Pierson | 6 | 0 | 17.8 | .474 | .000 | .846 | 3.0 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 7.8 |
Alexis Hornbuckle | 9 | 0 | 24.4 | .429 | .375 | .750 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 6.3 |
Elaine Powell | 9 | 9 | 19.0 | .588 | .000 | .818 | 2.3 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 3.2 |
Olayinka Sanni | 9 | 0 | 7.3 | .438 | .000 | .500 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.8 |
Kelly Schumacher | 8 | 0 | 11.9 | .438 | .000 | .000 | 3.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 1.8 |
Sheri Sam | 6 | 0 | 5.0 | .286 | .000 | 1.000 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Ashley Shields | 3 | 0 | 1.3 | .200 | .000 | .000 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.7 |