Dein erstes Forum » Parra had been sidelined since April 26 with a strai

LOS ANGELES -- Sparks guard Kristi Toliver dreams a lot about basketball, which makes sense. Shes the daughter of a referee. Shes been a shooter since forever. Shes cerebral on the court. So, of course, the sport is there a lot even when she sleeps.She thinks the game very well; shes one of the most intelligent players Ive been around, Los Angeles coach Brian Agler said. If you think of people Id compare her with, its like Sue Bird, Katie Smith, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker -- those guys really see the game and understand it.They see things before they happen and can analyze it from a team perspective and talk about what we need to get better. Kristi sees the game like that.Toliver, 29, has long been viewed as a shooting guard who plays the point out of necessity, but thats not a fair way to describe it. With eight years experience as a professional, Toliver has been pretty great at being a combo guard and all that entails.This year has illustrated that. During the regular season, Toliver had 122 assists -- the second-highest total of her career -- and 45 turnovers. Her turnover average of 1.3 was the lowest of her career. Efficiency was the key word for the Sparks offense, and Toliver played a huge role while averaging a team-high 32.1 minutes per game.She also shot the 3 better than ever: Toliver made a career-high 81 from long range. And her 42.4 percent from behind the arc was fourth-best in the WNBA and the fourth season in which shes shot better than 42 percent from behind the arc.As the Sparks enter Game 3 of the WNBA Finals on Friday (ESPN2, 9 p.m. ET), a lot as always will be riding on Tolivers shoulders. The Sparks will look to her to initiate offense and score herself. After Los Angeles was so thoroughly beaten on the boards in Tuesdays Game 2 loss at Minnesota, the Sparks guards will need to do more to help with rebounding, too.And everyone will be waiting for Toliver to hit 3-pointers. In her career, shes made 416 treys in the WNBA regular season, and 33 in the playoffs. Eighteen of those have come in six postseason games this year.I know thats what people expect me to do, she said. But I also use the fact that I am a shooter to my advantage as a decoy. You can use that whether youve got the ball or not.The long ball is her signature, and always has been. But we know -- weve seen for some time now -- that there is a lot more to Tolivers game.She can pretty much do everything, Lynx guard Lindsay Whalen said. She can drive, she can put it on the bounce and shoot. And if she gets hot from outside, look out. Shes a tough player who has really improved her game every year. So you just do what you can to stay on her. She makes it hard, though; shes one of the reasons theyve had such a great season.Toliver started her career with Chicago, which drafted her at No. 3 in 2009, but she and then-coach Steven Key didnt necessarily see eye-to-eye. In 2010, the Sky traded her for a 2011 second-round pick (Angie Bjorklund, who played in just seven WNBA games). Key was gone after the 2010 season himself, but by then the damage had been done by giving Toliver away for nothing.Los Angeles has reaped the benefits. Parker, the Sparks No. 1 pick in 2008, remembers when the team told her there was a chance to get Toliver.I got excited because shes one of the best shooters in the WNBA, said Parker, the only current Sparks player whos been with Los Angeles longer than Toliver. Shes a combo guard, but shes learned to play the point-guard position: run the offense and figure out when its her time. Shes mastered that and has a good balance of getting other people involved.If you ask an expert true point guard about the different mentality between the guard positions, you have a greater appreciation for how well Toliver has done dual duty.When Im the point guard and Im dribbling down the court, Im calling a play, and trying to get my teammates in place, Seattles Sue Bird said. Youre looking to set things up. When I do play shooting guard, though, immediately in my head, the first thing when I touch the ball is, I get to try to score.So I think when you are naturally a shooting guard, and you get put at the point spot, its a little uncomfortable. When youre trying to find that natural balance, its hard for some players.Over the years, someone who is as natural a shooter as Toliver has struggled at times with the balance. But shes spent many years to refine all the skills she needs for both jobs.Kristi, when she can put the ball on the floor and create a little distance to get her shots off, shes probably at her greatest strength, Agler said. But she has really worked to evolve her game so she could be an effective point guard; her assist-to-turnover ratio this year was really good.Toliver said after this long in the league, she is relishing a chance to play in the WNBA Finals for the first time and is suitably dialed in. Shes averaged 14.3 points in this postseason, including 19 in the Sparks Game 1 victory over Minnesota.I dont think Ive ever been so focused, Toliver said of the 2016 playoffs. I know that everyone is just willing to do anything. Watching the extra film, doing your homework. Knowing its going to take everything we have.And basketball does seep into her subconscious. Toliver said she does plenty of shooting in dreamland. The most famous 3-pointer of her career, which tied Duke late in the 2006 national championship game and paved the way for Marylands overtime victory, sometimes even replays in her mind.Does she ever miss in her dreams? Toliver gives you a perish-the-thought look and smiles.Oh, no, she said. It always goes in. Wholesale Vapormax 97 . -- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Alrdridge were again the go-to duo for the Trail Blazers against the Kings. Cheap Off White Vapormax China . However, he did make them miss him a little less. Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. http://www.clearancevapormax.com/cheap-vapormax-2-clearance.html . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Wholesale Vapormax 95 . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. Cheap Vapormax 2 . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons.CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Reds put left-handed reliever Sean Marshall on the 15-day disabled list Friday, the second time this season that hes been sidelined by a sore pitching shoulder. The left shoulder has been bothering him since spring training. The Reds thought a little rest would take care of it, but the shoulder hurt after he made his first appearance of the regular season. He went on the disabled list from April 10-25 with tendinitis. Marshall threw 12 pitches while retiring two batters on Monday in a win over the Mets. The Reds put him on the disabled list again Friday after an exam indicated he has a sprained shoulder. The left-hander was effective in his setup role when the shoulder wasnt sore. He went 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA in 11 appearances covering seven innings. Hed retired 21 of the 27 batters he faced. "It has been bothering him on and off since spring training," manager Dusty Baker said. "Hopefully this is a chance to let it heal." The Reds activated left-handed reliever Manny Parra off the disabled list to take Marshalls spot before the start of a series against the Chicago Cubs on Fridaay night.dddddddddddd. Parra had been sidelined since April 26 with a strained muscle on the left side of his back. Parra was 0-1 with an 8.10 ERA in six appearances before he got hurt. Baker plans to use Parra in Marshalls role initially, bringing him in to face a left-handed batter or two late in a game. "The way I look at it, its a big chance for Manny Parra," Baker said. "Hes going to be our main lefty (set-up man) out of the pen. Im glad weve got him and were getting him back. "I cant tell you how Ill use him. It depends on how he does. Everything depends on his performance, as well as everybodys performance. Initially I might try to use him in that role." Left fielder Ryan Ludwick was in the clubhouse on Friday, continuing his comeback from right shoulder surgery. Ludwick tore cartilage in the shoulder while sliding into third base in the season opener. Hes expected back sometime after the All-Star break. "Its doing great," he said. "Right on schedule." Ludwick wont be allowed to do anything strenuous with the shoulder until July, giving it time to heal. ' ' '