While the Lions were getting tamed by the Chicago Bears with the score of 38-7, San Antonio was getting Shocked — the Detroit Shock, that is, who gave static as well as knocking out the Silver Stars Sunday with the score of 76-60 in the WNBA Finals.
Katie Smith was voted Most Valuable Player of the Finals: scoring 25 in Game 1, 22 in Game 2, and 18 in Game 3 (including 11 during the second half). “Everybody was locked in and understood what we wanted to get done” she said. “It’s a lot of fun to be on this team. It has a certain swagger and competitiveness to it. We find ways to win.”
This marks the third title for the Shock in the last six years — sweeping San Antonio at the Michigan Convocation Center court in front of almost 9,000 people. “The best thing about the Detroit Shock”, said Coach Bill Lamibeer, “is the players care about each other. We play hard-nosed basketball. We have the best players in the world.”
Lamibeer was part of the “Bad Boys” Detroit Pistons championship team that included Isiah “Zeke” Thomas, Joe “Joey D.” Dumars, and Vinnie Johnson. They won back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. It is unclear right now whether Lamibeer will remain as head coach of the Shock next season. “I like what I’m doing” he continued, “but I feel like I’m in the way of my two assistants (Cheryl Reeve and Rick Mahorn, Lamibeer’s former Piston teammate) and it bothers me.”
