2024 WNBA Season: Part 2 (August ---)

[GirlBoo1020]

Considering that last year's regular season MVP shot 7% from the field in a game in 2023 and still walked away with the trophy, then yeah--efficiency can be seen as being overrated by some.

Sigh. It's impossible to pay a compliment to Angel these days anywhere on the internet without a whole bunch of people jumping up to tell you why you are wrong. Truly exhausting.

I personally find Angels style of play really fun. Watching her fight down low, get crazy rebounds seemingly against all odds. The best play of the game for me was when she got 4 offensive rebounds over Wilson and finally got the foul. Carter as well at times but she's not as consistent at what she does well as Angel imo. No one else on that team really grabs my interest, and some I actively hate watching (Harrison for one).

I thought the wink made it obvious that was a joke, but just to clarify, that was joke.

 

[GirlBoo1020]

Angel reminds me of Moses Malone with her rebounding. Her quick jump. Long arms. Her timing. That desire to outwork people for the rebound. What a legend in the making. Angel is a beast on them boards!

Yea its the desire for me! Just 100% effort 100% of the time. She really captures the spirit of what I love about sports and I wasn't even a fan of her's in college. What she is doing in the W has really won me over.

 

[Baller29]

I'm hoping that the Mystics get Paige and become the third team in the "East" to tap into the youth movement. After what I saw today, the Sparks are a no-no.

Coaching is pretty horrible

 

[WBBTakeover]

Coaching is pretty horrible

That's so true. GM is horrible as well. Makes sense since they're related.

 

[JellyBean]

That Aces/Sky game was exciting! Key plays down the stretch. I am glad that Gustafson got some minutes out there for the Aces. The Sky with Carter/Reese/Cardoso/Onyenwere could be a powerful team if they can keep those four together. Coach Spoon has a nice team for the future. Great game, Aces/Sky!!

 

[Baller29]

That Aces/Sky game was exciting! Key plays down the stretch. I am glad that Gustafson got some minutes out there for the Aces. The Sky with Carter/Reese/Cardoso/Onyenwere could be a powerful team if they can keep those four together. Coach Spoon has a nice team for the future. Great game, Aces/Sky!!

Sky badly need to revamp their bench. I like their core moving forward next year with Cardoso, Reese, Carter as the main core. The rookies should make jumps going into year 2. They need to draft a quality guard this coming draft, hopefully one that can add more perimeter shooting

 

[JellyBean]

I'm hoping that the Mystics get Paige and become the third team in the "East" to tap into the youth movement. After what I saw today, the Sparks are a no-no.

That would be an interesting blend of talent in Washington, if they were to draft Paige. I wonder if the drafting of Paige would spark an interest in Elena Delle Donne to come back for one more run, if they would want her back. The Mystics would have on paper, a pretty impressive roster of talent, provided they can keep everyone.

 

[GirlBoo1020]

That would be an interesting blend of talent in Washington, if they were to draft Paige. I wonder if the drafting of Paige would spark an interest in Elena Delle Donne to come back for one more run, if they would want her back. The Mystics would have on paper, a pretty impressive roster of talent, provided they can keep everyone.

I don't think EDD will ever play for the Mystics again after what they did to her this offseason, blocking her from joining another franchise by coring her against her wishes. I would hate to see Paige go to Dallas or the Mystics to be honest. Dallas is talent waste land. The WNBA would be dumb if they let anyone but LA have the number 1 pick. Having a competitive team in LA with a collection of young stars would be a huge boon for the league imo, though that ownership group is not good. Not sure any of the likely lottery teams have a better ownership group tbh.

 

[Zanzman]

Collier with another monster night. If Vegas keeps faltering she has a real shot at MVP. On paper Minnesota has no business being as good as they’ve been.

Indiana fought hard but their inability to slow down Napheesa and perimeter players cost them. Dantas taking (and missing) a barrage of perimeter shots didn’t help either.

Fagbenle returned tonight and looked solid, though not as impactful as she was earlier in the year. Very few Nalyssa Smith minutes. Clark with her typical great night, too many TOs though (7). Mitchell was fantastic, Hull was once again terrific coming off the benc

I don't think EDD will ever play for the Mystics again after what they did to her this offseason, blocking her from joining another franchise by coring her against her wishes. I would hate to see Paige go to Dallas or the Mystics to be honest. Dallas is talent waste land. The WNBA would be dumb if they let anyone but LA have the number 1 pick. Having a competitive team in LA with a collection of young stars would be a huge boon for the league imo, though that ownership group is not good. Not sure any of the likely lottery teams have a better ownership group tbh.

Sorry I disagree they owned her rights they didnt want to release , she wanted to play with them while younger she collected money while she sat out with injury, whynot stick with a team that stuck with you

 

[JellyBean]

I don't think EDD will ever play for the Mystics again after what they did to her this offseason, blocking her from joining another franchise by coring her against her wishes. I would hate to see Paige go to Dallas or the Mystics to be honest. Dallas is talent waste land. The WNBA would be dumb if they let anyone but LA have the number 1 pick. Having a competitive team in LA with a collection of young stars would be a huge boon for the league imo, though that ownership group is not good. Not sure any of the likely lottery teams have a better ownership group tbh.

Good point. I totally forgot about her getting the Core tag by the Mystics. Hopefully the Wings don't win that #1 pick. I would feel badly for Paige if they draft her. We will see what happens.

I thought Magic Johnson was on that ownership team of the Sparks? As for the most recent mock draft listings, it is between Washington and LA. One week Washington has the #1 pick. The next week LA has the pick. Paige, Rickea, and Cameron. That would be exciting to watch.

 

[Hayven]

Pheesa will be the MVP.
Out of the three, Phee, Stewie, and Aja, the Lynx have better W-L against the Liberty and Aces.

The Lynx are 3-1 against the Aces and will not play in the regular season again.
The Lynx are 2-1 against the Liberty with another head to head later this season.

While the Liberty also have a 2-0 record against the Aces. And will play one more game later this season as well.

As steady as Aja has been. Pheesa has done a lot more with less supporting star players. This better not be a Pheesa-Gustafson senior college award season all over again

 

[WBBTakeover]

Minnesota has to be the favorite to win the title, they have an above average coach who has been there.
Good outside shooting, good backcourt play, guards who can defend, and depth.

The Lynx winning it all would not surprise me (they are the hottest team in the league right now), but the Liberty are the title favorites until we see something that suggests otherwise. I do not believe in Vandersloot and Brondello, so if they don't win a title it'll largely be because of those two.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Pheesa will be the MVP.
Out of the three, Phee, Stewie, and Aja, the Lynx have better W-L against the Liberty and Aces.

The Lynx are 3-1 against the Aces and will not play in the regular season again.
The Lynx are 2-1 against the Liberty with another head to head later this season.

While the Liberty also have a 2-0 record against the Aces. And will play one more game later this season as well.

As steady as Aja has been. Pheesa has done a lot more with less supporting star players. This better not be a Pheesa-Gustafson senior college award season all over again

The voters are supposed to take all of the games and the entire season into account. Phee has already missed five games and, even after her scorching hot streak, does not have the same numbers that A'ja has.

A'ja has not been "steady". She's been phenomenal. Oh, and let's not forget that Phee plays with two other Olympians and another All-Star. What an underwhelming supporting cast indeed.

Stewie is not a Top 5 MVP candidate, IMO. Sabrina is the MVP of the Liberty in 2024.

 

[baggerbob]

Is?

What happens if neither of them make it? This is an Olympic year, so we've seen the favorites fall before the Finals.

Sloot is not a very good player right now, can't play defense and since her return doesn't appear to be in true game shape.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Sloot is not a very good player right now, can't play defense and since her return doesn't appear to be in true game shape.

When Betnijah returns, Sloot, not Fiebich, should be the one who moves to the bench. We'll see how series Sandy is about winning a title.

 

[baggerbob]

When Betnijah returns, Sloot, not Fiebich, should be the one who moves to the bench. We'll see how series Sandy is about winning a title.

I agree but Not a fan of Sandy as a coach, 1 championship at Phoenix, when you had players like DT, Griner, Taylor, Bonner, and Breland.
She has a terrible track record as a coach.

 

[azfan]

Is?

What happens if neither of them make it? This is an Olympic year, so we've seen the favorites fall before the Finals.

In Vegas a dollar bet on a final with out those two would yield a comfortable addition to retirement savings.

 

[azfan]

When Betnijah returns, Sloot, not Fiebich, should be the one who moves to the bench. We'll see how series Sandy is about winning a title.

Deadly.......

 

[GirlBoo1020]

Pheesa will be the MVP.
Out of the three, Phee, Stewie, and Aja, the Lynx have better W-L against the Liberty and Aces.

The Lynx are 3-1 against the Aces and will not play in the regular season again.
The Lynx are 2-1 against the Liberty with another head to head later this season.

While the Liberty also have a 2-0 record against the Aces. And will play one more game later this season as well.

As steady as Aja has been. Pheesa has done a lot more with less supporting star players. This better not be a Pheesa-Gustafson senior college award season all over again

I still think A'ja will win it because of the media hype early in the season but I agree, Phee is the best player on the best team in the league (I wouldn't be surprised if they take that number 1 spot from the Liberty once they get fully healthy) and has far less talent around her. In the past Phee would be the no brainer MVP but unfortunately we are now in the age of the stat infatuation so we'll just go with whoever wins the box score battle.

 

[azfan]

That has to rank up there as one of the worst collapses ever for the LA Sparks.

Simply pathetic. Very unserious franchise.

Least surprising.

Remember these are the two bottom feeders in the w and while Dallas is simply awful defensively the Spark are not far behind. Over 200 points scored in this laugh fest. Both organizations should feel deep shame about the junior high level of defense exhibited by these professional athletes.

 

[WBBTakeover]

In Vegas a dollar bet on a final with out those two would yield a comfortable addition to retirement savings.

Same could've been said of Connecticut (who had the MVP that season) and Las Vegas (who had the 2020 MVP) in 2021. Olympic years are weird.

 

[azfan]

As steady as Aja has been. Pheesa has done a lot more with less supporting star players. This better not be a Pheesa-Gustafson senior college award season all over again

I might add

Steady in:

An historic season in which she is currently setting any number of records including highest per game score average in. the w history exceeding that of the GOAT. Her predominance in All phases of the game is reminiscent of some of the dominating seasons of the past by elite halfway s.

Setting aside the records and numbers we are so fortunate to be watching this historic season.

There are a number of players also having the outstanding seasons and in any other year would be worthy of MVP consideration. This is just not any other year.

 

[azfan]

I agree but Not a fan of Sandy as a coach, 1 championship at Phoenix, when you had players like DT, Griner, Taylor, Bonner, and Breland.
She has a terrible track record as a coach.

Terrible? Really?

Top 10 all time......

Ranking the 10 Greatest WNBA Coaches of all time

This list has SB #9

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1. Sandy Brondello (2010, 2014-Present)

Regular Season Record: 180-148 (0.549%)
Playoff Record: 25-23 (0.521%)
Teams: San Antonio Stars, Phoenix Mercury, New York Liberty
Awards: WNBA Champion 2014, WNBA Coach of the Year 2014

Sandy Brondello is an Australian former basketball star who won the Women’s National Basketball League MVP award in 1995. She was a two time WNBL All Star and a WNBA All Star while playing for the Detroit Shock in 1999.

Brondello’s first shot at a head coaching role in San Antonio didn’t go as she had planned, so after just one season she was relieved of her duties and went back to developing her skills in an assistant coaching role with the Los Angeles Sparks.

She spent three seasons there before she was offered the head coaching job with the Phoenix Mercury, and this time she was prepared. That season the Mercury stormed to a 29-5 record, the best season record in WNBA history, and Brondello was named the WNBA Coach of the Year.

The Mercury went on to claim the WNBA title by sweeping Chicago in the finals, giving Brondello a championship season in her first year in charge of Phoenix.

She took the Mercury back to the finals in 2021 but couldn’t claim the title this time around, and is now the New York Liberty coach having moved on when her contract expired in Phoenix.

 

[GirlBoo1020]

..

The Liberty lost to the Lynx twice though so its a tough sell to say the are better than the Lynx. They are three games back but Collier was hurt for 3 of their losses (they lost the game she got hurt in). I don't see much of a reason to think the Liberty are better than the Lynx with Collier, and I am a Liberty fan and don't even like Collier that much.

Napheesa plays with two other Olympians but non from team USA. A'ja has 3 other US Olympians and 2 non-USA Olympians on her team. To act like the Lynx don't have a significant talent gap compared to the Aces isn't being honest imo. The Lynx went 3-3 when Phee was out but all three of those loses came from teams currently not slated to make the play-offs. To say that means the Lynx are more talented than the Ace's is again, not being honest. A'ja hasn't missed a game so its impossible to say whether they could beat three of the worst team in the league without her. I tend to think they'd be fine but thats just me, who watched the Ace's build a 13 point lead with A'ja on the bench today and then lose that lead once she came back in. Who knows though, thats a strawman argument.


And I wasn't touting her stats, I was touting her rebounding ability, despite her offensive stats. Another example of box score watching that I am talking about.

 

[WBBTakeover]

Terrible? Really?

She's not terrible, but she's been a career underachiever relative to the talent that has been at her disposal. How many coaches can say that they've coached as many MVP winners, Olympians, and future HOFers as she has? She coached in Phoenix for eight seasons. She should've had at least three rings--maybe four.

Also, Game 4 of the 2023 WNBA Finals should've been a win for the Liberty considering the circumstances.