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

[azfan]

50 points from the bench is a lot, I don't care who you are playing. Washington's starters scored 40.

Even when you are playing the porous Dallas wing non defense!

The bench also played 92 minutes as the starters got tired from shooting wide open jumpers.

 

[visitingcock]

The Fever are legitimately playing like a top-4 team in the league right now. At this point I won’t be at all surprised if they make it into the semis of the playoffs. If they beat the Lynx on Friday I’ll be totally sold.

Next week’s homestand with Vegas should be very interesting. I don’t see the Aces getting out of Indiana 2-0.

My initial goal for the Fever was to make the playoffs. Goal #2 was to finish over .500.

Both look doable.

Dare I hope they could win a series in the playoffs?

They weren’t as bad as their record last year, they just couldn’t closed out wins in the fourth quarter with just Kelsey and Aliya as scoring options. The addition of Caitlin ( and the Olympic break) has pushed them into being a decent closer team.

 

[nwhoopfan]

My initial goal for the Fever was to make the playoffs. Goal #2 was to finish over .500.

Both look doable.

Dare I hope they could win a series in the playoffs?

They weren’t as bad as their record last year, they just couldn’t closed out wins in the fourth quarter with just Kelsey and Aliya as scoring options. The addition of Caitlin ( and the Olympic break) has pushed them into being a decent closer team.

I thought I saw something saying this will be the first playoff appearance for all their players, but that can't possibly be correct. All 5 starters though? Dantas must've been in the playoffs w/ Minnesota, KLS somewhere along the line, maybe Wheeler?

 

[nwhoopfan]

Okay, answering my own question. KLS w/ 3 playoff games, Wheeler 4, Dantas 8, Fagenble 4.

 

[visitingcock]

With the 6/7 spots clinch, who gets the last playoff spot? Chicago ? Atlanta? Dallas?

 

[bballnut90]

The bolded portion of your post is an amazingly accurate description of Mike Thibault when the Sun hired him in 2003. That worked out OK, and he has done pretty well in the WNBA.

21 years later and the landscape is vastly different. He also didn’t get the league’s top salary from day 1 either

 

[nwhoopfan]

You would probably think w/ Stewie and Ionescu shooting a combined 7-28 New York would be in big trouble. You would be wrong.

 

[GoChips20]

With the 6/7 spots clinch, who gets the last playoff spot? Chicago ? Atlanta? Dallas?

It’s an interesting predicament because with Sabally back, Dallas is probably the most talented and dangerous team, but they have the most ground to make up and there’s just not a lot of time left.

I know tanking goes against T-Spoon’s DNA but realistically there’s no incentive for Chicago to stumble into the playoffs. They’d be bounced in round one and they could really benefit from a shot at the Bueckers sweepstakes.

With the way they’ve been playing with Canada back I’m guessing it’ll be Atlanta.

 

[MilfordHusky]

What's up with Chennedy Carter? I think I saw a hospital room in a social media pic.

 

[GamecockFam]

What's up with Chennedy Carter? I think I saw a hospital room in a social media pic.

Complications from COVID is what I believe I heard an announcer say in the Sky's previous game.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Seattle 70
NYL 77

Gabby had 17/4/5 on 8-13 shooting. She mostly guarded Sabrina, plus guarded Stewie on switches. Sabrina shot 5-18, and Stewie shot 5-16.

I recall a quote from Geno: "When Gabby Williams is guarding you, you have been guarded."

 

[BigTenGuy]

. . .

I know tanking goes against T-Spoon’s DNA but realistically there’s no incentive for Chicago to stumble into the playoffs. They’d be bounced in round one and they could really benefit from a shot at the Bueckers sweepstakes.

Chicago cannot get the #1 pick via a pick swap agreement with Dallas.

WNBA playoffs 2024: Ranking the bubble teams most incentivized to snag final postseason spot

 

[nwhoopfan]

I know tanking goes against T-Spoon’s DNA but realistically there’s no incentive for Chicago to stumble into the playoffs.

Isn't that exactly what they've been doing since the break? Trading away their only reliable 3 point shooter and going 1-8 seems to indicate that they are in fact tanking.

 

[Geew1992]

What's up with Chennedy Carter? I think I saw a hospital room in a social media pic.

You did. She has covid

 

[cancontent]

What's up with Chennedy Carter? I think I saw a hospital room in a social media pic.

She was back practicing with the team today. Not sure about her status for tomorrow.

 

[GamecockFam]

I don't watch a lot of Mystics games but I sit here tonight watching them now and am impressed with the team chemistry. They don't really have an all-star player but I feel like they go nine deep with sixth man type of players. And I think that is their superpower. With that said, Engstler has that superstar spark and I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes a WNBA all-star in a few years.

 

[MilfordHusky]

You did. She has covid

Wow! I thought it was a non-Covid illness.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Karlie has a big knot on her forehead, but she has 16 points in 17 minutes (4-4 from deep).

 

[nwhoopfan]

They don't really have an all-star player

Atkins and Sykes aren't real far off from that caliber.

 

[azfan]

Humiliation Round 2- Footprint Arena!!!!

DT and friends don't care enough to even pick up a t.

Is Celeste Taylor the most effective player on the court for the spiraling Merc?

 

[JellyBean]

And........ I'm confident Kristi Toliver could do better than 500 at 1/3 the salary that the Nate Meister is pulling down.

 

[JellyBean]

What's up with Chennedy Carter? I think I saw a hospital room in a social media pic.

Yeah. She was out for medical reasons.

 

[ochoopsfan]

I don't watch a lot of Mystics games but I sit here tonight watching them now and am impressed with the team chemistry. They don't really have an all-star player but I feel like they go nine deep with sixth man type of players. And I think that is their superpower. With that said, Engstler has that superstar spark and I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes a WNBA all-star in a few years.

Where ever Karlie Samuelson goes there always seems to be team chemistry.
Avenida in Spain, Karlie, and KLS, won a Championship in the Spanish league and went to the finals of Euroleague before losing to the Russian team that had Stewie, Griner, Messerman, etc.
Karlie went to Australia and went to Townsville, a team that most of the Aussie writers picked to not make the playoffs. They came in first and won the WNBL championship. Karlie was MVP of the playoffs.
Last season Karlie went to a team in England, London Lions. They were an average team the year before and the team brought in solid players in Fagbenle, Gustaffson, Winterburn(she is young and good), and Karlie. and a few of the better GB players and they won Euro Cup championship. Unfortunately the ownership decided to not support the team in the Euro League for the coming season, or she would still be there.

I think I remember, sometime earlier in this season with the Mystics, Engstler was given an award for best game or important play of the game, and she said something like, this award should go to Karlie as she gave me the confidence to perform like this.
You cant find chemistry on a scoresheet, but you can see and feel it when you watch a team play.

 

[Dillon77]

Karlie has a big knot on her forehead, but she has 16 points in 17 minutes (4-4 from deep).

She finished with 19 and the only shot she missed all day was a free throw. Nicely done.

Washington once again got great contributions from it's non-starters, starting with KS, and aided by:

• Emily Engstler who, in 19 minutes, scored 10 points and had 4 rebounds, 3 steals and assists and 2 blocks. Stat stuffer.
• Sika Kone who, in 14 minutes, got 4 rebounds (expected) but also hit two threes (who knew?), en route to 8 points.

 

[Dillon77]

Isn't that exactly what they've been doing since the break? Trading away their only reliable 3 point shooter and going 1-8 seems to indicate that they are in fact tanking.

Mabrey was, among other things, the floor spacer for that team (mid- and long-distance shooter, cutter, even screener). And the compliment/counter to that spacing was Carter, who has been out. Man, it's a chasm . Will be an interesting off-season for Chicago management to fill out the roster.